The Merritt Parkway: The Road that Shaped a Region

by Laurie Heiss, Jill Smyth

Overview

Decorated with a breathtaking landscape and a treasured collection of diversely styled bridges, the Merritt Parkway runs thirty-seven and a half miles through Fairfield County. From its complicated beginnings to the present, authors Laurie Heiss and Jill Smyth navigate the hard-fought yet picturesque path of this beloved road. Meet the bridge artist, the landscapers, the politicians and the activists whose involvement in the Merritt transformed Fairfield County from farms and country estates to one of the wealthiest counties in the nation. With the dedication of preservationists and conservationists, the Merritt Parkway today remains both functional and beautiful, holding a unique place in the heart of Connecticut's drivers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781625851666
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	10/21/2014
Series:	Transportation
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

Laurie Heiss started her professional career at IBM, continuing at GE in consulting/management. She is a founding member of the Redding Preservation Society and the Fairfield County Preservation Network. Active on the boards of the Redding Land Trust and the Merritt Parkway Conservancy, she was the previous executive director of the conservancy.She has restored a 1767 saltbox and an 1830s farmstead where the barns and outbuildings are on Connecticut's Register of Historic Places. Jill Smyth has been involved with the Merritt Parkway Conservancy since 2002 and currently serves as executive director. She is currently a member of the Merritt Parkway Advisory Committee, Stamford Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, Stamford Garden Club, Connecticut Tree Wardens Association and a Master Gardener. She lives in Stamford and has two sons.

Table of Contents

Preface 9

Acknowledgements 11

1 The 1920s and Overview: The Case for an Alternative to the Post Road 13

2 The 1930s: The Work of Creating the Parkway 25

3 The 1940s: As the Great Depression Fades, Delight in the Merritt Interrupted by World War II 55

4 The 1950s: Emergence of the Suburbs 71

5 The 1960s: From Pleasant Motoring to Commuting-Parkway Changes 80

6 The 1970s: Citizen Action Arises and Mostly Prevails 91

7 The 1980s: Interchanges and Proposed Changes on the Merritt 103

8 The 1990s: Expansion and Super Highway Stopped and Parkway Joins the National Register 113

9 The 2000s: The DOT/Nonprofit Partnership and Standing Up for the Bridges 123

10 The 2010s: Does the Merritt Look Different to You? 141

Conclusion 147

Notes 151

Index 157

About the Authors 159