Greenwich enjoys the benefits of solid affluence: high median incomes, virtually no unemployment, a consistent rating as one of the safest cities in the country and an excellent school system. These assets have made it an attractive address for many corporations.
Central Greenwich revolves around Greenwich Avenue -- the main shopping district lined with upscale shops and restaurants. Instead of traffic lights, policemen direct traffic on the avenue. In close proximity to the town center are apartments, condos, and co-ops, and single-family homes. Typical of in-town residential areas is a tree-lined neighborhood of pre-war homes near downtown.
Greenwich offers a wide array of cultural opportunities for both the participant and the audience with its own symphony, an arts council, several art societies, a choral society, choirs and specialized singing groups, dance groups and active theater associations. The Bruce Museum houses collections of fine art, Indian and colonial relics, and natural history exhibits. The museum has visiting exhibitions, lecture programs and an extensive children's program. The Greenwich Library provides a well-rounded center with its lectures, films, art gallery exhibits and lending libraries of books, records, art and films. Greenwich's central location also encourages travel to the cultural facilities of the region from Broadway to Long Wharf.
For recreational enthusiasts, there are a myriad of opportunities. The Griffith E. Harris Golf course is an excellent 18-hole town course designed by Robert Trent Jones. There are nine private clubs with golf courses and five yacht clubs throughout Greenwich.
Greenwich Point, the largest beach in town is located in Old Greenwich on a 147-acre peninsula. Open year round, visitors encounter joggers, bicyclists, and roller bladers along the roadway and paths. There are picnic tables and grills in the picnic areas. One can fish off many quiet rocky areas or swim, surf, or sail in the Sound, with a view of the New York skyline on a clear day.
There is a sparkling Long Island Sound view from Greenwich's lovely Belle Haven area. The Belle Haven peninsula is located in central Greenwich and is minutes to town and transportation.
The history of Greenwich dates back to 1640 when settlers from the New Haven Colony purchased land from the Siwanoy Indians in the area now known as Old Greenwich. Shortly thereafter the English joined the Dutch in a dispute with the Siwanoys which resulted in their massacre. After the disappearance of most of the Indians the industrious newcomers carved out larger and larger land holdings on which to raise potatoes, grain, and fruit. Settlements grew along the shore from Stamford on the east to the Byram River on the west and north to the border with New York State.
The coming of the railroad in 1848 marked a significant improvement in transportation and brought increasing numbers of new residents to Greenwich. The Irish came to work on the railroad and settled close to Greenwich Avenue, the Town center. In an adjacent neighborhood called Chickahominy, Italian stonemasons congregated to be near the Byram quarries. Other Italians settled further east in North Mianus where they worked in the Mianus Woolen Mill. The Germans went to Byram, then known as East Port Chester, and found work in the Abendroth Foundry. Glenville, on the Byram River, attracted Poles who worked in the felt mill and Russell Burdsall & Ward, manufacturers of nuts and bolts. Each of these areas developed as distinct neighborhoods that have continued to be home to second- and third-generation descendants.
Greenwich also developed as a resort catering to New Yorkers wishing to escape the noxious city for the summer. Along the shore, hotels were erected to house, feed, and entertain these visitors. Many decided to build homes in Greenwich, creating such areas as Belle Haven, Field Point Park, Byram Shore and Rock Ridge. People with easily recognizable names - Benedict, Bruce, Converse, Gimble, Havemeyer, Mallory, Milbank, Rockefeller, and Teagle - amassed large land holdings upon which to build the estates for which Greenwich is famous. These families became great benefactors to the new community.
The 20th century burst upon Greenwich with yet another improvement in transportation. The trolley from Rye to Stamford connected Greenwich from west to east with a convenient, in-town service. The automobile then took precedence after the First World War. In 1938 the Merritt Parkway cut through the northern section of Greenwich, followed in 1957 by I-95 on the south. Once again new arrivals swelled the population of Greenwich. This time the newcomers were the employees of corporations leaving New York City for suburban headquarters.
The second half of the century saw a growing concern in Greenwich for protecting its heritage, resulting in the creation of two local historic districts, twenty-three buildings and areas listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the acquisition of undeveloped land as park and conservation areas. Greenwich is a special place to its residents who work hard as volunteers in its behalf.