Government

Town Is Buying Five Decorative Lampposts for Morse Court

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New Canaan is purchasing five decorative lampposts that will be installed at Morse Court, a move that officials say will not only illuminate the sidewalk but also help tie in the heavily used access way with the rest of the downtown. The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve an $18,575 contract (they’re $3,715 apiece) with Danbury-based F&M Electric for the lampposts—funds that will be drawn from a $215,000 state grant (New Canaan is one of 14 Connecticut towns that received a grant in 2013 from the Main Street Investment Fund). “They will be exactly the same as every other one we have in the downtown area,” Assistant Director of Public Works Tiger Mann said at the selectmen’s regular meeting, held in the Training Room at the New Canaan Police Department. It will take about 10 weeks to get the lampposts, and their installation will be covered under a separate request once they’re here, officials said. “This will be a welcome addition,” First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said.

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Pave Paradise and Put Up Morse Court: New Canaan’s Birdsall House

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For the better part of the 20th Century to the present-day, Morse Court has been a busy, filled-to-capacity parking lot by day and teen hangout by night. Despite the large amount of people who use it in some capacity, it’s safe to assume that most are unaware of the New Canaan landmark, which once occupied the site: the late, great Birdsall House. In the early-to-mid 19th century, historians say, New Canaan was a popular summer destination for wealthy New Yorkers, seeking the fresh air, peace and quiet— leisurely lifestyle that “The Next Station to Heaven” provided. One such summer transplant was Gilbert Birdsall, vice president of the Third Avenue Railroad in Manhattan. Birdsall owned a house on Canoe Hill Road and also purchased the burgeoning New Canaan Hotel on Main Street, a popular destination for out-of-town businessmen and travelers alike.