|
Founded in 1639, Stratford is a community
rich in history and abundant natural beauty. Situated on Long
Island Sound, and bounded to the east by the Housatonic River,
Stratford has long viewed its waterfront as an important natural
resource. The Town's location on Long Island Sound affords
residents and visitors alike with two public beaches, five
marinas, several fishing piers and two public boat-launching
facilities.
Within an hour's drive of New York City,
Stratford is the easternmost town in Fairfield County. Major
highways such as I-95, Route 8/25 and the Merritt Parkway bisect
Stratford, and provide convenient access to the entire Northeast
corridor. Sikorsky Memorial Airport, located in the Lordship
section of Stratford, remains a hub of corporate activity and
provides commuter service to other cities in the northeast. Rail
service provided by Metro North with connections to Amtrak
further round out an excellent array of transportation choices.
Stratford has a long association with the
aviation industry. Stratford became the birthplace of the
American helicopter industry, when in 1939, a Russian immigrant,
Igor Sikorsky, successfully flew the first helicopter at his
Stratford-based aircraft plant. More than a half-century later,
Sikorsky Aircraft, the world's leading helicopter manufacturer,
still designs and produces state-of-the art helicopters for both
military and commercial applications at its sprawling
manufacturing facility on Stratford's north side.
The diversity of Stratford's natural
resources is as rich as its cultural heritage, ranging from the
250-acre, town-owned Roosevelt Forest to the Great Meadows Salt
Marsh, one of the largest unditched salt marshes remaining in
New England and now a portion of the Stewart B. McKinney
National Wildlife Refuge. Stratford is host to a variety of
cultural attractions as well, including the soon to be
revitalized Shakespeare Theatre and Boothe Memorial Park, a
municipally-owned park and museum showcasing an assortment of
architecturally-unique structures and vast collection of
Americana. |
