Pleasure Beach Bridgeport CT

[@Mike-jd]

Born in 49 and growing up in Bridgeport, I remember it well. Thanks for bringing me back to memory lane. So many fond memories.

[@douglasdingwall1596]

My mother grew up in Bridgeport, my father grew up in Devon and saw Glenn Miller and many other big band swing bands.....the world has changed a lot since then.

[@alphaboy1872]

Really enjoyed this. As a kid my parents would drive us out to Pleasure beach on Sundays along with trips to an amusement part in West Haven ct called Savin Rock. Oddly the highlight of the Pleasure beach Trips was the "creaky bridge" we would drive over. I guess you would have to experience it first hand. Now all of this in my dreams along with my parents who passed away years prior.

[@b1bmsgt]

I experienced it as a kid! Going over that bridge scared the crap out of me!!!

[@MrRikki52b]

I grew up in Bridgeport and I used to go to the Amusement park all the time. We also went fishing off the bridge.

[@dolittle6781]

Amazing local history video! Thanks for telling us the story of that place. Can only imagine what a fabulous area it was back in the day! Many of us long for those days to come back, but we know they never will-and that’s kinda sad. It must have been a great way to socialize outdoors right on the water’s edge smelling the salt water from the Long Island Sound. Enjoyed your casual walkthrough and narration. Am sure you remember Savin Rock in West Haven. They don’t make them like that anymore looks like. Guess when factories started closing workers couldn’t afford entertainment venues like that anymore. Still nice to preserve memories of those times. Well done!

[@Nick_ADV]

@@dolittle6781 thank you so much! I really enjoyed making this and looking into the history of the area. It would have been amazing to visit in its height.

[@echoes327]

Excellent video! I love this area so much. I saw the play: 'The Bad Seed" at The Polkadot Playhouse. I was about 12 years old, a parent dropped us off We felt so grown-up.

[@Nick_ADV]

@@echoes327 Thats awesome you got to experience that! Im glad you enjoyed the video Thank you!

[@bpmunroe]

When they reopened it in 2014 it was pretty nice. Water taxi to the Island, nice new path/boardwalk from the dock to the beach, and golf carts to ferry you if you didn’t want to walk that far. The beach itself was very nice. Unlike a lot of beaches in the area, the water was actually deep so you didn’t have to go at high tide to get out past your knees! Then the city sold the parking lot on the land side, or lost the rights to it, and parking became challenging.

[@JMExplorations]

Nice job on this video! We did a video here last summer and we loved this place! Great history here! Also, we subscribed to your channel! We are looking forward to more content from you!! Stay safe! ~Jennifer & Marcel

[@Nick_ADV]

@@JMExplorations thank you so much! I just watched your video on it and loved it! You guys have a great chemistry together for exploring. I subscribed to you as well. I see some great locations on your page and it definitely makes me want to get out and explore/film more!

[@MarlinWilliams-ts5ul]

That's not too far from what they call the Gold Coast ... just down the road a bit.

[@bryana1942]

I grew up in Bridgeport, went to summer day camp at Pleasure Beach, and had an uncle who owned one of the cottages. Spent a couple summers there back in the day. It’s a shame the city never really committed to restoring it in any meaningful way.

[@tino720]

Wow.. Brings back memories.. Sad that old bridge burned down..

[@rupe53]

It's speculated that stray smoking material was discarded from a passing car and probably caught bird nesting on fire within the old timbers supporting the bridge.

[@2joesorvillo]

Thanks for sharing a little bit of Connecticut history.

[@rupe53]

I spent time out there some 20 years ago when many of the homes were still occupied on a seasonal basis. (post bridge closure) The only way to get there was walking the 2 miles from up the coast or by boat. (docks on the inlet / bay side) Got a chance to explore the ruins of the merry go-round, the bumper cars, the playhouse, etc. I also took pictures through the windows at some of the abandoned homes. It's interesting that the area had both city water and power. Obviously, the radio station needs power. Some of the homes dated back to the 20s / 30s and some were as late as 50s vintage, but most were left "as is" and never ungraded through the time when the city cleaned everything out. As a side note, the homes were privately owned, but the city retained the property, and you rented the land. (99 year lease) I suppose this was done as a controlling issue, instead of zoning regulations. My brother knew one of the owners and sublet a home for the cost of taxes / rent. He also had a boat locally so easy to get there. BTW, it's amazing how quiet it is out there but that also means you can hear traffic on Rt 95 a mile away (all night) and the sun comes up over the water (sky getting light) around 4 am, which kills the idea of late party nights with most of the residents. You do it once or twice and learn pretty quick that it's hard to sleep late while there. Another interesting tid-bit was that "swing bridge" was originally from a RR up the coast (mid 1800s vintage) and was moved there back in the day then road sections were constructed to tie it all together. The bridge itself was still functional after the fire but it was left open to deter people trying to cross the burned-out sections on foot.

[@Nick_ADV]

@@rupe53 oh wow! That’s really interesting! Thank you so much for that info I never knew those details. I really wish I explored there when the homes were still up. Such a unique place and history.

[@rupe53]

@@Nick_ADV BTW, there was one couple trying to live there in the winter, using electric heaters. The biggest issue is the water being shut off around Turkey day till near Easter. Obviously, they did a lot of walking with water bottles and maybe catching rain. I'm sure some of it was just stored before the water was shut off. Probably ok in the long run if boiled.... but still, that's a hard life!

[@ALPHAMAGASLAP]

Ya, the left tree huggers pushed out the homeowners, just like Charles Island!! Now, illegals can eat the birds!!

[@diegoluquis9150]

I remember polka dot play house ,i was an apprentice carpenter in the 70s there it is ashamed to see it happen

[@Nick_ADV]

Oh wow thats awesome! I would have loved to see it when it was up and running. Looked like a beautiful place from the pictures. And I agree it is a shame how it ended up.

[@michaelmeltzer3397]

Bridgeport was a significant industrial center up til the early 60's, then, like 936 other cities, it was destroyed by Democrats. Bridgeport is now the east-coast Detroit.

[@johndoe-ss9bz]

@@michaelmeltzer3397 : It was brought about with the political cult of "PAY to PLAY"!

[@DCHutchins]

Interesting, I used to work at Sikorsky on South Ave in Bridgeport and you could see that area but never knew the information.

[@redrebels24]

Pretty cool clip!!! Thanks for sharing

[@Nick_ADV]

Thank you!

[@pegph4988]

It’s become by default a nature preserve. Sad to see a fun amusement center decline, but that was a time of no air conditioning, no good tv, certainly no video games. A seaside amusement park was a great way to spend a summer day.

[@howielisnoff]

Well done. Who would have known about this spot?

[@bruceb5481]

The once wonderful American way of life is becoming a distant memory. 😢😢😢

[@Zickcermacity]

The disappearance of most of these shore-side amusements says a lot about us as a society.

[@robertwells6724]

Most of CT is now used to be/ in its day,

[@jsolomonmusic]

Regarding the theater, it was the 60s 70s, maybe the 80s. I saw shows there. It was community theater, Polka dot Playhouse.

[@smoovegittar]

Nice. I've been visiting there my whole life. But beware! The Tick population has exploded with all the Whitetail Deer roaming there.

[@Nick_ADV]

@@smoovegittar yup! Good call. I’ve found a few on me after my last hike out there.

[@moetimski9767]

Lordship shout-out 😅😅😅

[@Nick_ADV]

@@moetimski9767 nice! I love Lordship. Im over in the South End

[@davec6724]

Drugs, crack and crime

[@DanKirchner5150]

pleasure beach aint no bargain

[@samstewart4807]

Do the moonies own this property today?

[@samstewart4807]

oh well you lost me after saying it is being used to protect seagull eggs and related BULL S

[@dm2715]

If bridgeport wasn't such a waste, they would rebuild that beach to bring in lots of new revenue! But they know with the amount of dangerous criminals living in bridgeport that it would just lead to dangerous crowds, gang fights and shootings and lots of drug dealing and drug activity! Its a shame that such a nice beach was in such a bad town...