Comments on: The Ghost Town at Pleasure Beach

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:49:31 +0000

I went to Pleasure Beach tonight with my boyfriend and his friend. This was my first time going–I had actaully never heard of it and I have lived in Connecticut my entire life.

The question–rumors claim Pleasure Beach is haunted. Is this true? I mean, we went in the evening, It’s nearly 10:00 PM and I just got home so obviously it was creepy… But really, someone give me an answer! (amanda_sardi@yahoo.com)

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:58:36 +0000

I think the town burned down the bridge. The reason they never fixed it was because they were leasing the land, and it was getting entirely too costly to maintain it.

Recently, two historic buildings were knocked down by a company out there working on the radio towers. At first both the mayors of Bridgeport and Stratford denied knowing anything about it, but then later the Bridgeport Mayor Finch said he found out the fire department had asked them to do it. I think both him and the fire chief should have been tried.

The state recieved over $900k to remove the cottages on the Stratford side, which they will then sell to the US fish and wildlife services for over 10 million, to make a reserve.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:02:12 +0000

Where was the access from Stratford to take the bridge to Pleasure Beach? If you were to go there via walking along the shore in Stratford where would you start from? Lordship? Thanks for the info. Great Pictures!!!

By: Ed. W.

Ed. W. — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:01:10 +0000

Growing up there I spent much time fishing with my father and grandfather around the area. My Grandfather owned 197 Hollister Ave where we all lived and we spent much time at the amusement park on Pleasure Beach. I remember when the amusement park closed and was very sad. I still remember the snack shack near the turret bridge, fishing on the Lewis Gut side and off the pier. I once caught a nurse shark off the pier but when my grandfather saw it he cut the line and that was that! I remember fishing on the north side just east of the bridge early in the morning there was a short Italian gentleman who would set his row boat and load four eel traps in it with a burlap bag of horseshoe crabs. He would then row out into the weeds pull out the crabs and split them with a hatchet, put them into the traps and over the side they went. Later around noon he came back and pulled out the traps and leave. There were quite a few eels in these traps so I can only imagine he took them to sell at market. I don’t know if the fishing is any good anymore but back then we always came home with more than enough fish or eels to eat. My Grandmother would pickle the excess fish and eels we caught and they were very good. It’s very sad to see what has happened to this area as I have many fond memories growing up there. I hope I can visit again before the place is totally gone. By the way my family moved to central New York in 1963 and I’m still here but miss the ocean very much.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:45:21 +0000

They say the reason to throw the residents out was , because the bridge burned, the town could not provide fire and police protection. They said there was no vehicular access. Now that the town voted to sell the land to the feds, lo and behold, by moving one rock in the parking lot, the town now regularly drives pickup trucks into the area. For one small rock, those people were thrown out of their homes. Something stinks about this deal, and the townspeople will find out what too late.

By: Angel

Angel — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:10:58 +0000

I grew up in the south end of bpt by seaside park,but we use to ride our bikes and go fishing at pleasure beach,even after i was older i would always take a drive there.I was sad when the brdge burnt down(rumors has it someone thru a lit cigarette on the brdge)dont’t know if that’s true. I also went to camp there.As a kid in the 70’s I always wondered how fun it would have been to come to the amusement park.they said it was too expensive to biuld a bridge or repair the old one.good pictures!

By: ted

ted — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:25:19 +0000

went there last week. very depressing, its sad to see what happened there. as a kid in the late 60s and all through the 70s me, my sister and father would walk pleasure beach, fish off the pier and the rocks. i remember the hotdog stand at the begining pf the pier. the old lady there used to serve you food and bait. hahaha. the good times those people must of had….

By: arlene

arlene — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:12:13 +0000

I was there last week with a friend…. got a real taste of history…. in its day it must have been the place to live and just be… so sad that it is what it is today…. I am so glad i got to walk it. I really hope to get out there before they tear the cottages down… rumer has it that this will start in the spring.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:24:42 +0000

That’s a perfect photography.Great art and Craft. you shows the real scar of this place!You done a very good work Carry on~!bye.

By: Bret

Bret — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:05:14 +0000

I used to go fishing with my Dad there in the 60’s. We would go almost every day after my Dad got home from work at Bridgeport Metal goods. Of course being a kid I played more than I fished. I remember the snack bar that was close to the Bridgeport side bridge entrance. Sometimes my Dad would let me get some snack to eat there. Back in the 60’s you could still look in the Carousel and see the carousel horses still in there.

From what I was told there was a small train that would pick up people by the bridge that is near the burned up one. In the 60’s you could find the train tracks under the sand on that side of the island.

I also remember that the Police used to have a place to train their dogs at one time back then on the island.

Lots of good memories hanging out on Pleasure beach.