There were many locally-owned small businesses, especially along Grand Avenue (the street that connects the neighborhood of Fair Haven to downtown New Haven) which provided a strong community feel. An important part of his neighborhood to him were two local family-owned hardware stores that were a walking distance from Chris’ home. There was a growing Mexican and Puerto Rican immigrant population in Fair Haven as he grew up, who owned many of the businesses. Near him were the Grand Avenue bridge, Fairmont Park, Quinnipiac River, and East Rock Park with the Mill River. He remembers a lot of community activity, even while there was quite a bit of movement away from the city as immigrant families made more money and moved out of town. The nearby Mill River had an active paper mill on it which polluted the waters greatly. The water was grey and smelled badly of sulphur.
Prices for homes overlooking the water became more expensive, population has increased, houses have become bigger/fancier, it has become more attractive in certain areas, and there are more apartment buildings. Many small businesses have now become chain businesses. The quality of outdoor offerings have improved: trails are better and civic engagement has improved. The paper mill industry has since disappeared and left a much cleaner river behind.
In 1985, New Haven was struck by Hurricane Gloria. More recently, the New Haven coastline has been damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Chris observes that storms have increased in frequency and severity. He also observes an extension of the growing season due to climate change.
At East Rock Park, a trail would go through a forest of hemlock trees. Hurricane Gloria swept a small insect called the adelgid up North which colonized the trees. You can only see stumps of these dead trees and a white powder left behind.
He was fascinated by the fish at the Quinnipiac River, such as mackerel and bluefish. He played along the sides of the river and around the bridge. He would go to Fairmont Park which had lots of woodlands that he and his friends would constantly explore. Chris rode his bike a lot to school, and would often ride to the top of East Rock to clear his mind. He fished, climbed trees, and rode his bike. He and his friends built trails in the woods since BMX bicycle riding was popular. He spent a lot of time playing around in nature: digging underground forts, taking trees and making lean-tos, and more. He loved being outside and felt there was so much to do there.
Chris remains an avid bike rider and often bikes his way to his mom’s home (his childhood home) in Fair Haven. He bikes along the river, walks around Fairmont Park and its trails, and walks around the neighborhood and on the Grand Avenue bridge that has a large walkway. He is also often working in his mom’s yard doing gardening.
How did Fair Haven used to look?
There were many locally-owned small businesses, especially along Grand Avenue (the street that connects the neighborhood of Fair Haven to downtown New Haven) which provided a strong community feel. An important part of his neighborhood to him were two local family-owned hardware stores that were a walking distance from Chris’ home. Near him were the Grand Avenue bridge, Fairmont Park, Quinnipiac River, and East Rock Park with the Mill River.
How has the place changed?
He remembers a lot of community activity even while there was quite a bit of movement away from the city as immigrant families made more money and moved out of town. Recently, it has become much more attractive in certain parts of town, especially along the Quinnipiac River. Prices for homes overlooking the water are now incredibly expensive. The population has increased and houses have become bigger and fancier. There has been a development of more apartment buildings.
New Haven Parks and Recreation has maintained and expanded the quality of their outdoor offerings: the trails are much better and the civic engagement with the parks has improved. (The environmental movement was just kicking off in the 70s, so there was not much interest in this originally.)
Additionally, the nearby Mill River had an active paper mill on it which polluted the waters greatly. The water was grey and smelled badly of sulphur. The industry has since disappeared and left a much cleaner river behind. In 1985, the city was struck by Hurricane Gloria. More recently, the New Haven coastline has been significantly damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Freak snowstorms in the fall, summer windstorms, and tornadoes have also occurred. Chris observes that storms have increased in frequency and severity.
When Chris was a teenager, leaves from the trees would already have fallen by mid-October and the killing frost came in early October. In 2020, the first frost was at the end of October. As a gardener, he finds that he can start his plantings earlier in the spring (in May rather than June, or even as early as March for cold-tolerant plants). There is an extension of the growing season – he appreciates this as a gardener, but is terrified as an environmentalist.
One of the parts of the trail would go through a gorgeous forest of hemlock trees. Hurricane Gloria and other storms swept a small insect called the adelgid up North which colonized the trees. You can only see stumps of these dead trees as the influx of mites weakened them and left a white powder behind. He misses those trees, which kept the park cool and moist.
There was a growing Mexican and Puerto Rican immigrant population in Fair Haven as he grew up, who owned many of the businesses. A lot of the smaller non-restaurant businesses have now become chain businesses rather than independently owned.
What are some of the things you used to do here?
He was fascinated by the fish down by the Quinnipiac River, such as mackerel and bluefish. He would constantly play along the sides of the river and around the bridge. He went to Fairmont Park which had lots of woodlands which he and his friends would constantly explore and build forts. Chris rode his bike a lot to school, and would often ride to the top of East Rock to clear his mind.
In addition to fishing, he built rafts with his friends (though they were unsuccessful and the wind blew them across to the Quinnipiac River Marsh). He did a lot of tree climbing and bike riding. He and his friends built trails in the woods since BMX bicycle riding was popular. He spent a lot of time playing around in nature: digging underground forts, taking trees and making lean-tos, and more. He loved being outside and felt there was so much to do there.
What are some of the things you do here now?
Chris remains an avid bike rider and often bikes his way to his mom’s home (his childhood home) in Fair Haven. He bikes along the river, walks around Fairmont Park and its trails, and walks around the neighborhood and on the Grand Avenue bridge that has a large walkway. He is also often working in his mom’s yard doing gardening.