Bridgeport is a seaport city in the state of Connecticut.

Name:

Course:

Professor:

Date:

Bridgeport City

Bridgeport is a seaport city in the state of Connecticut. It is located in Fair County and bordered by other towns which are Fairfield, Trumbull, and Stratford. It is the largest city in the state with a population of roughly 146000 people. The city has a rich history dating back to before colonization by the English. The earliest inhabitants of the town were a native tribe called the Paugusett. The tribe had several scared sites one of which was the Golden Hill which was the source of water for their planting fields. The natives were mainly fishermen and farmers, growing crops such as squash, com and beans. When the colonialists arrived, they set up camp in Stratfield district. They began to take part in activities such as farming and the town began to grow as a trading center. The shipbuilding and whaling industries were also established at the time (Forrant). The Housatonic Railway boosted the economy of the town especially after it was connected to the rails of New York and new haven. Manufacturing became the backbone of the city’s economy until the 1970s.

Before and during the First World War, the city continued to expand mainly due to industrial growth. Heavy industry restructuring in the 1970s saw the decline of the city’s economy. Many people lost their jobs and many more moved out of the city into the rapidly developing suburban neighborhoods. The city was further mismanaged and several officials were convicted of this. The city filed for bankruptcy but was declared solvent by a federal court in 1991. In recent years the city has revamped itself by coming up with mixed development projects and proposed shopping areas that will create jobs for its economy.

The city has a population of about 146000 people making it a small city with a relatively low population. It is mainly suburban as most people live outside the city itself. This is because of the collapse of heavy industries in the 1980s that led to the economic and social decline of the city. The city is divided into five geographic neighborhoods which are Downtown, East Side, North End, South End and the West Side. These neighborhoods are mostly middle class and upper middle-class. The city can this be termed as being middle class although there are a few poor neighborhoods in the geographic areas around. The median income per person in the city is about $43000 which is lower than other cities in the state.

The main economic activities of the town are centered on the service industry. The main employers are the fields of education, health and finance. The major employer is the health sector with the largest hospitals being St. Vincent’s medical centre, Bridgeport Hospital and Bridgeport Healthcare Centre. These hospitals combined employ about 6000 people. Other employers are the People’s United Bank, the University of Bridgeport and Housatonic Community College. The rate of unemployment is relatively low with some people being employed and others running small scale businesses within the city. The city has one of the most unequal income distributions in the city with fifty seven percent of going to the wealthiest people.

The governance structure of the city is the mayor-council system. Each district in the county elects two members into the city council. The mayor is elected by all the residents of the city at large. The public schools system takes up most of the budget of the city, about half of the total budget amounting to nearly $260 million. The Property taxes in the city are quite high, about 4.2%. The mill rate reached an all time high in 2017 at 54.37.

Some of the major problems that the city of Bridgeport faces include the high rate of taxes. One resident of the city even proposed that the city be given the Guinness world record for highest raise in property taxes in a year in 2017. Aside from this, the other major challenge is how the city spends its revenues. A lot of it goes into retirement benefits that have escalated in the recent past. The medical covers of the retired people also weigh heavily on the city’s budget. Other concerns include employment levels and poverty levels. During the economic crunch faced by the city, many people lost their jobs and this has affected the quality of services available. The city has also faced crimes common in others pats other country. To combat these crimes and other concerns of residents, the mayor launched a platform for them to report any issues (Barraza). A major challenge in the city is that there may not be enough resources to address them because of the fiscal inflexibility that is part of cities in Connecticut.

I would say that my city is a good place to live. There is a vibrant entertainment scene, waterfront park and beaches. For theater and music, there are several venues for events. These venues include Cabaret Downtown Theatre, Playhouse on the Green, Webster Bank Arena nod Playhouse on the Green (Hersh 103). These arenas can host both large and small events such as children’s plays and concerts, sports events and theaters. One of the most famous events that are hosted by the city is the Gathering of the Vibes. The event takes place every year and showcases music, arts and camping events through an entire weekend. The event attracts thousands of people from all over the country. The Greater Bridgeport Symphony is one of Bridgeport’ prestigious orchestras that has been existence since 1945.

For history and nature lovers, the city is home to museums, parks and zoos. The Discovery Museum and Planetarium shows science-focused exhibits. The Housatonic museum of Art has an impressive art collection of art considering it is only two years old. The Barnum museum concentrates more on the history of the city while the Beardsley Zoo is the only zoo in the wider Connecticut region. The city is also home to a number of parks, earning it the nickname ‘the Park City’. The first park was created in 1806 and as the population of the city grew, residents recognized the need for public spaces. This led to the creation of Seaside Park, Beardsley Park, Beechword Park, and Pleasure Beach (Olmsted).

In conclusion the city of Bridgeport has a rich history that spans through many decades. The city has grown through times of social and economic decline due to bad leadership but in recent times it has risen again. It is now home to tens of thousands of residents and the current leadership has come up with plans to earn the city even more revenue by creating employment and attracting tourists. The city is home to people of diverse backgrounds making it cosmopolitan and welcoming to visitors. Its public parks are also a major attraction and source of pleasure for its residents. The vibrant music and art scene provides entertainment for the residents by hosting sporting events, concerts, plays and camping activities. Living in the city gives a person many options to choose from in terms of entertainment and exploration. Challenges are an inevitable part of growth but Bridgeport City is a wonderful place to live in.

Works Cited

Forrant, Robert. “The Rise and Demise of the Connecticut River Valley’s Industrial Economy.” Historical Journal of Massachusetts 46.1 (2018).

Olmsted, Frederick Law. Frederick Law Olmsted: Plans and Views of Public Parks. Vol. 2. JHU Press, 2015.

Hersh, Barry. “Parks, open space, arts and culture.” Urban Redevelopment. Routledge, 2017. 101-108.

Barraza, Brisa, et al. “Design Thinking for Better Community in the City of Bridgeport.” (2018).