Cos Cob, Connecticut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cos Cob, Connecticut
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Country House in Winter, Cos Cob, by John Henry Twachtman, c. 1901
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Location in Fairfield County and the state of Connecticut.
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| Country |  United States |
| U.S. state |  Connecticut |
| County | Fairfield |
| NECTA | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk |
| Region | Western Connecticut |
| Town | Greenwich |
| Area | |
| • Land | 2.15 sq mi (5.57 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,873 |
| • Density | 3,193.8/sq mi (1,233.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
06807
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| Area code(s) | 203 |
| FIPS code | 17520 |
Cos Cob is a neighborhood in the town of Greenwich, Connecticut, United States. It's located on the coast of Connecticut in southern Fairfield County. In 2020, about 6,873 people lived there.
Cos Cob sits on the western side of the Mianus River's mouth. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a group of Impressionist artists, called the Cos Cob Art Colony, became very active here. A group that came from them, the Greenwich Art Society, still helps local artists today.
The town of Greenwich is one big area, but it has many smaller neighborhoods. Cos Cob is one of these, along with places like Byram and Old Greenwich. Cos Cob, Old Greenwich, and Riverside even have their own postal names and ZIP codes. For a short time, from 1883 to 1885, Cos Cob's official post office name was Bayport.
In 2015, Forbes magazine said Cos Cob was one of the wealthiest places in the U.S. The average house sale price was over $1.3 million.
Contents
History of Cos Cob
The name "Cos Cob" comes from the Coe family. They settled in the area in 1641. A "cob" was a wall built on the shoreline by Robert Coe. He built it to protect land he gave to his brother. So, the place became known as Coe's Cob, which later changed to Cos Cob.
The community is located on Cos Cob Harbor. This is a safe area on the north side of Long Island Sound. Cos Cob used to be a busy port. It shipped potatoes and apples to New York City. But this changed when railroads arrived and the Mianus River was dammed. Today, the river helps provide drinking water for the town.
Train Station and Bridge History
The Cos Cob train station and the Mianus River Railroad Bridge are important historical sites. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The last tracks for the railroad from New Haven to New York were laid over the Cos Cob Bridge on Christmas Day, 1848. This completed the entire railway line. The first test run of a train happened that same day.
People who saw the first train were amazed and a bit scared! One newspaper editor wrote that the train had to wait for hours for the last rails to be put down. He said people thought the first train to cross might also be the last. Another editor wrote that the train's loud sound "frightened out of their propriety" the citizens and animals.
Modern Times in Cos Cob
The Cos Cob Power Plant was built in 1907. It was a large building that used coal to make electricity. In 1982, it was named a "Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark." Even though it was important, the plant was closed in 1987 and taken down in 2001.
Ernest Thompson Seton, a famous writer and one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America, lived in Cos Cob. His old home is now a town park.
On June 28, 1983, a part of Interstate 95 collapsed. This was the Mianus River Bridge, which was about 100 feet high. Several drivers were hurt or killed. Interstate 95 is a very busy highway that connects Maine and Florida. Because the road was closed for six months, it caused huge traffic problems between New York and Boston.
Education in Cos Cob
Cos Cob is part of the Greenwich Public Schools district. Students in Cos Cob attend local public schools. The main high school for the district is Greenwich High School.
Famous People from Cos Cob
Many interesting people have lived in Cos Cob:
- Edwin Booth, a famous actor and brother of John Wilkes Booth
- Mary McVicker Booth, an actress
- Gary Dell'Abate, a producer for The Howard Stern Show
- Jim Himes, a U.S. Congressman
- Finn Murphy, an author
- Barbara O'Neil, an actress
- Anya Seton, a writer of historical fiction
- Jerry Springer, a TV show host
- Barbara Tuchman, a historian
Places to Visit
- Bush-Holley House: This is the only National Historic Landmark in Greenwich. It was built around 1730.
- Ernest Thompson Seton House: The former home of the Boy Scouts co-founder.
Other places in Cos Cob that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:
- Mianus River Railroad Bridge: Built in 1904.
- Cos Cob Railroad Station: Built around 1890.
- Strickland Road Historic District: A historic area with buildings from the 1700s to the 1930s.
- Cos Cob Power Station: Built in 1907, but demolished in 2000.
Community Life
- The Cos Cob Library is a lively place. It has an art gallery, concerts, and free Wi-Fi.
- The neighborhood's ZIP Code is 06807, and it has its own post office.
- Cos Cob has two public schools: Cos Cob Elementary School and Central Middle School.
- The Cos Cob fire department has both full-time firefighters and volunteers.
- The Cos Cob station is on the New Haven Line. This is a train service that connects New Haven, Connecticut to New York City.
Cos Cob in Popular Culture
- In the TV show Mad Men, the character Pete Campbell and his family move to Cos Cob in Season 5.
- Gene Marshall, a doll designed by artist Mel Odom, is said to have grown up in Cos Cob.
Images for kids
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Country House in Winter, Cos Cob, by John Henry Twachtman, c. 1901
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Location in Fairfield County and the state of Connecticut.
See also
In Spanish: Cos Cob para niños
