Here in Bridgeport, we really love our pets!
Bridgeport is a fantastic seaport city in Connecticut. Our Fairfield County city is just 40 miles outside the Bronx and 60 miles from Manhattan. We are bordered by Fairfield, Stratford, and Trumbull. Today, Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut and one of the most populous in New England.
Are you looking for something fun to do in Bridgeport? Our city has many parks. In fact, we are known as the Park City. Our first public park opened in McLevy Green in 1806 as part of a public square. P.T. Barnum, a former resident of the city, also helped fund the creation of Seaside Park, which features 44 acres of land.
Want to spend time inside? Check out some indoor entertainment and performing arts. Live music is easy to find at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre, Stress Factory, and Klein Memorial Auditorium. Don’t forget to check out the Beardsley Zoo, Housatonic Museum of Art, Barnum Museum, and Challenger Center.
Local events also create a fun environment in Bridgeport. Gathering of the Vibes is a weekend-long festival featuring camping, music, and arts. The Barnum Festival includes the Great Street Parade and much more. The city offers a Juneteenth Parade, Puerto Rican Day Parade, and much more.
The economy in Bridgeport has adjusted over the years, switching from an industry-related economy to a service-based one. The top employers in Bridgeport include St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Bridgeport Hospital, People’s United Bank, and the University of Bridgeport.
Bridgeport was originally inhabited by the Paugussett Native American people. English colonization occurred with the first in the area being in Stratfield. The village that was established in the area focused on farming, and soon it was a center for shipbuilding, whaling, and trade. The first settlement in Bridgeport proper was in 1644, and the dominant industries became fishing and farming in the centuries to come.
As you may already know, P.T. Barnum lived in Bridgeport. Other notable people who have lived here include novelist Robert O. Bowen, cartoonist Al Capp, Snow White voice actor Adriana Caselotti, actor Richard Belzer, actress Alexandra Breckenridge, actor Bob Crane, actor Kevin Nealon, comedian Jessica Delfino, and singer-songwriter John Mayer.
The population of Bridgeport in 2017 was 146,579. The population has grown by more than 5 percent since the year 2000. Our city has a lot to offer pets and people who move to the area.