Greenwich: A View of the Lower Landing, Cos Cob at Sunrise in 1895

Greenwich at the turn of the century was a farming community supplying produce for the markets of New York. At that time all such cargoes were shipped in coastal sloops from landings like this up and down both sides of Long Island Sound.

According to “Ye Historie of ye old town of Greenwich” the principle crop was potatoes. At harvest time it was not unusual to see a line of carts each containing fifty bushels extending from the landing all the way to the Post Road, over a quarter of a mile away, waiting for a chance to unload.

Beginning in 1710 a weekly packet for carrying passengers and cargo was initially scheduled from Cos Cob, many people availing themselves of this mode of travel to and from the City of New York. Later on, after more land had been well cleared, the variety of crops shipped out of Cos Cob Landing widened to include hay and grain, poultry, butter, cattle, sheep and hogs. After the civil war apples were extensively raised in the area, one particular week’s records lists shipments of six thousand five hundred barrels.

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