Merritt Parkway Celebrates 75 Years Of Driving

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Drivers on the Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County are often thinking about fallen trees, roadwork, traffic and tree-trimming work for another year or two.

The Merritt Parkway celebrates its 75th birthday on Saturday.
Photo Credit: *Flickr user Joe Shlabotnik*

by The Daily Voice

06/29/2013 4:00 p.m.

But today, drivers should say, "Happy Birthday." The National Scenic Byway opened its first section on June 29, 1938. That portion was from Greenwich to Norwalk.

The section from Norwalk to Trumbull was completed in November 1939 and, the road was finished to the Housatonic River in Stratford in 1940.

The parkway was named for U.S. Rep. Schuyler Merritt, a Stamford Republican.

ConnecticutHistory.org, a project of CT.Humanities.org, features a new blog entry on the highway called "Merritt Parkway Creates Scenic Gateway to New England." You can read it here.

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