Place:Black Rock, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

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source: Family History Library Catalog

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Black Rock is a neighborhood in the southwestern section of the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut. It was part of the Town of Fairfield before the State of Connecticut granted the land to Bridgeport. It borders Fairfield and the Ash Creek tidal estuary on the west, the West Side/West End of Bridgeport on the north and east, and Black Rock Harbor and Long Island Sound on the south.

Black Rock comprises census tracts 701 and 702 and part of census tract 703. It includes two historic districts.

The Black Rock neighborhood has a mix of residential and commercial properties, with most of the retail stores being located along Fairfield Avenue, the main thoroughfare, which connects Black Rock to Fairfield and downtown Bridgeport. Fairfield Avenue is in a state of transition with older businesses being replaced by upscale restaurants, cafes, espresso bars, gourmet ice cream shops, and art galleries. The Black Rock Branch Library renovation and expansion were completed in 2009. The library has been expanded from its original to . Additionally, the entire facility has been modernized, with the installation of 12 public access computers, free Wi-Fi throughout the building and the construction of two large program rooms and a smaller conference room. The library is also fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

While businesses in Black Rock are located primarily along Fairfield Avenue, most of the 2,628 properties in Black Rock are for residential use. Residences comprise 86% of properties in Black Rock, 10% is commercial, and only 4% are industrial or other property classes.^[1]

The residential areas lie on either side of Fairfield Avenue with less density closer to the waterfront. The area of least density is a section called St. Mary's-by-the-Sea and consists of Resident AA zoned properties which require a minimum lot of 11,250 SF, although most lots are larger than the minimum. Grovers Hill is the highest elevation in Black Rock and some of the most expensive properties in Black Rock are located on this hill with views of Long Island Sound. There are also direct waterfront properties, including two condominium complexes on the Sound and two on the Ash Creek tidal estuary. St. Mary's-by-the-Sea also has a public park along the Sound with half a mile of sidewalks and an area for bird watching.