The City Council Monday night passed a resolution asking the Parks Commission to name Went Field in the West End in honor of the late State Rep. Ezequiel Santiago who passed away in March. The item was brought to the floor by Councilman Jack Banta whose district is included in the 130th State Assembly that Santiago represented covering Downtown, South End and portions of the East Side and West End.
Antonio Felipe won a special election to fill Santiago’s seat.
Went Field was the location of P.T. Barnum’s circus winter headquarters for about 50 years starting circa 1870.
The six-acre park features basketball courts, playground and splash pad.
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Please for the sake of keeping a sense of place, keep the name, Went Field
I consider it vanity to do otherwise
I like and respect Councilman Jack Banta and I understand the effort to honor the late State Rep. Santiago Ezequiel but there is too much history Went Field and I agree with Bob Halstead to keep the name. Something should be named after State Rep. Santiago Ezequiel.
Does anyone know for whom the Field is named – ie Who was Mr or Mrs Went? Someone was honored. I agree it would be honorable to remember Rep Santiago – BTW – I think Alvin Penn was somehow remembered but does anyone remember where?
I believe that Fairfield Avenue/State Rd Route 130 was named after Alvin Penn. At least that is what the sign sign as you enter Bridgeport/ Black Rock from Fairfield and coming over the Ash Creek Bridge.
Gotta love Google – it might be named for Harvey C Went who was the Phys Ed Director for the Bridgeport School system for 42 years – and wrote a book about Phys Ed.
See how easily you can be forgotten!
First, they are taking down the 100 year old Sanborn library that many of us who grew in PT Barnum Apartments would spend time there after school and we walk over to Went Field to play baseball and watch Bassick High School football team practice, great memories. Remember at that time the City dump was next to PT Barnum and all of Captain Cove was the dump so Went Field and the Sanborn Library were at great escape from living next door to the dump.
Have done some research on the Internet – here is what I have learned. Harvey Chapman Went was the Director of Phys Ed for the City of Bridgeport – may have been Director for 42 years – wrote a book abut Phys Ed and is available on Amazon. He died 1/11/1937 – he had one daughter who died in 1977 – her obit indicates that Harvey Went Field was named for her father in 1940. He was also active in Scouting – going to Library tomorrow to find his obit in Bridgeport Post
He must have meant something to the community that the park was named for him.
I guess that’s a problem with naming things – as time goes on people forget who you were. UB has Bryant Hall and Howland House – both venerable names of Former Bridgeporters – but someone under 30 probably has not idea about those names.