Caching Thru History Traditional Cache

For many years after its founding in 1639, Fairfield was the center of political and commercial activity, and Southport (or Mill River) was simply the western end of Fairfield and had no separate identity. Settlement in the area was slow and in 1779, even 120 years later, there could not have been many houses or stores along the harbor or river. It is recorded that in July of 1779, the day after British troops had virtually destroyed Fairfield, the British landed at Mill River and burned "8 houses and outbuildings, destroying furniture and whatever they could lay their hands on". It appeared that that those who lived at Mill River were primarily farmers, cultivating the land that was acquired from the town, and that the center of commercial acitivity was in Fairfield. There was a wharf in Hill River as early as 1769 and at least one "market boat" sailed from there in 1775, but it was not until after 1783 that the possibilities of the harbor were further developed. In 1831 the area between the Harbor and Mill River and Sasco Creek was officially designated as a separate Borough and was named "Southport". Until the advent of the railroad in 1848-49, the prosperity of this community was based on the harbor, and Southport became the residence of men of substantial wealth whose interests were primarily in shipping. The cache is in a park adjacent to the Pequot Yacht Club...enjoy the views, bring the kids and a picnic lunch!!