Greenwich History and Culture
Greenwich’s story is shaped by its picturesque location on the shores of the Long Island Sound, as it has evolved from farmland to summer resort to prosperous suburb. The pastoral landscape and ever-changing light on the water inspired a group of artists who came to stay at the Bush-Holley House from 1890 to 1920 and became known as the Cos Cob Art Colony. These American Impressionist painters—like later Greenwich residents—were drawn by the town’s accessibility to New York City, while offering natural landscapes and seascapes as surroundings. Childe Hassam and J. Alden Weir were among those who came to paint, and many writers, including Willa Cather, also came to stay. Today, you can tour the Bush-Holley House and see many paintings from the Cos Cob School at the Bruce Museum in town.