Collections : [Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library]

The Young Women's Christian Association of Greater Bridgeport- now the Center for Family Justice - was founded in 1895. During this era, Bridgeport was a factory city with an extensive industrial arm. As such, female factory workers both born in the United States and recently immigrated were drawn to Bridgeport for work. The YWCA provided a support network, as well as leisure, entertainment, and guidance. Although the organization has gone through a number of changes over the years, its goal of supporting women and giving them the resources they need most has not changed. The records in this collection document the transformation from 1895 through the massive restructuring in the 1970s, and ends at 1990, providing insight and careful documentation of how the Center for Family Justice rose from the original 1895 YWCA.

The West End Congregational Church was officially organized on February 15, 1887, having originally begun as Mission Sunday School in 1884. Material within this collection represents an overhead view of a church that flourished in the 1910s into the 1960s. This includes a selection of photographs, reports, and newspaper clippings documenting specific activities of the congregation.

The Young Men Christian's Association of Bridgeport was founded in 1884 to provide support for men in the city of Bridgeport. In order to support the YMCA's mission, the Women's Auxiliary was founded in 1887. The Mother's Club did the same, although it was founded later in 1936. Their assistance, documented in this collection, helps document the needs of the YMCA and the population it served from 1915 to 1971, with a particular focus on the Great Depression

The Works Progress Administration (later the Works Projects Administration) was a key feature of the New Deal of the 1930s, and strove to help unemployed job seekers earn pay through public works projects. While the WPA is most readily identified with construction and infrastructure, the library service program had a profound impact on communities throughout the country. The Bridgeport Public Library was one participant out of many in the state of Connecticut.

Divided almost equally between Polka Dot Playhouse theater programs and programs for the Raybestos Braktettes and Cardinals, Samuel Sarkissian's personal collection of Bridgeport cultural publications represents insight into the names and accomplishments of some of the biggest draws in the city's entertainment offerings. Particularly important is the material related to the Raybestos Brakettes as it represents several National Championship title seasons.

Focusing primarily on artifacts from the Barnum and Bailey Circus, the Schneider Collection contains material from the circus after the death of P.T. Barnum and into the 20th century. Photographs of the Barnum and Bailey Circus abroad also feature heavily, giving insight into what the shows were like.

John Mandanici served as mayor of Bridgeport from 1975-1981. . While Mandanici was able to make positive change within Bridgeport, his administration is primarily known for corruption scandals, with various members of his administration charged. This included an FBI sting on Police Chief Joe Walsh for corruption charges. Material provides a fleeting snapshot of some of Mandanici's actions as mayor, including election material, correspondence, and additional select material donated by Mandanici himself.

The Connecticut National Bank was chartered in 1831 by the Connecticut General Assembly under the original name of the President, Directors and Company of the Connecticut Bank. Bridgeport was beginning to become a major economic center, and in need of banks in order to provide monetary services to keep up with the level of trade in the city. The early data in this collection provides insight into the city's economy.

The Bridgeport Area Chamber of Commerce was founded between 1915 and 1916, when the city itself was a major industrial center of Connecticut. With good profits, high employment, and a desire to attract more business, the organization was founded in order to accomplish these goals and to prove that Bridgeport was a desirable place to have a business. This collection contains minutes, showing the inner workings of the organization, as well as a subject file which reflects the organization's interests from its founding into the 1960s.