Greenwich is home to many hedge funds and financial services firms due to its residential setting and proximity to Manhattan.

[5] The town of Greenwich was settled in 1640, by the agents Robert Feake and Captain Daniel Patrick, for Gov.

Theophilus Eaton of New Haven Colony, who purchased the land from the Siwanoy Indians in exchange of 25 English coats.

[10] During the American Revolution, General Israel Putnam made a daring escape from the British on February 26, 1779, in Greenwich.

[10] In 1974, Gulliver's Restaurant and Bar, on the border of Greenwich and Port Chester, burned, killing 24 young people.

[11] In 1983, the Mianus River Bridge, which carries traffic on Interstate 95 over an estuary, collapsed, resulting in the death of three people.

[19] More than half of the island (on the west side) is a bird sanctuary off-limits to members of the public without permission to visit.

Ventriloquist Paul Winchell and his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, once came for a show, and on another occasion the Connecticut National Guard let adults and children fire machine guns into the water, according to an article in the Greenwich Time.

At the census estimates of 2013,[30] the racial makeup of the town was 80.90% White, 4.90% Black, 0.10% Native American, 7.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, and 2.50% from two or more races.

[31] In recent decades, the town has attracted wealthy expatriates from around the globe due to its extremely low tax rate,[32] desirable school system, and proximity to Manhattan, which is an hour by Metro North.

[34] The coastal neighborhood of Belle Haven, along with Backcountry, have some of the wealthiest single family real estate in the world.

[citation needed] In 2014, the highest asking price for a residential property in town was the Copper Beech Estate at $190 million.

Prominent companies based in the town of Greenwich include AQR Capital, Blue Harbour Group, Blyth, Inc., Cambridge Solutions,[36] First Reserve Corporation, Interactive Brokers, Nestlé Waters North America,[37] North Street Capital, Silver Point Capital, Viking Global Investors, W. R. Berkley, a holding company for subsidiaries that sell property-casualty insurance, XFL, and XPO, Inc. Other major institutions in the township are Greenwich Hospital, Hyatt Regency, Tudor Investment Corporation, Eversource Energy, Brunswick School, and Camuto Group.

Greenwich is home to the Greenwich International Film Festival, which acts in coordination with nonprofits to promote socially conscious filmmaking in the city's downtown in an annual June festival, in addition to screenings and events held year-round.

[40] The Greenwich Choral Society, founded in 1925, performs locally and elsewhere, including in New York City and Europe.

85, Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons, founded in 1857 in the top level of the old Cos Cob School House, is located in the town.

Union Lodge often met in Greenwich, and the first recorded meeting place was Knapp's Tavern on the King's Highway.

Past headliners have included The Temptations, Paul Simon, the Eagles, Santana, the Doobie Brothers, Billy Joel, and Mumford & Sons.

[46] The Greenwich Y.M.C.A., which appears on the National Register of Historic Places, offers fitness and social services.

[48] Arch Street, The Greenwich Teen Center has age-specific programs and events on weekdays and weekends.

Of these neighborhoods, three (Cos Cob, Old Greenwich, and Riverside) have separate postal names and ZIP codes.

While voter registration is skewed in the Republicans' favor, they do not have a lock on the First Selectman's chair, and Democrats have held the seat recently.

[64] The Amtrak Acela, Northeast Regional, and Vermonter trains stop in the adjacent city of Stamford.

Interstate 684 passes through Greenwich, but cannot be entered or exited there, and the nearest interchange is at the Westchester County Airport in New York State.

Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey is also easily accessible from Greenwich, taking approximately one hour to drive to.

[68][69] Located at 11 Bruce Place, GPD has 87 police officers, 22 detectives, 19 sergeants, 10 lieutenants, 3 captains, and one deputy chief with 20+ civilian dispatchers and administrative personnel.