Notes from the Old Noank Jail

Seahorse Memories

by Ed Johnson

Recently, many of us who have lived in the Noank area were saddened to hear that the Seahorse Restaurant on Marsh Road had gone out of business. Apparently, the most recent owner had run into serious financial difficulties. Some feel that at a future date it may reopen with new ownership, which would please local residents, as it was a favorite hangout for many years.

In his book, SHORT VOYAGES, initially published in 1982 , local author Stephen Jones included a chapter called “Songs of the Seahorse” wherein he wrote “One of the best places to think about the sea during the winter is the Seahorse Restaurant in Noank. In the off-season, hauled boats from the cove just over the hill crowd the low, white stucco building…beside the boats, you have looming across the narrow road the three -story Noank Foundry…Lacking space for such delicate operations as paperwork…the owner uses the relatively quiet and soot-free Seahorse for his office…The air is laced with the smell of burning coal, wood smoke and low tide. The wood smoke comes from the fireplace inside the Seahorse.”

Jones continued “Charlie Doughty, former owner, is now the resident accordion player…bluefish is the house specialty…Charlie and his longtime partner Bruce Wakefield sold the business to two young men, John Hewes and Mark Swencer (not the most recent owners), who appreciate the Seahorse tradition and are running the business as usual…The Mystic Marlin and Tuna Club meets at the Seahorse…the stuffed fish on the walls come in for a certain amount of criticism (as to their actual source, because some are definitely not local specimens)…a number of people will now have gathered to compare the fish on the wall with fish they have personally known (much to the amusement of the onlookers)…to settle the issue, Charlie will finally say, “That fish on the wall there is a STUFFED FISH.” (Laughter ensues)

Jones noted that music in the bar was also a major part of the Seahorse tradition. “Class is also brought to the Seahorse by Charlie’s Wednesday night band, an amalgam of local talent that (normally) includes a cadre of a hot cornet, a tuba played by a man in the wrecking business, and Charlie’s accordion…Master Mariner Adrian Lane would come ashore with his concertina…The band’s style seems to vary between Polish Wedding and New Orleans Riverboat.” Much to the amusement of the clientele, Bruce Wakefield apparently did not share Charlie’s love of accordion music, as someone noted wryly that Bruce was learning to play the accordion and that his favorite song was “If I had a Hammer”….and that if Bruce actually DID have a hammer, he would hammer on his accordion!

The ambiance at the Seahorse was casual and low-key. Although I worked as a salesman at that time, it was better to remove coat, vest and tie to avoid the stigma of being an over-dressed high roller in a three piece suit. I learned that there was a social “rule” to the effect that some of the regular, very casually dressed (and sometimes pungent) locals probably had a net worth well in excess of any high-rollers and that it was probably from catching fish!

In summary, back in the 80’s, the Seahorse had great food, a warm, friendly atmosphere (even if Wednesday nights were a bit raucous) and a very interesting clientele from many walks of life. It was a landmark for many of us after a long day’s work and a great place to have lunch or dinner on a cold day. May it somehow be returned to us in the future, rather than disappear into the shadows