Posted on June 30, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
WHS 2012.024.001 This painting by noted artist and author Clifford W. Ashley captures a Westport farming scene in the 1930’s. The farm, owned by the Benoit family, was located on Gifford Road, north of the Ferry farm. According to Vivian Benoit Coutinho, Clifford Ashley discovered the farm by chance: “he would come every morning, same […]
Continue ReadingPosted on June 25, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
New Horseneck Road Will Destroy Farms, Westport Dairymen Fear Going out of business? Westport dairyman Arthur Tripp of Fair Home farm on Main Road wonders if he might not be going out of business shortly. The Commonwealth’s new access road linking uneconomical for him to continue operating his 75 acre farm. Other Westport farmers similarly […]
Continue ReadingPosted on June 11, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
By Jane Dufault In 1980, we purchased land, one half mile from the Head of Westport off Drift Road, and had our home built by Dick Wertz. This land and road eventually became known as Sisson Farm Lane. It was named this as the first settler; Richard Sisson had built the first home in Westport […]
Continue ReadingPosted on June 2, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
The Southeastern Massachusetts Hay Cap These images show a special method for safely storing hay, a moveable roof supported by four posts, historically called a Dutch roof, dutch cap, hay barrack, or hay cap. Building the stack was a skilled task, as it needed to be made waterproof during construction. The haystack would compress […]
Continue ReadingPosted on May 30, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
Elvira Smith grew up on a Westport farm in the 1930s. “We were very frugal. For example we would use the cotton from the flour sacks to make our aprons. I remember that instead of throwing our old sweaters away, we would unravel the yarn, then wash and clean it to take out the […]
Continue ReadingPosted on May 30, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
The role of women in the 20th century on the farm varied. On some farms, tasks were clearly delineated — men worked outside and the women cared for the household: Charlie Costa on his grandmother “When my grandfather was working on the farm, she would be washing clothes, hauling water, heating the irons on the […]
Continue ReadingPosted on May 29, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
Bronze potato award In 1940, the Smith family of Long Acres farm was awarded this bronze potato in recognition of a record-breaking production of 613 bushels of potatoes on a single acre. John Smith, who arrived in Westport from Scotland, purchased this property of 110 acres located near Cadmans Neck in 1882. For the next […]
Continue ReadingPosted on May 29, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
The First Tractor In 1921 Julius T. Smith (Turtle Rock Farm) bought one of the first tractors to be used on a Westport farm. The Fordson tractor was invented for a man “with a strong back and a weak head. We always took a monkey grip on the handle when we cranked the tractor, otherwise […]
Continue ReadingPosted on May 29, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
This commemorative handkerchief from the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition depicts the source of seeds that created Westport’s Macomber turnip. Westport can lay claim to its very own vegetable, the Macomber turnip. In 1876 Adin (1845-1915) and Elihu Macomber (1846-1933) ventured to the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition where they procured some seeds. The brothers planted the seed on […]
Continue ReadingPosted on May 28, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
Macomber fowls / “Tripps Yaller Hens” / Rhode Island Red Have you ever heard of the Macomber fowl? By Richard Gifford Westport farmer John Macomber played an important role in the breeding of the Rhode Island Red, “an egg laying machine.” He swapped hens with Little Compton farmer William Tripp, and successfully bred “an […]
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