Blog - Westport Historical Society

Posted on October 9, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Westport’s Revolutionary War Veterans of Color by Richard Gifford

Local historian Richard Gifford, has focused his powers of deduction supported by an encyclopedic familiarity with this region’s history, to identify local African American and Native American individuals who served in the Revolutionary War. He has identified veterans not just by direct local residency, but by family connections (spouses, siblings, children) and ancestral ties to […]

Posted on August 21, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Alice Huff interviewed by Jenny O’Neill

Alice Collins Huff, interviewed by Jenny O’Neill, August 20, 2026 Topics include: The Head of Westport, school, July 4 parade and fireworks, Pine Hill Road LISTEN Transcript of Recording Jenny O’Neill: I am Jenny O’Neill. It is August 20th, 2026, and I’m here with Alice Huff. So Alice, let’s start with some information about […]

Posted on August 19, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Handy House Artisan Fair Volunteer Sign Up Form

Handy House Artisan Fair and Vintage Market 202 Hix Bridge Road, Westport MA 10 AM -3 PM Saturday September 19 2026 (Rain date Sep 20) The Handy House Artisan Fair, organized by the Westport Historical Society, showcases local craftspeople who specialize in skills and traditional crafts commonly practiced in the 18th and 19th century. This […]

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Carol Petty Skarbo interviewed by Doris Carvalho

Doris Carvalho Hi, my name is Doris Carvalho and it is July 25th, 2026 and I am interviewing Carol Petty. Hi, Carol. How are you? Carol Skarbo I’m fine, Doris. Doris Carvalho That’s good. Ready to start? Carol Skarbo I am. Okay. Doris Carvalho Your parents were living in Westport when you […]

Posted on August 7, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Russell Walters interviewed by Susan Montgomery

August 3, 2026 Listen Transcribed using AI Summary created by AI This interview transcript features a conversation between Susan Montgomery (interviewer) and Russell Walters on August 3, 2026, in Westport, Massachusetts. Key Summary Points Early Memories & Hurricane Carol: Russell first came to Westport as a young child with his mother to visit family friends. […]

Posted on June 23, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

A Skirmish on Gooseberry

Illustration by Ray Shaw Westport militiamen described a brief “skirmish” with British soldiers who were in search of livestock on Gooseberry. The difficulty of obtaining fresh meat for the British soldiers was an ongoing challenge, and an effort was made to guard the shoreline to prevent the enemy from “committing depredations.” Soldiers were quartered in […]

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

CAPTAIN PAUL CUFFE (1759 – 1817) CHAPTER II: THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR by Sally Loomis

The Westport Historical Society presents this chapter of an unpublished manuscript to Westport and the wider world on the 250th anniversary of independence. Written by Sally Loomis, these pages will immerse the reader in culture, politics, and religion as navigated by Paul Cuffe during the American Revolution. With special thanks to the family of Sally […]

Posted on April 29, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

In Our Own Words: Revolutionary War-era town records of Old Dartmouth Presenting Four Perspectives

The transcribed town records can be accessed at https://wpthistory.org/in-our-own-words-the-path-to-independence-1760-1790/ The late 1700s was an era of revolution for the American colonies. It was also a time of formation for Westport and other neighboring towns. In the decade following the Revolution, Westport separated from Dartmouth and, in 1787, was incorporated as a town, forging its own unique […]

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Paul Cuffe’s Activities During the Revolutionary War

Image: Paul Cuffe Nearing Nantucket after a Night at Sea Resolving Some Lingering Questions David C. Cole Paul Cuffe was just sixteen years old in 1775 when the Battles of Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill occurred, and he was reportedly at sea on a whaling voyage during those events. He set forth on another whaling […]

Posted on March 2, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Cookbooks and Quilts: Westport Women and the Spirit of ‘76

1976 was a busy year for Westporters. Local headlines record youthful unrest at the Head of Westport, and worries about a night soil lagoon, the sand and gravel pit, and hog cholera. However, the Bicentennial celebrations proved to be a more positive outlet, inspiring many community projects such as an exhibition, tree planting at the […]