Bill Wyatt, Author at Westport Historical Society

Posted on June 14, 2005 by Bill Wyatt

The Beginnings of the Westport Cotton Manufacturing Company

Bruce White Most accounts of cotton manufacturing in New England describe a progression from the small rural water-powered cotton-spinning operations, through the larger company town enterprises that extended the spinning of yarn to the manufacture of cloth, to the fully industrialized steam-powered factories of the latter part of the nineteenth century. Despite this trend, however, […]

Posted on February 23, 2005 by Bill Wyatt

Westport in the Arctic

Someone left a clipping from the Personals section of a paper

Posted on February 1, 2005 by Bill Wyatt

Whalers into and out of Westport

There are references to sailing into and out of Westport in several whaling logs. We print here

Posted on April 22, 2004 by Bill Wyatt

Acoaxet Secession, 1926

In 1926 summer residents of Westport Harbor petitioned the State to secede from Westport; they felt that they paid much in taxes but received few services and could not vote (because non-residents) on the Town budget. The Legislature kicked the matter back to the Town, and at a Town Meeting of January, 1926, the proposal […]

Posted on April 22, 2004 by Bill Wyatt

Gun-a-bit

About a century ago there were a number of hunting and fishing camps at various waterside locations in town. One such was subsequently converted into a dwelling. The names of the buildings at the camp may prove of interest. The camp itself was called “Gun-a-bit,” the main house was called “Grin-a-bit,” the kitchen was called […]

Posted on March 17, 2004 by Bill Wyatt

Howe to Roosevelt

Howe was a friend, confidante and adviser of FDR, and FDR in fact did visit Howe at his summer cottage on Horseneck Beach. Howe was early convinced that Roosevelt would be President one day, hence the salutation. FDR did come to Westport and visit Howe. (www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eleanor/peopleevents/pande04.html) We are indebted to Russ Hart for a copy […]

Posted on March 17, 2004 by Bill Wyatt

Charlotte White “The Pilgrim’s Song”

This poem was written by Charlotte White, half black, half Native American, and was born in 1775. Charlotte White Rd. is named after her. You can see a picture of her in our “Westport Enters its Fifth Century” p. 57.

Posted on March 3, 2004 by Bill Wyatt

Herman Melville in Westport?

Did Herman Melville ever visit Westport? We will probably never know, but the following item from The Melville Log (Edited by Jay Leyda, NY:Gordian Press, 1969) suggests that he may have: “NEW YORK Late April? M writes to Henry Willcox in Westport. (We are looking out for Tom to return every day his ship [Theophilus […]

Posted on September 21, 2003 by Bill Wyatt

Mission of the Holy Spirit (continued)

The following is a brief update on the Mission of the Holy Spirit derived from newspaper coverage of a trial held in Fall River in 1925. More will follow on the trial. “The Mission of the Holy Spirit was founded in Montreal by Eug

Posted on September 3, 2003 by Bill Wyatt

Another Tidbit from the Collections Corner

Dog Show, Doll Parade, and Balloon Ascension at Westport Fair, 1923 It was furniture-moving time at the Historical Society. We had movers on hand to take display cases downstairs, down to the basement, and even over to the Town Hall. I was emptying a case before it was to be moved to the first floor […]