How Westport Became a Town (1787)

By Tony Connors Most sources describing Westport’s split from Dartmouth say something like: “In 1787 Westport separated from Dartmouth and was incorporated as an independent town.” That’s it! But we know that it must have been more difficult than that. Separations are always contentious, involving negotiations, accusations, winners and losers. While this makes the story […]

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Class of 1943

  The class of 1943 graduated in the midst of the Second World War. Their yearbook tackled themes such as “The Home Front”, rationing, and the farm labor emergency. The Westport Historical Society is fortunate to have a  collection of mimeographed letters written to their teacher Catherine Doyle from her advisees of the class of […]

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Slavery in Westport

Tony Connors, President of the Westport Historical Society, explores the lives of five individuals who shed light on Westport’s connections to slavery. One was a Westport slave owner. Two engaged in the slave trade. Another was a West Indian boy, indentured to a Westport family, who ran away to sea. And one tried to reverse […]

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The Adventures of a Westport Farmer

This program was presented by Richard Donnelly on June 18 2015 What was it like to live in Westport in the early 19th century? Why did young Westporters go a- whaling? A recently discovered journal provides a unique look into the life of Westport residents during the 1830s. Richard Donnelly recounts the story of Frederick […]

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