Blog - Page 10 of 55 - Westport Historical Society

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

Small Town, Big History: Perspectives on Westport’s Past

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

Paul Cuffe, a Brief Biography

Please visit www.PaulCuffe.org to learn more Paul Cuffe was born on Cuttyhunk Island, at the west end of the Elizabeth Islands chain in Massachusetts, on January 17, 1759. He was the seventh child and fourth son of Cuff Slocum, an emancipated slave from West Africa, and Ruth Moses, a Native American woman from Cape […]

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

Native American Place Names associated with locations in Westport MA

This map was compiled from information in the collection of the Westport Historical Society. We welcome corrections and comments. The map dates from 1871. Acoaxet (Accohquesse, Acokus, Cockset) – Place of the small hill or the land on the other side of the little land Cocoest Davol Pond, Westport Harbor Contesawaocsetor […]

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

Native Americans in 19th-century Westport

“Like the fleeting years and days, Like all things that soon decay, Pass the Indian tribes away.” (Daniel Ricketson, History of New Bedford, 1858) This lamentation was written by Daniel Ricketson, local historian, in 1858. Was Ricketson unaware of the many Native Americans living at the time in Dartmouth, whose ancestors had survived war and […]

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

John Hart

John Hart interviewed in1976

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

A Westporter at the Panama Canal

From our intern Mark Allen The Panama Canal is one of the greatest achievements in American ingenuity, and serves as the perfect symbol of an entire era of our politics. Despite the moral quandaries one might have with how we procured the land (starting a revolution in a sovereign nation and all), the Panama Canal […]

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

Reverend Basil Hall

(It is unclear if all these interviews include Basil Hall. Please let us know of any errors)

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

Albert Cambra, Fred Hart, Mabel Crosby

Posted on February 7, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

“Degeneracy, Profligacy, and Imbecility” – American Politics in 1800

One of the most cited reason for studying history is to learn from the past. While that is true, there is another key purpose that is mentioned far less often: reflection. Through this newspaper before us, the Boston Gazette, we can see a world not dissimilar from our own. In fact, you could even say […]

Posted on February 6, 2020 by Jenny ONeill

Valentine’s Day cards

This collection of vintage Valentine’s Day cards was donated by Betsy Acheson 2011.027.Which one is your favorite?