Posted on July 14, 2016 by Jenny ONeill
Have you ever found old shoes hidden in odd locations in your house? If so, your discovery may be evidence of a mysterious worldwide superstitious practice. A recent donation of a collection of ancient shoes focused our attention on this strange practice of concealing shoes in buildings. This collection of shoes was discovered in a […]
Continue ReadingPosted on July 13, 2016 by Jenny ONeill
A wonderful recent donation of a photo album with cyanotypes, mostly of Horseneck and other Westport areas. This album belonged to Ella Hargraves Lawton, maternal grandmother of Janet Rodgers. Brother: Robert Elkanah Lawton. They were brought up on a farm in Westport.
Continue ReadingPosted on January 21, 2016 by Jenny ONeill
Dartmouth and Westport Electric Railroad, a passenger line that connected the commercial cities of Fall River and New Bedford, with an important stop at Westport Factory and Lincoln Park. Etta Allen Palmer: “I could drive my horse up to Route 6, and then get on the trolley and take it to Fall River, and then […]
Continue ReadingPosted on January 21, 2016 by Jenny ONeill
Hi-Way Casino, Route 6 Westport, one of Westport’s more glamorous nightclubs of the 1930s-50s. Located between Fall River and New Bedford. Largest night club in new England. Seating 1200 people with private banquet hall. Known for fine floor shows. Owned and operated by Henry O. Gaudreau. Among the many popular jazz bands that played the […]
Continue ReadingPosted on December 15, 2015 by Jenny ONeill
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 […]
Continue ReadingPosted on March 5, 2015 by Jenny ONeill
This movie created in 1991 is a history of the changes that took place at East Beach and Horseneck Beach during the 20th century, a well as an account of the history of Plante’s Pavillion. Unfortunately the quality of the image is poor as the original was transferred from an old VHS tape. However, […]
Continue ReadingPosted on February 3, 2015 by Jenny ONeill
Our collection includes a bound set of The Non-Slaveholder, a 19th century publication with a special approach to the anti-slavery movement. “Whoso gives the motive, makes his brother’s sin his own.” This caption appears under the title of “The Non-Slaveholder”, a mid-19th century publication dedicated to the anti-slavery movement. The publication focused not only on […]
Continue ReadingPosted on January 29, 2015 by Jenny ONeill
This collection of 50 cards, including many Valentine cards dating from 1902, was donated to the Westport Historical Society by Elizabeth Acheson. Click on each image to view the details.
Continue ReadingPosted on January 26, 2015 by Jenny ONeill
An item recently found in the collection is a Civil War register of sick and wounded from Ward No. 4 of the U. S. General Hospital in Portsmouth Grove, RI. Included in the list of “Citizen Nurses” is Cornelius T. Allen, as Chief Nurse and Pardon S. Allen, both of Westport. Both started nursing for […]
Continue ReadingPosted on January 21, 2015 by Jenny ONeill
We welcome our new intern, Westport High school senior Elizabeth Broadbent, as she embarks on a project to photograph many of our three dimensional artifacts. Elizabeth is donating not only her skills as a photographer, but also use of her equipment and Photoshop know how. We look forward to sharing some of her photographs in […]
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