Posted on June 11, 2025 by Jenny ONeill

By Jane Dufault In 1980, we purchased land, one half mile from the Head of Westport off Drift Road, and had our home built by Dick Wertz. This land and road eventually became known as Sisson Farm Lane.  It was named this as the first settler; Richard Sisson had built the first home in Westport […]

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Jenny ONeill

  Elvira Smith grew up on a Westport farm in the 1930s. “We were very frugal.  For example we would use the cotton from the flour sacks to make our aprons. I remember that instead of throwing our old sweaters away, we would unravel the yarn, then wash and clean it to take out the […]

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Jenny ONeill

The role of women in the 20th century on the farm varied. On some farms, tasks were clearly delineated — men worked outside and the women cared for the household: Charlie Costa on his grandmother “When my grandfather was working on the farm, she would be washing clothes, hauling water, heating the irons on the […]

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Jenny ONeill

Bronze potato award In 1940, the Smith family of Long Acres farm was awarded this bronze potato in recognition of a record-breaking production of 613 bushels of potatoes on a single acre. John Smith, who arrived in Westport from Scotland, purchased this property of 110 acres located near Cadmans Neck in 1882. For the next […]

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Jenny ONeill

The First Tractor In 1921 Julius T. Smith (Turtle Rock Farm) bought one of the first tractors to be used on a Westport farm. The Fordson tractor was invented for a man “with a strong back and a weak head. We always took a monkey grip on the handle when we cranked the tractor, otherwise […]