Blog - Westport Historical Society

Posted on November 6, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Acheson Farm Collection

Acheson Farm Collection donated by Jane Rebello 2026.058 Straight from the barn to the archive! From deep within Westport’s historic barns emerge extraordinary collections! A recent visit to one such historic barn (still redolent with the layers of farming life) brought to light journals, cattle breeding records, and the ephemera of a 20th-century farm, including […]

Posted on November 5, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

History of East Beach and Horseneck Beach by Joan Plante Lowther

This is a partial copy of her scrapbook compiled in 1991. Download a PDF of research by Joan Plante Lowther. https://wpthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Joan-Lowther-East-Beach-reduced.pdf Sample pages

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Interview with Lillian Costa Burbank

Interview with Lillian Costa Burbank October 21, 2026 Memories of growing up at the Costa Farm 1404 Main Road, Westport MA Her parents were Tony and Voyzie Costa. LISTEN: Interviewer: So, I’m here with Lillian Costa Burbank. And it is October 21st, 2026. The reason I’m talking with Lillian is she has donated these […]

Posted on October 20, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Westport Revolutionary Stories illustrated by Ray Shaw

Illustrations created by Ray Shaw using AI “No taxation without representation” In February 1780, Paul and John Cuffe, brothers from Westport, submitted a petition to the Massachusetts legislature. The Cuffes were sons of a Wampanoag woman from Cape Cod and an Akan man, born in West Africa, sold into slavery in Massachusetts and later manumitted. […]

Posted on October 20, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Westport’s Revolutionary Soldiers Comprehensive List

Research by Richard Gifford, Robert Barboza, Tony Connors, Betty Slade, Jenny O’Neill, Robin Winters Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, ca. 1800–ca. 1912 RWVC refers to Revolutionary War Veterans of Color, research by Richard Gifford. Name Remarks Burial Wife Location of residence Notes Benjamin Abel (d. 1777) RWVC […]

Posted on October 9, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Westport’s Revolutionary War Veterans of Color by Richard Gifford

Local historian Richard Gifford, has focused his powers of deduction supported by an encyclopedic familiarity with this region’s history, to identify local African American and Native American individuals who served in the Revolutionary War. He has identified veterans not just by direct local residency, but by family connections (spouses, siblings, children) and ancestral ties to […]

Posted on August 21, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Alice Huff interviewed by Jenny O’Neill

Alice Collins Huff, interviewed by Jenny O’Neill, August 20, 2026 Topics include: The Head of Westport, school, July 4 parade and fireworks, Pine Hill Road LISTEN Transcript of Recording Jenny O’Neill: I am Jenny O’Neill. It is August 20th, 2026, and I’m here with Alice Huff. So Alice, let’s start with some information about […]

Posted on August 19, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Handy House Artisan Fair Volunteer Sign Up Form

Handy House Artisan Fair and Vintage Market 202 Hix Bridge Road, Westport MA 10 AM -3 PM Saturday September 19 2026 (Rain date Sep 20) The Handy House Artisan Fair, organized by the Westport Historical Society, showcases local craftspeople who specialize in skills and traditional crafts commonly practiced in the 18th and 19th century. This […]

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Carol Petty Skarbo interviewed by Doris Carvalho

Doris Carvalho Hi, my name is Doris Carvalho and it is July 25th, 2026 and I am interviewing Carol Petty. Hi, Carol. How are you? Carol Skarbo I’m fine, Doris. Doris Carvalho That’s good. Ready to start? Carol Skarbo I am. Okay. Doris Carvalho Your parents were living in Westport when you […]

Posted on August 7, 2026 by Jenny ONeill

Russell Walters interviewed by Susan Montgomery

August 3, 2026 Listen Transcribed using AI Summary created by AI This interview transcript features a conversation between Susan Montgomery (interviewer) and Russell Walters on August 3, 2026, in Westport, Massachusetts. Key Summary Points Early Memories & Hurricane Carol: Russell first came to Westport as a young child with his mother to visit family friends. […]