Westport History At Your Fingertips
The mission of the Westport Historical Society is to engage the public in the exploration of the town’s rich history and culture, to inspire a spirit of discovery through educational programs and encourage active participation in the preservation and interpretation of our past.
Visit Historic Sites
See the Handy House, Bell School, and more!
15 Historic Sites
Upcoming Events
House Tours, Exhibitions, Collection Spotlights
See current events
Explore History
Revolutionary Stories, Lives on the Land, and much more!
Research Historical Papers
Search Collections
See over 4500 artifacts in our online collection database
Explore Collections
Visit Historic Sites
See the Handy House, Bell School, and more!
15 Historic Sites
Upcoming Events
House Tours, Exhibitions, Collection Spotlights
See current events
Explore History
Revolutionary Stories, Lives on the Land, and much more!
Research Historical Papers
Search Collections
See over 4500 artifacts in our online collection database
Explore Collections
Westport Has Stories
Westport's Revolutionary Stories
A Revolution Told Through Local Lives
The American Revolution reached far beyond famous battlefields. In the communities that became Westport, soldiers, sailors, women, families, and local leaders experienced the conflict in their own ways. Explore their stories through town records, personal accounts, historic objects, and research that brings Westport’s Revolutionary era to life.
Explore Westport History
Collections
Oral Histories
Westport History Center
Walking Tours
Westport’s Villages
More History
Learn More About Westport
Research Areas
Research By Topic
- Mills
- Native American
- Maritime Activities
- African American
- Agricultural
- Tourism
- Religious Organizations
Research By Time Period
- Contact Period (1500–1620)
- Colonial Period (1675–1775)
- Federal Period (1775–1830)
- Industrial Period (1830–1915)
- Modern Period (1915–Present)
Research By Village
- North Westport
- Head of Westport
- Westport Point
- Westport Harbor
- Horseneck
- Westport Factory
- Central Village
- South Westport
Volunteer Opportunities at the Westport Historical Society
Contact us if you would like to learn more about any of the following opportunities. The easiest way to contact us is to complete the short volunteer sign up form on our website. We'll follow up with you as soon as possible.
Handy House Docents
Interested in local history and meeting new people? Consider becoming a docent for the Handy House. Docents provide short tours of the house for visitors, answer questions, and assist with sales of merchandise.
Event Day Volunteers
The historical society holds many events throughout the year. We are looking to establish a pool of volunteers that can be contacted ahead of time. Tasks are varied and may include providing information about the historical society, signing in guests, selling merchandise.
Collections cataloging and transcribing
Ongoing organization, cataloging, scanning of documents and photos in the collection. Occasional transcribing of original documents. Training is provided. Must be comfortable working on a computer with a database such as Excel.
Stories From Westport
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…
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…
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…
Gather, Learn & Connect
Join Us for an Upcoming Event
Join the Westport Historical Society for talks, tours, exhibitions, community programs, and special events that bring local history to life.
Help Preserve Westport’s History
Become a member, volunteer your time, or make a gift to help preserve Westport’s historic places, collections, stories, and community heritage for generations to come.
Gather, Learn & Connect
Join Us for an Upcoming Event
Join the Westport Historical Society for talks, tours, exhibitions, community programs, and special events that bring local history to life.
Help Preserve Westport’s History
Become a member, volunteer your time, or make a gift to help preserve Westport’s historic places, collections, stories, and community heritage for generations to come.
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Sign up to receive announcements for upcoming events and updates by email