New, free Westport Heritage Map dives deep into local history, iconic landmarks

WESTPORT — Heritage is about where you’ve come from, where you can trace your relatives back to. But heritage is also about where you are right now, in the place you call home.

Heritage is history, and heritage is also community.

The places that surround us all have their own stories, from the roads we travel, to the scenery around us, to the buildings that beckon us inside.

There is in fact so much history surrounding us at all times, it would be handy to have a guide to walk us through it all.

Luckily, the Westport Historical Society now offers a free Westport Heritage Map.

Here’s how you can get better acquainted with some important local history:

What’s on the Westport Heritage Map and where can you get a copy?

The Westport Heritage Map features 22 sites of historical significance to the town, ranging from the Paul Cuffe Memorial to Lees Market.

Launched by the Westport Historical Society, the map is free, and you can pick up a copy at the Westport Free Public Library (408 Old County Rd.) or Partners Village Store (865 Main Rd.).

The map includes Westport’s historic shorelines, as well as walking trails and conservation areas.

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How does the Westport Heritage Map work?

The map identifies the distinct communities that make up the town, like Westport Point, the Head of Westport, and Westport Factory, to name a few.

QR codes included in the map link to in-depth information about each location on there, so you can take a deep dive into the history behind each spot.

“Westport is a special town with so much to offer but it’s not always easy to know where to look or how to learn more,” Westport Historical Society Executive Director Jenny O’Neill said in a press release. “I hope the map will serve as a ‘bridge’ to discover more about Westport.”

The brochure features a map dating from 1831, and even almost 200 years later, the roads, layout, and settlement patterns are still recognizable, the release said.

“That’s a remarkable testament to preservation efforts within the community,” O’Neill said.

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Who designed the Westport Heritage Map?

The map was designed by Westport Historical Society volunteer Ray Shaw.

Who funded the project?

The project was funded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Westport Point Neighborhood Association, and the Westport Cultural Council.

Some highlights from the Westport Heritage Map

Here are a few highlights from among the many points of interest on the map:

The Paul Cuffe Memorial: “Celebrates a Westporter with national and international impact,” the map reads. Paul Cuffe was the son of Cuff Slocum, a West African man who had been emancipated from enslavement. Paul Cuffe’s mother was Ruth Moses, a Native American woman from Cape Cod. Cuffe became one of the wealthiest African Americans in the United States, and he used his wealth to support local initiatives, like a smallpox hospital and an integrated school. He had extensive landholdings and shipbuilding activities in Westport. He gained international prominence through his efforts opposing slavery. Gravestones honoring Cuffe and his wife Abigail are located in the cemetery behind the Friends Meeting House.

Westport Friends Meeting House: “The Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies began persecuting religious dissidents … and as a result, many sought lands at a greater distance from the seat of colonial government,” according to the map. Many of Westport’s first residents were Quakers (Society of Friends), and were not affiliated with the church or government of Plymouth Colony. The meeting house was built in 1814, and the project was led and financed by Paul Cuffe.

Lees Market: Lees Market has been a community staple for more than 70 years. “Part grocery store, liquor store, employer to thousands, and unofficial ‘town center,’ Lees Market is a landmark local business,” that has carved out a unique place within the town, the map says.

Hix Bridge: Built in 1738, Hix Bridge was a toll bridge that replaced a ferry crossing. “Tradition has it that one of the chief forms of entertainment for young men used to be to race their horses down the hills on either side of the bridge, both being steeper than at present, and at such a rate of speed that the gatekeepers at either end were afraid to keep the gates closed for fear of a terrible accident,” the map reads.

Bell School: Today it’s the headquarters of the Westport Historical Society, but when it was built in 1841, the Bell School appears to have roused some jealousy in town. It was one of 20 one-room schools scattered throughout Westport. Jealousy arose in other districts “when the residents of the Head of Westport decided to build so magnificent a building to be used as a mere schoolhouse,” the map says. One resident took particular umbrage with the “bellcony,” according to the map.

How to learn more about the Westport Heritage Map

To learn more, contact the Westport Historical Society at 508-636-6011.

Herald News/Taunton Daily Gazette copy editor and digital producer Kristina Fontes can be reached at kfontes@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette today.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: See all the sites, landmarks on new, free Westport Heritage Map