Westport dates to 1670, and 16% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 91% of U.S. towns · #131 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Paul Cuffe Farm, a National Historic Landmark, and a historic district with 173 buildings. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1811.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Westport’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Westport is more historic than 91% of U.S. towns, #131 of 283 in Massachusetts. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Westport’s overall grade.
Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Westport’s 108 sits near the middle of its state (64% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 178 historic buildings outnumber those of 92% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.7 points). Two sources give 1670.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Westport’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Westport was so named because it was the westernmost port in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was first settled by English colonists of Plymouth Colony in 1670 as a part of Old Dartmouth by members of the Sisson family. The river, and the land around it, was called "Coaksett" in the original deed; the name, now spelled "Acoaxet," now refers to the southwestern community along the western branch of the Westport River.
Like many areas in the region, Westport was affected by Wampanoag raiding parties during King Philip's War. Several small mills were built along the Westport River, adding to its prosperity. In 1787, the growing town, along with the town of New Bedford, seceded from Dartmouth.
Passages that mention Westport, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men1883 · page 683Read the page →
Read the text
Westport in 1883.— The town of Westport has five post-offices, viz. : North Westport, Westport, South Westport, Central village, and Westport Point. The principal villages are Westport Point, Head of Westport, and Westport Factory.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men1883Read the page →
Read the text
vexation : " In compliance with a Warrant issued from Benjamin Russel, Esq., Directing William Almy to Notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Westport to meet Together at some suitable place in said Town to choose all such Town Officers as Towns are required to choose at their annual Town-meetings in the month of March or April annually, and a Committee
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts1858 · page 270Read the page →
Read the text
The township of Westport, as well as that of Dartmouth, is chiefly an agricultural district, for which New Bedford affords a ready market for all manner of produce. The village of Westport * The orthography of this word yaries in the old surveys of land.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Westport, 1652 to 1974
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1670, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Westport’s post office opened in 1811, and the first U.S. census counted 2,466 people here in 1790.
How does Westport rank for history?
Westport is more historic than 91% of U.S. towns, #131 of 283 in Massachusetts. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Westport?
Three places: the Paul Cuffe Farm (listed 1974), the Westport Point Historic District (1992) and the Cadman-White-Handy House (1992).
How old are the homes in Westport?
16% of Westport’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.7 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1972.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
★ Landmark
1910