HARBINGER N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e w e s t p o r t h i s t o r i c a l s o c i e t y www.wpthistory.orgpo box n188, westport, ma 02790-1203, westporthistory@westporthistory.net

Winter 2014, vol.47, no.1 Letter from the Director

The Westport Historical Societys 2014 calendar is chock full of special events, lectures and outdoor activities for one and all, including the long-awaited opening of the Handy House in July (look for information on volunteer opportunities in this issue).

On the books for the summer: A lively Antiques Show n Tell event headlined by TV appraiser Stephen Fletcher of Skinner, Inc.; a fascinating lecture about Native American whalemen as well as a biographers fresh take on Westports most famous resident, Paul Cuffe.

And during River Day, organized by the Westport River Watershed Alliance, on June 28, WHS president Tony Connors will lead a walking tour of the Head of Westport.

Plans are also underway to re-trace the Indian path and visit the Forge Road mill as well as a series of Colonial Conversations about everyday life in 18th century Westport.

In the fall, well get a peek at the old camp meeting cottages at Cadmans Neck and watch local artisans showcase their centuries-old crafts inside the Handy House. Also, at the historic house, the Society will host our second annual ghouls and goblins event for children at Halloween.

I hope that this exciting schedule provides incentive for you to renew your membership. The time for membership renewal is fast approaching so please look out for your reminder in the mail in the spring. Or if you are not yet a member, please join usand bring a friend!

Jenny ONeill, Executive Director

hImage courtesy of the New Bedford whalINg museum

Mark your caleNdars!

antiques show n tellThursday, July 31, 5-7 pm at the dedee shattuck gallery

Join us for a special

evening of show and

tell with stephen

fletcher of skinner

Inc.

our first annual

traditional artisan fairSaturday, September 27 at the handy house

fiNd us oN facebook to share in some of

the interesting and

curious objects from

our collection, to

hear about upcoming

events and to be part

of the conversation

about our local

history.

The Westport Historical Society

board MeMbers

President: Tony Connors

Vice President: Yvonne Barr

Treasurer: Albert Lees

Clerk: Emily Sutton

Charley Appleton

Nicholas Christ

Carol Coutinho

Laura Raposa

executive director

Jenny ONeill

MaNaGer of educatioN

Kathleen McAreavey

book keeper

Nancy Andersen

MissioN stateMeNt

The mission of the Westport Historical Society is to engage the public in the exploration of the towns 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.

The Society collects and shares this history. Its goal is to foster the imaginative process of connecting to the past, making it relevant to our present and vital to the future of our community.

The Harbinger is published by the

Westport Historical Society, a 501(c)(3)

non profit organization.

25 Drift Road, Westport, MA 02790

website www.wpthistory.org

phone 508-636-6011

email westporthistory@westporthistory.net

Find us on Facebook!

2

Before we can finally throw open the doors of the historic house on Hix Bridge Road in Julyfingers crossedthere are still a few projects to tick off our to-do list. they iNclude:

4 Completion of a visitor parking area, grading and walkways 4 Installation of fire protection and emergency lights4 Completion of interpretive materials for visitors including an audio visual presentation4 Recruit and train docents

Do you have enthusiasm for Westport history?

we Need you at the haNdy house!

Join the Handy House corps of volunteers to greet visitors, provide a brief overview of the history of the house, sell merchandise and collect donations.

This position will suit anyone who enjoys meeting new people and has an interest in local history. Volunteers must be available on Saturdays, but the schedule is flexible. Training will take place in June.

Please contact Jenny ONeill, Director, if you would like to know more about this opportunity.

c o u N t d o w N t o t h e h a N d y h o u s e O P E N I N G !

3For more serious enthusiasts, the Society will hold docent training in the spring for those interested to lead tours for school groups that partici-pate in the WHS Heritage Education Program.

Local third gradersrequired by the state to take a civics classwill be the focus for the new docents, but eventually the program will open to other grades as well as schools in neighboring towns.

This docent program is perfect for local history buffs and raconteurs who enjoy interacting with children. Our staff will train docents in two sessions slated for April and May.

The Spring 2014 tours will take place in June during the morning hours. The third graders will have been given some in-class background be-fore the tour and will continue with follow-up lessons when they return to school.

For more details please contact Kathleen McAreavey, WHS Manager of Education Programs, at education@westporthistory.net. Or call 508-636-6011.

for our New childreNs

heritaGe educatioN proGraM!

rooM to learN: westports oNe rooM

schoolhouses

Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.at the Bell schoolhouse

This exhibition is open year round.

westport history 101

preseNted by toNy coNNors

Tuesday, March 4, 11, 18 at 10 a.m. at the Paquachuck Inn, 2056 main road,

westport Point

These programs are SOLD OUT! If you missed out this time, dont worry! We hope to repeat this series sometime in the future!

the Mills of westport

preseNted by toNy coNNors

at mill No. 2, 251 forge road

Saturday, May 17, 2 p.m.Mill No. 2, now owned by Steel Dog, was built in 1872 on the site of an earlier water powered mill. Connors, president of the Westport Historical Society, will provide an overview of the development of the Westport Manufacturing Company. There will be an opportunity to view the turbine at Mill No. 2. A walk around Forge Pond Conservation area, guided by a Westport Conservation Land Trust staffer, will follow this program. Walkers can follow trails on the property as it rises to give a beautiful view of the pond below. Co-sponsored by Westport Land Trust. suggested donation $5

as space is limited for this program, please

pre-register in order to ensure that you have

a seat!

Native aMericaN whaleMeN

iN aNtebelluM New eNGlaNd

preseNted by prof. NaNcy shoeMaker

Thursday, June 19, 7 p.m.at the westport library

Nancy Shoemaker, professor of history at the University of Connecticut, presents her research into the involvement of Native Americans in the whaling industry. Among the many individuals that she has researched are a number from Westport including members of the Wainer family. Many Native Americans in this region voluntarily went whaling and took pride in their ability to succeed in this industry. Her research highlights the whaling in-dustry as one of the few arenas in which Native Americans could enjoy a high status and in which racial limitations widened to allow for skill and hard work to count for something. suggested donation $5

river day (organized by the westport river

watershed alliance)

explore the head of westport

Saturday, June 28, 10 a.m. In conjunction with River Day, we invite you to join us on a walking tour of the Head of Westport. This tour departs from the Bell School at 10 a.m. Our exhibition Room to Learn: Westports One Room Schoolhouses will be open throughout River Day. suggested donation $5

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

continued on page 5

Call for docents

4In October 1919, our federal government passed the Volstead Act that began an era called Prohibition. This law, which lasted 14 years, prohibited the manufac-ture, sale and possession of liquor. It also helped a new Westport business to flour-ish: rum-running.

Rumrunners included local fishermen, boat owners and other local lawbreakers who transported whiskey and rum from large ships anchored in Rum Row, an area outside territorial waters located 3 miles from shore at first, but then increased to 11 miles.

Small powerboats loaded up the cargo and proceeded to rush to shore without meeting up with a Coast Guard ship. Most of the locals small boats were faster than the Coast Guard vessels so many, many of the rumrunners avoided arrest.

I knew a pair of rumrunners, one of whom became very famous.

Charlie Travers was a young, intelligent man who saw rum running as an oppor-tunity to get rich. And he did.

Charlie had a boat called Black Duck built at Casey Boatyard. It was 50-feet long and powered by two airplane engines. Aircraft engines were made for high RPMsperfect for a rum-running vessel. Black Duck was capable of doing 30 knots that was unheard of for a smallish boat.

One night, the Duck entered Narra-gansett Bay when it came upon a Coast Guard cutter moored to a bell buoy. The ships searchlight illuminated Travers boat and her crew.

After some crazy maneuvering by Charlies helmsman, the Coast Guard opened fire with a machine gun. The gunner had orders to shoot into the stern of the Duck but instead got carried away and swept the pilothouse killing a trio of crewmembers.

When word got out, angry crowds pro-tested outside government buildings all over the United States. Their cry was that the countrys military killed unarmed ci-vilians. Investigations were launched and finally the Secretary of the Treasury who was also head of the Coast Guard stated that the killings were justified.

Put out of the rum-running business by the tragedy at sea, Charlie retired to his dairy farm where he helped many people survive the Great Depression.

I remember the Black Duckthe rum-runner powered by airplane engines retired to a special dock Charlie had built in the Westport River. According to other sources, the Black Duck was retrofitted by the Coast Guard into a patrol boat that scoped out rumrunners along the Westport coast.

The Rum-Running Memoirs of

Cukie Macomber

this recent donation to our collection shows

the surfside hotel which was located on

east Beach. owned by lydia and John gifford,

this hotel provided chowder, lunches and

refreshments to visitors from New Bedford

and fall river for over 50 years.

5paul cuffe: a yeoMaN iN the atlaNtic

world preseNted by Jeff fortiN

Thursday July 17, 7 p.m. at the westport library

Jeff Fortin, professor of history at Emmanuel College, Boston, presents a program on his forthcoming book Paul Cuffe: A Yeoman in the Atlantic World (to be published in 2015). The first book-length biography since 1987, this project seeks to examine Paul Cuffe and his legacy in the broader context of the Atlantic World, revealing not only his influence in America, but also how he impacted the abolition movement of England and the building of a free black nation in Sierra Leone. Although a positive portrayal of Cuffe, this biography illuminates the captains humanity, considering his darker periods as well as his extensive philan-thropic and entrepreneurial efforts throughout the wider Atlantic. This work considers well-known resources as well as lesser-discussed documents to create a well-rounded and comprehensive exami-

nation of perhaps Westports most famous citizens. suggested donation $5.this program is supported in part by a grant

from the westport cultural council, a local

agency supported by the massachusetts

cultural council.

aNtiques show N tell

Thursday, July 31, 5-7 p.m. at the dedee shattuck gallery

Antiques show and tell with Stephen Fletcher of Skinner Inc. and frequent appraiser on WGBHs popular Antiques Roadshow.

UPCOMING EVENTS continued

Coming up later in the year details to be aNNouNced

August 13 explore ecoloGy aNd history

of beach aveNue, a walk co- sponsored by the Westport Land Trust

September 6 explore cadMaNs Neck

cottaGes

September 27 Meet soMe of our local

artisaNs at the haNdy house

October 4 re-trace the iNdiaN path, a walk co-sponsored by the Westport Land Trust

October 25 hauNted happeNiNGs for all the family at the Handy House

Tuesday mornings in Octoberjoin us for coloNial coNversatioNs with Michelle Coughlinan opportunity to learn about life in colonial New England.

6James and Wendy DorseyBradford and Eileen FaxonSteve FletcherJan HallHope HickokAnne HopkinsPeter and Caroline KastnerFoster KayJohn and Colleen KearneyMartin and Judith KellyMary Ellen KennedyRonald and Susan KnappMax Kohlenberg and Rebecca Minard Carlton and Alice MacomberCharles and Lynn MerrowJim and Fran MevayTony MillhamHugh and Diana MortonElaine OstroffPaul PannoniDick and Eleanor PhillipsTom and Johanna RobinsonTom and Kate SchmittKendrick and Anne SnyderAnn SquireGregory and Brenda StoneEmily SuttonJoan ThompsonBenjamin and Elizabeth WhiteBob and Mary Ellen WhiteCatherine WilliamsKit and Marka WiseSally Wyatt

$1000+

Peter and Rosanne ArestyRussell BeedeRobert and Pamela FaulknerRalph and Calla GuildJane LoosSteven Syre and Laura Raposa

$500 - $999

Richard ArmstrongGary Baker and Martha SearsCharles and Linda FindlayBob HardingScott and Barbara JonesRobert and Naoko KuglerLeo and Pat MarshallChris MckeonAndrea PowningTom and Barbara Slaight

$100 to $499

Hope AtkinsonWilliam BarkerYvonne BarrPhilip BeauregardBill Pardee and Lin BeckRussell BeedeJohn and Gertraude BerglandElizabeth BrinkerhoffGioia BrowneNils Bruzelius and Lynne WeilTim BryantNancy BurkholderElizabeth CadyMaureen CamaraPeter and Gaelen CanningNicholas and Meg ChristCarolyn CodyDavid Cole and Betty SladeJames Collins and Genae JohnsonThomas Connors and Michelle DolbecTony and Sharon ConnorsLois Conway

engage inspire connectAnnual Appeal The Westport Historical 2013 Society

7up to $100

Sally AldrichDavid and Nancy AndersenNorman Anderson and Laurie MarinoneRichard AndersonCharles and Pat AppletonAnne BarnesChris BossoRichard and Barbara BrewerCarroll BrownleeEdward and Louise BushMerlin CamozziWhitney ChadwickArthur and Grace CintronArlene CloutierCharles DeknatelCarolyn DubyJerry and Connie DyerRichard and Christine EarleKathleen FairElizabeth FlemmingPeter and Joan FradleyConstance GeeHoward and Laura GiffordChip and Gay GillespieAntonio GraciaJune HebertAlbert HowlandDale LavoieRobert LawrenceAnne LowellCarlton and Alice MacomberAlan and Ruth ManchesterLaurie MarceauMaury MayJoyce MicciantuonoTony and Geraldine MillhamTony Millham/Star ForgeJenny ONeillPaul PannoniJonathan PotterAlexander PrestonJune Roche

Tanja RydenPaul and Tina SchmidRobert and Evelyn SimhaPaul and Elizabeth SittenfeldMartha SlaightDavid and Doris SprogisQuentin and Sacha SullivanJerry Sundheimer and Elizabeth GelfandJeffery and Linda SwopeDonald and Yvonne TaylorCarlton and Nancy ThompsonMark ThompsonArline and Alvin TrippSteven and Dawn Tripp

haNdy house aNd other restricted uses

$25,000+

Albert and Cindy LeesBayCoast Bank

$10,000 - $24,999

Joel and Lisa AlvordAnonymous

$1000 -$9999

David Cole and Betty SladeTony and Sharon ConnorsGrimshaw-Gudewicz Charitable Foundation Neil and Sue Van Sloun Sylvan EndowmentHoward Bayne Fund

MeMorial Gifts

Carlton and Alice MacomberIn memory of Anna Sherman Duphiney

Thank you to our busiNesses MeMbers

for their support:

tims lawn care

country woolens

comfort of touch

sisters of solace

bradshaw insurance

lees Market

Jacks landscaping and lawn service

even keel realty

Grays daily Grind and Grays Gristmill

Geraldine Millham design

partners village store

bartlett tree service

baycoast bank

village plumbing

t.f. Morra tree care

Support local history!The Westport Historical Society is supported by donations from individuals, foundations and businesses that care about the preservation of Westports rich heritage. In addition to joining the Historical Society as a member, please consider these other ways you can support our mission:

coNtributioNs iN hoNor or MeMorial

Gifts

Honor a friend or relative, commemorate a special anniversary or mark the passing of a loved one with a contribution.

bequests

Leave a lasting legacy for the future by naming the Historical Society as a beneficiary in your will.

corporate MatchiNG Gifts

Please check with your employer to see if they offer a matching gift program.

busiNess spoNsorships

The Historical Society offers local businesses many different levels of sponsorship and recognition.

thank youfor Gifts received NoveMber 2013 february 2014

westport historical society 25 drift road, po box n188, westport, ma 02790

Non-ProfitU.S. Postage PAIDFall River MA Permit No.323

REtuRN SERvIcE REquEStED

membership levels

r iNdividual $20

r faMily $35

r coNtributiNG $70

r sustaiNiNG $200

r special Gift $

Please make check payable to and mail to:

westport historical society25 drift road, po box n188westport, ma 02790

NaMe

address

city state zip

phoNe

eMail

join us!

thank you!

Handy House opening doorways doNatioN forM

Donation $

Please use my/our gift where it is most needed r, or for the following project:

coNtact iNforMatioN

DONOR NamE EmaIl

cONtact PERSON (If DONOR IS aN ORGaNIzatION) EmaIl

StREEt/PO bOx PhONE

cIty StatE zIP

check eNclosed r (please make checks payable to Westport Historical Society) or charGe My r Visa r Mastercard r Amex

caRD NumbER

ExPIRatION DatE

PRINt NamE Of caRD hOlDER

SIGNatuRE

To donate securities or stocks or to make a pledge, please contact Jenny ONeill

at the Westport Historical Society at 508-636-6011.

Please list donation in publications as a gift from:

Mail to: Westport Historical Society, PO Box N188, Westport MA 02790

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