The Westport Point Historic District is a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

encompassing an early coastal village in

Westport, Massachusetts Westport (Massachusett: ) is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,339 at the 2020 census. The village of North Westport lies in the town. Other named areas of the town are "Westport Point," which has a do ...

. Set at the confluence of two branches of the tidal

Westport River The Westport River lies between Narragansett Bay and Buzzards Bay in Westport, Massachusetts. Description The Westport River has two branches. The smaller West Branch is approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset ...

, the village has a rich architectural history from the late 18th century to the early 20th. The district was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1992.

Description and history

The area that is now Westport, Massachusetts was originally part of neighboring Dartmouth, separating in 1787. One of the area's earliest settlements was on the barrier island at the mouth of the Westport River, with the point between its two branches developed as an agricultural area, with a ferry between the two established in 1712. The point's potential for additional housing and maritime services resulted in significant development beginning around 1770. Over the next 100 or so years, the area developed as a center of coastal shipping and the outfitting of ships that were typically built at shipyards further upriver. Little of the maritime infrastructure associated with these activities has survived. After the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, and with the decline in demand for wooden ships, the area's economic focus changed to one as a seaside resort and vacation area. The historic district extends along Main Road, the principal historic thoroughfare on the point prior to the construction of

Massachusetts Route 88 Route 88 is a north–south state highway in the town of Westport in southeastern Massachusetts. At just over 11 miles, it is the longest Massachusetts state route to be situated in only one town. It begins at John Reed Road and ends at an ...

in the 1960s. The district extends linearly along Main Road for about a mile, ending roughly at Charles Street. Although a number of side streets emanate from this spine, only properties on Valentine's Lane and Cape Bial Lane are also included in the district. The district is in size, with 173 historically significant buildings. Most of these are one and two-story wood frame houses; there is only one commercial building, the c. 1840 Cory Store, and one church, the Westport Point Methodist Church (1884, Gothic Revival). The most common architectural style found is the Greek Revival, whose height of fashion in the area was between 1835 and 1860.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Historic districts in Bristol County, Massachusetts Westport, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Bristol County, Massachusetts Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts

Description and history

See also

References