Westport, New York
Encyclopedia
Westport is a town
in Essex County
, New York
, United States
overlooking Lake Champlain
. The population was 1,362 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Westport is on the eastern border of the county and is 35 miles (56.3 km) south of Plattsburgh
and 93 miles (149.7 km) south of Montreal
. Westport is inside the Adirondack Park.
Westport is the birthplace of the Adirondack chair
.
The Essex County Fair is held in the town. The Essex County Fairgrounds
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 2005.
In 1642, Jesuit missionary Isaac Jogues
was tortured by Iroquois
at Coles Bay. He survived and was eventually saved by merchants from New Amsterdam
.
The town was founded by William Gilliland
in 1764 who surveyed an area in the southern part of the town and was granted 2300 acres (9.3 km²); he also established the neighboring towns of Elizabethtown
and Willsboro
. Gilliland originally called his patent "Bessboro" after his wife. The original settlement, which may have supplied wood to Benedict Arnold
's troops, was completely destroyed during the American Revolutionary War
in connection with British General John Burgoyne
's march from Canada
to Saratoga
. The first permanent settlement was in 1785.
Incorporation
The Town of Westport was established in 1815 from part of the Town of Elizabethtown
. The community of Westport set itself off from the town in 1907 by incorporation. The Village of Westport abandoned this status as an incorporated village as of Dec 31, 1992.
Westport the resort
By the mid-nineteenth century, Westport was a fashionable resort town
. Its social scene was regularly reported on in The New York Times
and by the Boston press. Like many other East Coast resorts, Its popularity gradually declined, starting in the 1930s, as first automobiles and then airplanes made possible a wider selection of vacation sites. Since the 1950s, however, Westport's lakeshore property has steadily increased in value. Although once most of the "summer people" stayed for weeks, now distinctions are not as clear: there are "year-round summer people" whose livelihood stems from outside Westport, weekenders whose principal residence is fairly close by (for example, Albany, which is two hours distant by car), and commuters to workplaces as distant as Plattsburgh, New York, and Middlebury, Vermont.
Westport is home to Camp Dudley YMCA, the oldest summer camp
in continuous operation in the United States, founded in 1885 by Sumner F. Dudley, moved to Westport in 1891. Meadowmount, the summer school for string players founded by Ivan Galamian
, is about eight miles (13 km) from the center of town. Westport is known as the ice fishing capital of Essex County.
, the town has a total area of 66.9 square miles (173.3 km²), of which, 58.4 square miles (151.3 km²) of it is land and 8.5 square miles (22 km²) of it (12.65%) is water.
The east town line is formed by Lake Champlain
and the border of Vermont
. The town is inside the Adirondack Park.
New York State Route 9N
, New York State Route 22
, and County Route 44 are north-south highways in Westport. NY-9N and NY-22 become conjoined in Westport village. Interstate 87
, the Northway, passes across the northwest part of Westport.
Birding
Several sites on the Lake Champlain Birding Trail are located in Westport:
and
of 2000, there were 1,362 people, 593 households, and 381 families residing in the town. (Note that since the census excludes summer residents, the figures in this section are for year-round residents only.) The population density
was 23.3 people per square mile (9.0/km²). There were 887 housing units at an average density of 15.2 per square mile (5.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.65% White, 0.15% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.15% from other races
, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.
There were 593 households out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $49,917. Males had a median income of $31,042 versus $26,550 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,063. About 5.2% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Cooperative Extension and is the location of the Meadowmount School of Music
, a well-known summer music program. Additionally, the Depot Theatre runs a summer apprentice program for children ranging from elementary school to high school age.
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Westport, operating its Adirondack
daily in both directions between Montreal and New York City. A bus connection is available from Westport to Lake Placid
, New York
. The Amtrak station also houses The Depot Theatre.
Because of the closing of the Lake Champlain Bridge in the fall of 2009, as of October 2009 a temporary pedestrian ferry service runs from the Westport Marina across Lake Champlain
to Vermont
on a limited basis during morning and evening commuting hours. Parking for this ferry service is at the Essex County Fairgrounds.
Notable accidents/incidents
On August 28, 2006, at approximately 6:45 p.m. local time, a Greyhound
bus traveling from New York City
to Montreal
overturned on the Adirondack Northway in Westport, New York
, after suffering a blown tire, killing five and injuring 48.
. The nearest emergency room is Elizabethtown Community Hospital, a 25-bed rural hospital with eight doctors on its active medical staff, which is a nine mile drive. About 34 miles by car, accessible via ferry, is the emergency room of Fletcher Allen Hospital, a large, full-service hospital affiliated with the University of Vermont
. During times when the ferry from Essex is not running, the nearest full-service emergency room is at CVPH Medical Center
, in Plattsburgh, NY, an approximately 45 mile drive. Slightly closer, though a longer drive over rural roads, is Porter Hospital in Middlebury, VT, accessible via the temporary ferry at Crown Point, NY.
Elizabethtown Community Hospital operates a small satellite clinic in Westport, NY.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Essex County
Essex County, New York
Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
overlooking Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
. The population was 1,362 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Westport is on the eastern border of the county and is 35 miles (56.3 km) south of Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...
and 93 miles (149.7 km) south of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Westport is inside the Adirondack Park.
Westport is the birthplace of the Adirondack chair
Adirondack chair
An Adirondack chair or Muskoka chair is a type of chair favored in rural, outdoor settings. The precursor to today's Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee in 1903. He was on vacation in Westport, New York, in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, and needed outdoor chairs for his summer...
.
The Essex County Fair is held in the town. The Essex County Fairgrounds
Essex County Fairgrounds
Essex County Fairgrounds is a historic county fair located at Westport in Essex County, New York. The fairgrounds include 15 contributing buildings, one contributing site, and seven contributing structures. Four of these, the Grandstand, Judge's Stand, Floral Hall, and Racetrack, were among the...
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2005.
History
Early historyIn 1642, Jesuit missionary Isaac Jogues
Isaac Jogues
Isaac Jogues was a Jesuit priest, missionary, and martyr who traveled and worked among the native populations in North America. He gave the original European name to Lake George, calling it Lac du Saint Sacrement, Lake of the Blessed Sacrament. In 1646, Jogues was martyred by the Mohawks near ...
was tortured by Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
at Coles Bay. He survived and was eventually saved by merchants from New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
.
The town was founded by William Gilliland
William Gilliland
William Floyd Gilliland was a farmer and a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 until his death in 1961...
in 1764 who surveyed an area in the southern part of the town and was granted 2300 acres (9.3 km²); he also established the neighboring towns of Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown, New York
Elizabethtown is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,315 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Essex County is a hamlet also called Elizabethtown. The name is derived from Elizabeth Gilliland, the wife of an early settler....
and Willsboro
Willsboro, New York
Willsboro is a town in Essex County, New York, in the United States, and lies thirty miles south of the city of Plattsburgh. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,903...
. Gilliland originally called his patent "Bessboro" after his wife. The original settlement, which may have supplied wood to Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
's troops, was completely destroyed during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
in connection with British General John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
's march from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
. The first permanent settlement was in 1785.
Incorporation
The Town of Westport was established in 1815 from part of the Town of Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown, New York
Elizabethtown is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,315 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Essex County is a hamlet also called Elizabethtown. The name is derived from Elizabeth Gilliland, the wife of an early settler....
. The community of Westport set itself off from the town in 1907 by incorporation. The Village of Westport abandoned this status as an incorporated village as of Dec 31, 1992.
Westport the resort
By the mid-nineteenth century, Westport was a fashionable resort town
Resort town
A resort town, sometimes called a resort city or resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy...
. Its social scene was regularly reported on in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and by the Boston press. Like many other East Coast resorts, Its popularity gradually declined, starting in the 1930s, as first automobiles and then airplanes made possible a wider selection of vacation sites. Since the 1950s, however, Westport's lakeshore property has steadily increased in value. Although once most of the "summer people" stayed for weeks, now distinctions are not as clear: there are "year-round summer people" whose livelihood stems from outside Westport, weekenders whose principal residence is fairly close by (for example, Albany, which is two hours distant by car), and commuters to workplaces as distant as Plattsburgh, New York, and Middlebury, Vermont.
Westport is home to Camp Dudley YMCA, the oldest summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
in continuous operation in the United States, founded in 1885 by Sumner F. Dudley, moved to Westport in 1891. Meadowmount, the summer school for string players founded by Ivan Galamian
Ivan Galamian
Ivan Alexander Galamian was an influential Armenian violin teacher of the twentieth century.He was born in Tabriz, Iran, but his family soon emigrated to Moscow, Russia. Galamian studied violin at the School of the Philharmonic Society there with Konstantin Mostras until his graduation in 1919...
, is about eight miles (13 km) from the center of town. Westport is known as the ice fishing capital of Essex County.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 66.9 square miles (173.3 km²), of which, 58.4 square miles (151.3 km²) of it is land and 8.5 square miles (22 km²) of it (12.65%) is water.
The east town line is formed by Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
and the border of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. The town is inside the Adirondack Park.
New York State Route 9N
New York State Route 9N
New York State Route 9N is a north–south state highway in northeastern New York, United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 , NY 29, and NY 50 in the city of Saratoga Springs to a junction with US 9 and NY 22 in the Clinton County village of...
, New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
, and County Route 44 are north-south highways in Westport. NY-9N and NY-22 become conjoined in Westport village. Interstate 87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
, the Northway, passes across the northwest part of Westport.
Birding
Several sites on the Lake Champlain Birding Trail are located in Westport:
- the Coon Mountain Preserve (administered by the Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
), - the Webb Royce Swamp,
and
- the Westport Boat Launch.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,362 people, 593 households, and 381 families residing in the town. (Note that since the census excludes summer residents, the figures in this section are for year-round residents only.) The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 23.3 people per square mile (9.0/km²). There were 887 housing units at an average density of 15.2 per square mile (5.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.65% White, 0.15% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.15% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.
There were 593 households out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $49,917. Males had a median income of $31,042 versus $26,550 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $22,063. About 5.2% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Westport is served by the Westport Central School, a K-12 school that is the only public school in the Westport Central School District. Westport also has a branch of the Cornell UniversityCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
Cooperative Extension and is the location of the Meadowmount School of Music
Meadowmount School of Music
The Meadowmount School of Music, founded in 1944 by Ivan Galamian, is a 7-week summer school in Westport in Upstate New York for accomplished young violinists, cellists, violists, and pianists training for professional careers in music. The students are required to practice for at least five hours...
, a well-known summer music program. Additionally, the Depot Theatre runs a summer apprentice program for children ranging from elementary school to high school age.
Public transport
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Westport, operating its Adirondack
Adirondack (Amtrak)
The Adirondack is a passenger train operated daily by Amtrak between New York City and Montreal. The trip takes approximately 11 hours to cover a published distance of , traveling through the scenic Hudson Valley and the Adirondack Mountains...
daily in both directions between Montreal and New York City. A bus connection is available from Westport to Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The Amtrak station also houses The Depot Theatre.
Because of the closing of the Lake Champlain Bridge in the fall of 2009, as of October 2009 a temporary pedestrian ferry service runs from the Westport Marina across Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
to Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
on a limited basis during morning and evening commuting hours. Parking for this ferry service is at the Essex County Fairgrounds.
Notable accidents/incidents
On August 28, 2006, at approximately 6:45 p.m. local time, a Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
bus traveling from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
overturned on the Adirondack Northway in Westport, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, after suffering a blown tire, killing five and injuring 48.
Access to Medical Care
Westport, NY is in a rural area in the Adirondack Park, and so most of its access to medical care is via the ferry operated by Lake Champlain Transportation CompanyLake Champlain Transportation Company
The Lake Champlain Transportation Company provides car and passenger ferry service at four points on Lake Champlain in the United States. From 1976 to 2003, it was owned by Burlington, Vermont, businessman Raymond C. Pecor, Jr. who is Chairman of the company's board...
. The nearest emergency room is Elizabethtown Community Hospital, a 25-bed rural hospital with eight doctors on its active medical staff, which is a nine mile drive. About 34 miles by car, accessible via ferry, is the emergency room of Fletcher Allen Hospital, a large, full-service hospital affiliated with the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
. During times when the ferry from Essex is not running, the nearest full-service emergency room is at CVPH Medical Center
CVPH Medical Center
The CVPH Medical Center is a hospital located in Plattsburgh, New York.Champlain Valley Physicians' Hospital was created in 1972 by the merger of the private Physician's Hospital with Champlain Valley Hospital, a charitable hospital operated by the Grey Nuns...
, in Plattsburgh, NY, an approximately 45 mile drive. Slightly closer, though a longer drive over rural roads, is Porter Hospital in Middlebury, VT, accessible via the temporary ferry at Crown Point, NY.
Elizabethtown Community Hospital operates a small satellite clinic in Westport, NY.
Notable residents
Some notable Westport, NY residents, past and present, include:- Edward CornellEdward CornellEdward Cornell was an early associate of Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival. He was the first managing director of the Festival's experimental wing, The Other Stage, where he directed No Place to Be Somebody, the Festival's first Pulitzer Prize winner.- Life :He lived his early life...
(b. 1944), artist, painter, and theater director. - John T. CuttingJohn T. CuttingJohn Tyler Cutting was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Westport, New York, Cutting was left an orphan at ten years of age, when he journeyed westward.Resided in Wisconsin and Illinois from 1855 to 1860....
(1844–1911), U.S. Representative from CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... - Walter Damrosch (1862–1950), conductor of the New York Symphony OrchestraNew York Symphony OrchestraThe New York Symphony Orchestra was founded as the New York Symphony Society in New York City by Leopold Damrosch in 1878. For many years it was a fierce rival to the older Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York. It was supported by Andrew Carnegie who built Carnegie Hall expressly for the...
and music director of NBC Radio - Dorothy DeLayDorothy DeLayDorothy DeLay was an American violin instructor, primarily at the Juilliard School.She was born in Medicine Lodge, Kansas.-Career and education:...
(1917–2002), violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
teacher, primarily at Juilliard, Meadowmount, and the Aspen Music Festival and SchoolAspen Music Festival and SchoolThe Aspen Music Festival and School, founded in 1949, is an internationally renowned classical music festival that presents music in an intimate, small-town setting... - Ben GoldwasserBenjamin GoldwasserBenjamin 'Beno' 'Kittens' Goldwasser is a lyricist and musician in the psychedelic rock band MGMT, for which he primarily plays keyboards and sings. In 2009, his song "Electric Feel" , remixed by Justice, won a Grammy Award in the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category...
(b. 1982), keyboardist for indie rockIndie rockIndie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
act MGMTMGMTMGMT is an American alternative rock band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio...
. - William HigbyWilliam HigbyWilliam Higby was a United States Representative from California. He was born in Willsboro, New York. He attended a preparatory school in Westport, New York and was graduated from the University of Vermont in Vermont in 1840. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1847 and commenced...
(1813–1887), U.S. Representative from CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... - Henry Lee HigginsonHenry Lee HigginsonHenry Lee Higginson was a noted American businessman and philanthropist. He is best known as the founder of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.-Family and Early Life:...
(1834–1919), founder of the Boston Symphony OrchestraBoston Symphony OrchestraThe Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center... - Larry R. Lacy (b. 1949), high school business teacher for 35 years, awarded the 1997 New York State Teacher of the Year Award
- Anne LaBastilleAnne LaBastilleAnne LaBastille was an American author and ecologist. She was the author of more than a dozen books, including Woodswoman, Beyond Black Bear Lake, Woodswoman III, Woodswoman IIII, Assignment:Wildlife, and Women of the Wilderness. She also wrote more than 150 popular articles and over 25 scientific...
(1935–2011), author and naturalist - Alice Lee (ca. 1854–?), socialite and owner of the Westport Inn at its height
- Thomas Lee, inventor of the Adirondack chairAdirondack chairAn Adirondack chair or Muskoka chair is a type of chair favored in rural, outdoor settings. The precursor to today's Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee in 1903. He was on vacation in Westport, New York, in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, and needed outdoor chairs for his summer...
- Nathan MyrickNathan MyrickNathan Myrick founded La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1841. Myrick was in the fur trade in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin before traveling north to establish a fur trading post in what is now La Crosse. In 1849, he moved to St...
(1822–1903), founder of La CrosseLa Crosse, WisconsinLa Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
, WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is... - John Eugene OsborneJohn Eugene OsborneJohn Eugene Osborne was an American physician, farmer, banker and Democratic politician. He was the third Governor of Wyoming after the Wyoming Territory attained statehood in 1890....
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(1874–1935), professional baseball player - Caroline Halstead Royce, historian and writer (ca. 1860–?)
- William Wallace Barbour SheldonWilliam Wallace Barbour SheldonWilliam Wallace Barbour Sheldon, commonly known as Wallace, was an architectural engineer and pioneer of California. Being a leading figure of the engineering history of the California coast. Wallace began his career with the Central Pacific Railroad and was present at the laying of the Golden...
(1836–1914), architectural engineer and pioneer of California - Robert E. SherwoodRobert E. SherwoodRobert Emmet Sherwood was an American playwright, editor, and screenwriter.-Biography:Born in New Rochelle, New York, he was a son of Arthur Murray Sherwood, a rich stockbroker, and his wife, the former Rosina Emmet, a well-known illustrator and portrait painter known as Rosina E. Sherwood...
(1896–1955), playwright, editor, and screenwriter - Joseph Champlin StoneJoseph Champlin StoneJoseph Champlin Stone was a pioneer doctor and one-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 1st congressional district.Born in Westport, New York, Stone moved to Iowa Territory in 1844.He attended the public schools....
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(b. 1946), American politician - Ross Sterling Turner (1847–1915), artist
- Mary Emma WoolleyMary Emma WoolleyMary Emma Woolley was an American educator, peace activist and women's suffrage supporter. She was the first female student to attend Brown University and served as the 11th President of Mount Holyoke College from 1900-1937....
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from 1900–1937
Inhabited locations
- Wadhams (formerly "Wadhams Mills" and "The Falls") – is a hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
just north of Westport on NY Rte. 22 at the junction of County Roads 8 and 10. Wadhams has its own free public library, volunteer fire department, and a dam which produces hydro-electricity . All of these can be seen while standing on the bridge next to the Wadhams Free Library. Wadhams is best known locally for its farmers' market and Dogwood Bread Co. (formerly called Merrick's). The farmers' market takes place in front of the bakery. Wadhams is also known for its annual Strawberry Festival. - Westport – The hamlet of Westport, was formerly a village between 1907 and 1992. The community is located on the shore of Lake Champlain on NY-9N at the junction of NY-22.
Geographical locations
- Barber Point – A projection into Lake Champlain south of Bluff Point.
- Black River – A stream forming part of the west town line.
- Bluff Point – A projection into Lake Champlain south of Westport village.
- Cole's Bay – A small bay of Lake Champlain, south of Northwest Bay.
- Furnace Point – A projection into North West Bay, north of Westport village.
- Hoisington Brook – A stream entering Lake Champlain at Westport village.
- Moore Point – A projection into Lake Champlain south of Barber Point.
- Nichols Pond – A small lake near the west town line.
- North West Bay – A bayBayA bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
of Lake Champlain by Westport village. - Split Rock Mountain – An elevation at the boundary between Westport and the Town of EssexEssex, New YorkEssex is a town in Essex County, New York, United States overlooking Lake Champlain. The population was 713 at the 2000 census. The town is named after locations in England.The Town of Essex is on the eastern edge of the county...
, known for its rattlesnakeRattlesnakeRattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
population. - Stacy Brook – A stream entering Lake Champlain at Cole's Bay.
Further reading
- A Walking Tour Guide to Westport, New York, on Lake Champlain by Jessica Roemiscer, Westport, NY: The Westport Chamber of Commerce and the Westport Historical Society, 1982, 1989, 1998.
- A View of Westport, NY on Lake Champlain, 1902—1972 by Raymond C. Clark, Westport, NY 1972.
- Bessboro: A History of Westport, Essex County, New York by Caroline Halstead Royce, Westport, NY 1904. Available on Google Books.
- Bessboro Beginnings by Carlin Walker, Westport, NY 1988 http://www.westportland.com/history_property.html.
- Personal names: A supplement to the index in Bessboro, a history of Westport, Essex Co., N.Y. by Caroline Halstead Royce
- Glenn's History of the Adirondack's, a multi-volume series by Morris F. Glenn
External links
- Town of Westport
- Town of Westport: History of Westport, NY
- Future for Westport
- Essex County Historical Society: Historical summary of Westport; Town historian reports
- Lake Champlain tourism information
- Photos and Postcards from Early Westport, NY, Westport Library.
- Coon Mountain Preserve
- Westport Central School
- Arts Council for the Northern Adirondacks headquartered in Westport
- Westport Chamber of Commerce
- Westport, NY on Wolfam Alpha
- Champlain Area Trails
- Westport on on the Adirondack Northway: I-87