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82-823: The river flows south from Copicut Reservoir (formerly the Copicut Swamp), in Dartmouth and Fall River , to Cornell Pond near Hixville in Dartmouth. From there the Shingle Island River drains into Noquochoke Lake , which the East Branch Westport River drains in turn into the Rhode Island Sound . The river is currently polluted with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination from Re-Solve, Inc. , which operated

164-581: A Union Army soldier from Dartmouth, who received the Medal of Honor . He enlisted in December 1863, at age 1— as a member of the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment . Following the steamer the USS Boston running aground on an Oyster bed , leaving 400 individuals within range of Confederate artillery. Gifford and four other men—led by George W. Brush —manned a small boat and ferried stranded soldiers to

246-616: A prisoner of war in Andersonville Prison . During the 1864 United States presidential election , 384 people in Dartmouth voted to reelect Abraham Lincoln . The Watuppa Branch railroad started to serve Dartmouth in 1875. During the late 19th century its coastline became a summer resort area for wealthy members of New England society. Lincoln Park was established in 1894 by the Union Street Railway Co. of New Bedford, and became an amusement park in

328-640: A chemical reclamation facility nearby from 1956 to 1980. In 1983 the Environmental Protection Agency listed the area as a Superfund site, and in 1985 removed 15,000 cubic yards (11,000 m) of contaminated soils and sludges. Since 1988 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has advised against consuming fish from Cornell Pond or Copicut River. This article related to a river in Massachusetts

410-712: A day. There are four post offices for the town's two ZIP codes ; The main post office on Route 6, a smaller branch (on Old County Rd.) at the Head of Westport, and the branch (on Adamsville Rd.) in Central Village serve the ZIP code 02790, while the 02791 ZIP code (Westport Point) is served by the Central Village station and at the point itself, on Main Rd. The town's library, the Westport Free Public Library,

492-589: A destination for generations as a summering community. Notable affluent sections within South Dartmouth are Nonquitt, Round Hill , Barney's Joy, and Mishaum Point. It also has many year-round residents and a variety of activities throughout the year. As of the 2020 census, the year-round population of Dartmouth was 33,783. Dartmouth is the third-largest town (by land area) in Massachusetts, after Plymouth and Middleborough . The distance from Dartmouth's northernmost border with Freetown to Buzzards Bay in

574-661: A safe area. In April 1864, the people of Dartmouth voted to raise money to fill the quota of men for the service. At the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House , Bradford Little from Dartmouth was wounded, and Edwin C. Tripp from Dartmouth died at the Battle of Cold Harbor . Three Dartmouth men were wounded at the Siege of Petersburg . Thos. C Lapham wrote to his uncle on Chase Road in Dartmouth from General Hospital Number One in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on January 20, 1864. He described

656-708: A ship from Dartmouth in England. It could have been also named Dartmouth to commemorate when the Pilgrims stopped in Dartmouth for ship repairs. Before the 17th century, the lands that now constitute Dartmouth had been inhabited by the Wampanoag Native Americans, who were part of the Algonquian language family and had settlements throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket . Their population

738-669: A shipyard on the banks of the Westport River. Of Wampanoag and Ashanti ancestry, Cuffee became one of the richest free man of color in the United States at the time. He later helped the effort to resettle freed blacks to Sierra Leone in West Africa. Several cotton mills operated along the river, the largest of which was at the junction of the river with Lake Noquochoke on the Dartmouth town line. The Macomber turnip traces its ancestry to seeds brought to Westport from

820-526: A thousand sheep and cows. 850 swine. 428 oxen. As well as 4102 acres of English hay, and 712 acres of Indian corn . The first town meeting in Dartmouth related to the Civil War was held on May 16, 1861, and contained a preamble about the towns stance on the war. The Government of the United States is now in a struggle for National existence, popular Liberty, the perpetuity of the Constitution, and

902-538: A total area of 64.4 square miles (167 km ), of which 50.1 square miles (130 km ) is land and 14.3 square miles (37 km ), or 22.27%, is water. The majority of that water area is from the Watuppa Ponds along the border with Fall River, as well as Westport Harbor, where the two branches of the Westport River meet before emptying into Rhode Island Sound. Westport is bordered by Fall River to

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984-817: A transport ship to Alexandria, Virginia , where he joined the Battle of the Wilderness and the battles in Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. He was mustered out in July 1865. Once returning to Dartmouth, he built a home and would eventually be rewarded the Boston Cane, which was awarded to the oldest living resident in Dartmouth, and would be buried in the Padanaram cemetery, where he used to be a caretaker. Private Humphrey R. Davis (a seaman from Dartmouth) died in May 1864 as

1066-545: A treaty between the Wampanoag—represented by Chief Ousamequin ( Massasoit ) and his son Wamsutta —and high-ranking "Purchasers" and "Old Comers" from Plymouth Colony : John Winslow , William Bradford , Myles Standish , Thomas Southworth, and John Cooke. John Cooke had come to America as a passenger on the Mayflower , a Baptist Minister, he was forced to leave Plymouth due to religious views that differed from

1148-683: Is Elizabeth Warren . The other senator is Ed Markey , who elected in 2013. Westport is patrolled by the Westport Police Department along with the 3rd (Dartmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police . In the November United States Election of 2012 , 59% voted for Barack Obama , and 39% voted for Mitt Romney , with the new Massachusetts state senator, Elizabeth Warren edging out former Senator Scott Brown in

1230-541: Is twinned with the town; along with several other Massachusetts and Rhode Island towns and cities around Bristol County . Catholic churches in Dartmouth are part of the Diocese of Fall River in the New Bedford Deanery . Catholic Churches in Dartmouth include St. Marys Parish which was founded in 1930 as a country parish before growing to fulfill the needs of the town. St. Julie Billiart Parish, which

1312-527: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Bristol County, Massachusetts geography–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Dartmouth, Massachusetts Dartmouth ( Massachusett : Apponeganset ) is a coastal town in Bristol County , Massachusetts , United States. Old Dartmouth was the first area of Southeastern Massachusetts to be settled by Europeans in 1652, primarily English. Dartmouth

1394-798: Is a member of the Mayflower League, and competes against mostly division 3 and 4 schools in the region. Westport High School graduated 94% of its class in 2013. In addition to their schools, incoming high school students may choose to attend Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fall River or Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, free of charge. Juniors and Seniors may opt to take college classes at UMass Dartmouth in Dartmouth or Bristol Community College in Fall River to earn both high school and college credits. Internships and independent study are offered as well. There

1476-578: Is accredited through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance . The Trust organizes such activities as photography tours, summer outdoor yoga series, bird watching, and plant identification. Its summer evening Barn Bash and winter fundraising auction are held annually. Since 1999, nearly 20 Boy Scouts from four troops have completed Eagle Scout projects through

1558-536: Is across the mouth of the Slocums River from Demarest Lloyd State Park , a popular state beach known for its shallow waters. The Dartmouth Natural Resource Trust in Dartmouth, is a non-profit land trust incorporated in 1971 working to preserve and protect Dartmouth's natural resources. The trust has protected 5,400 acres of land since 1971 and owns 1,800 acres in Dartmouth as of 2020, including 35 miles of hiking trails, and ocean and river walks. The DNRT

1640-454: Is also often called Acoaxet, an early name. Because of the west branch of the Westport River, Acoaxet is inaccessible by land except by passing through Adamsville, Rhode Island. Winter: Seasonal effects begin in mid-December and end in mid-March. The snowiest times of the winter season are in January and February. Temperatures average highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s. The coldest time of

1722-474: Is also represented by Senator Michael Rodrigues (D-Fall River), Assistant Majority Leader in the state senate in the First Bristol and Plymouth district, which also includes Fall River, Freetown, Rochester, Somerset and Swansea. On the national level, the town is part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district , which is represented by William R. Keating . The state's senior Senator, elected in 2012,

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1804-520: Is also the site of the Green Mansion, the estate of "Colonel" Edward Howland Robinson Green , a colorful character who was son of the even more colorful and wildly eccentric Hetty Green . In 1936, the Colonel died. The estate fell into disrepair as litigation over his vast fortune continued for eight years between his widow and his sister. Finally, the court ruled that Mrs. Hetty Sylvia Wilks,

1886-484: Is believed to have been about 12,000. The Wampanoag inhabited the area for up to a thousand years before European colonization, and their ancestors had been there longer. In John Winthrop 's (1587–1649) journal, he wrote the name of Dartmouth's indigenous tribes as being the Nukkehkammes. The English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold in the ship Concord landed on Cuttyhunk Island on May 15, 1602, and explored

1968-600: Is between the west branch of the river and Rhode Island. This area is cut off from the rest of Massachusetts by water and Rhode Island. Westport is a part of the South Coast region of Massachusetts which encompasses the cities and towns that surround Buzzards Bay (excluding the Elizabeth Islands , Bourne and Falmouth ), Mount Hope Bay and the Sakonnet River . Westport was so named because it

2050-747: Is connects with the New Bedford Secondary . The primary operator of freight rail in Westport is Bay Colony Railroad , which operates along the Watuppa Branch and interchanges with Massachusetts Coastal Railroad in New Bedford. On the state level, Westport is located in the Eighth Bristol state representative district, which includes parts of Fall River and is represented by Representative Paul Schmid (D-Westport). The town

2132-624: Is located next to Westport Middle School, directly west of the Head of Westport. Westport has its own school system. There are three schools: Alice A. Macomber School, which provides pre-school (pre-kindergarten), and kindergarten; Westport Elementary School, near the Head of Westport, which serves grades 1-4; and Westport Middle/High School , which serves grades 5–12 (5-8 as Westport Middle School and 9-12 as Westport High School). Students who graduate from Westport High School with enough credits in certain fields of study will earn special academy certificates, in addition to their high school diplomas. This

2214-635: Is now located. At first, the Old Dartmouth territory was devoid of major town centers, and instead had isolated farms and small, decentralized villages, such as Russells' Mills . One reason for this is that the inhabitants enjoyed their independence from the Plymouth Colony and they did not want to have a large enough population for the Plymouth court to appoint them a minister. There are still Quaker meeting houses in Dartmouth, including

2296-729: Is one private school in the town, Montessori School of the Angels, which serves grades 1–8, located in the Westport Factory neighborhood. It was formerly known as Saint Joseph's Montessori, and was located in Fall River; the school building itself was formerly Saint George's School, which closed due to lack of funding and declining attendance. Many students also attend private and charter schools in Fall River and Dartmouth, including Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River and Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth. As of

2378-653: Is part of New England's farm coast, which consists of a chain of historic coastal villages, vineyards, and farms. June 8, 2014, marked the 350th year of Dartmouth's incorporation as a town. It is also part of the Massachusetts South Coast . The northern part of Dartmouth hosts the town's large commercial districts. The southern part of town abuts Buzzards Bay , and there are several other waterways, including Lake Noquochoke, Cornell Pond, Slocums River , Shingle Island River and Paskamansett River . The town has several working farms and one vineyard, which

2460-591: Is part of the Coastal Wine Tour. With a thriving agricultural heritage, the town and state have protected many of the working farms. The southern part of Dartmouth borders Buzzards Bay , where a lively fishing and boating community thrives; off its coast, the Elizabeth Islands and Cuttyhunk can be seen. The New Bedford Yacht Club in Padanaram hosts a bi-annual regatta. The town's unique historic villages and selection of coastal real estate have made it

2542-550: The 1876 Centennial Exposition . During the Second World War , a coastal defense installation was raised on Gooseberry Island. The town is now mostly residential, with a large farming community. Horseneck Beach State Reservation , located to the north and west of Gooseberry Island, is a popular summer destination for many in the area. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has

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2624-545: The Acushnet River . Settled sparsely by the natives, with the arrival of the pilgrims in Plymouth, the region gradually began to become of interest to the colonists, until a meeting was held to officially purchase the land. On March 7, 1652, English colonists met with the native tribe and purchased Old Dartmouth —a region of 115,000 acres (470 km ) that now contains the modern cities and towns of Dartmouth, Acushnet , New Bedford , Fairhaven , and Westport —in

2706-482: The Boston Marathon bombing . According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 97.5 square miles (252.6 km ), of which 60.9 square miles (157.8 km ) is land and 94.8 square kilometres (36.6 sq mi) or, 37.53%, is water. It is the third largest town by area in Massachusetts. The town is accessible by I-195 and US 6 , which run parallel to each other through

2788-550: The Freetown-Fall River State Forest and beyond. Numerous rivers flow north-south in Dartmouth, such as the Copicut River , Shingle Island River , Paskamanset River , Slocums River , Destruction Brook, and Little River. Dartmouth is divided into two primary sections: North Dartmouth ( USPS ZIP code 02747) and South Dartmouth (USPS ZIP code 02748). The town is bordered by Westport to

2870-689: The Narragansett and the Nipmuc , raided Old Dartmouth and other European settlements in the area. Europeans in Old Dartmouth garrisoned in sturdier homes—John Russell's garrison in Padanaram , John Cooke's home in Fairhaven , and a third garrison on Palmer Island . One of the minutemen signalled by Paul Revere spread the alarm of the approaching British forces into Dartmouth, after moving through Acushnet , Fairhaven , and Bedford Village. Three companies of Dartmouth Minutemen were marched out of

2952-685: The Puritan communities of Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony ; the latter banned the Quakers in 1656–1657. When the Massachusetts Bay Colony annexed the Plymouth Colony in 1691, Quakers already represented a majority of the population of Old Dartmouth. In 1699, with the support of Peleg Slocum , the Quakers built their first meeting house in Old Dartmouth, where the Apponegansett Meeting House

3034-676: The South Coast Rail project. Upon completion, these will offer railway connections from the south coast to cities including Taunton, Brockton, Braintree, and Boston. A short segment of railway, officially known as the North Dartmouth Industrial railroad and informally referred to as the Watuppa Branch , passes through northern Westport before terminating near Massachusetts Route 88. The track runs from Westport through Dartmouth and into New Bedford, where

3116-525: The census of 2010, there were 15,532 people, 5,386 households, and 4,082 families residing in the town. The population density was 283.4 inhabitants per square mile (109.4/km ). There were 6,143 housing units at an average density of 122.7 per square mile (47.4/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 98.01% White , 0.17% African American , 0.14% Native American , 0.49% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.37% from other races , and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of

3198-453: The ironclad warship USS Keokuk arrived at his Dartmouth home on April 21, 1863. He looked "as if he had suffered anything but defeat," after the Keokuk attacked Fort Sumter and was riddled with bullet holes. Dartmouth soldiers also fought at the Battle of Gettysburg . Three soldiers served in the 1st Regiment MVI, one in the 16th, and 33rd, and six in the 18th. David Lewis Gifford was

3280-533: The 80s, and lows in the 60s and 70s. The hottest time of the year in Westport occurs in mid-July where temperatures can climb to highs in the 90s. Fall/ Autumn: Seasonal effects begin in the end of September and end in the beginning of December with mostly sunny crisp, cool days. Temperatures range from 50s during the day, and 30s/40s at night. Hurricanes: Tropical systems occasionally hit Westport or come close to Westport. The most favorable period for tropical systems in Westport are in mid to late August and during

3362-415: The Colonel's sister, was the sole beneficiary. In 1948, she bequeathed the entire estate to MIT, which used it for microwave and laser experiments. The giant antenna, which was a landmark to sailors on Buzzards Bay, was erected on top of a 50,000-gallon water tank. Although efforts were made to preserve the structure, it deteriorated and was demolished on November 19, 2007. Another antenna was erected next to

Copicut River - Misplaced Pages Continue

3444-611: The Committee of Correspondence, Safety and Inspection, with the job of looking for individuals performing treasonous acts—and to report them to the War Council. Dartmouth had two companies of soldiers in the 18th Regiment of the Bunker Hill Army. No Dartmouth troops were ever again ordered north following March 17, 1776. In 1778 the village of Padanaram was raided by British troops as part of Grey's raid . The village

3526-576: The DNRT. The Trust's headquarters building is located on the former Helfand Farm. Route 140 and Route 24 are located just outside Dartmouth's borders in New Bedford and Fall River, respectively, and both provide access to Boston and points north of the area. Route 177 begins just over Dartmouth's border with Westport, running west into Rhode Island and providing a link between the Newport-area (Tiverton, Little Compton, and Aquidneck Island) with

3608-480: The Fall River/New Bedford area. I-195 and US 6 pass directly through Dartmouth, and also offer connections to the aforementioned three Massachusetts routes; the former provides access to Route 140, while the latter can be used to access Route 24 and Route 177. Both Tiverton, RI and Little Compton, RI are geographically part of Massachusetts, lacking direct interstate highway connections with

3690-557: The Merrimac and Mississippi for New Bern, North Carolina . Dartmouth then proceeded to fulfil its second quota, sending 20 men to Company F, and three to company G. At the Battle of Fredericksburg , Private Joseph Head, a machinist, Frederick Smith, a seaman, and Frederick H. Russell—all from Dartmouth—were injured. Isaac S. Barker, a carpenter, was killed. On March 3, 1863, the town voted to raise $ 5,000 for monthly payments of aid for families of volunteers. Acting Master James Taylor of

3772-555: The Russells Mills area. In the years before the Civil War , in the early 1840s, Dartmouth launched a whaling vessel owned by Sanford and Sherman, had a bowling Alley burn down, as well as hosting an Abstinence rally with some shops refusing to sell Rum and cider. In 1855, the town was home to one cotton mill , three salt works , one factory that made railroad cars , sleighs, wagons, and coaches, two tanneries , seven shoemakers , and five shingle mills, as well as launching one ship. The town had an abundance of livestock, including over

3854-484: The Smith Neck Meeting House, the Allens Neck Meeting House, and the Apponegansett Meeting House , which is on the National Register of Historic Places . The rising European population and increasing demand for land led the colonists' relationship with the indigenous inhabitants of New England to deteriorate. European encroachment and disregard for the terms of the Old Dartmouth Purchase led to King Philip's War in 1675. In this conflict, Wampanoag tribesmen, allied with

3936-406: The Supremacy of the Laws against the Myrmidous of Slavery and enimies [sic.] of popular Liberty, Therefore resolved that as patriots and friends of the Constitution the National Government and our righted institutions, we the people of Darmouth in Town Meeting assembled do recognize the full extent of the perilous position of our once happy but now beligerent [sic.] and distrac [sic.] country and also,

4018-405: The Wampanoag have disputed this claim because the concept of exclusive land ownership —in contrast with hunting, fishing, and farming rights—was a foreign concept to them. According to the European interpretation of the deed, in one year, all Natives previously living on the land would have to leave. This led to a lengthy land dispute as the deed did not define boundary lines, and merely referred to

4100-424: The area before leaving and eventually settling in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia . Gosnolds explorations of the area took him to Round Hill , which he named Hap's Hill. Additionally he described the territories of Dartmouth as being covered in fields with flowers, beech and cedar groves. He picked wild strawberries, and noticed deer. He also saw the Apponagansett River which runs through Padanaram Harbor, and

4182-405: The attack and died poor, he lived at the house until he died in 1794. Fixing the damage to the town from the raid cost £105,960 in 1778. Which is roughly equivalent to nine million dollars in today's money. In honor of Elihu, and to commemorate his earlier shipbuilding, the village of Padanaram was called Akin's Wharf for 20 years after the war. In 1793 Davolls General Store was established in

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4264-539: The battle. They served in the 8th Battery MVM, the 16th, and 18th Regiment MVI, and the light artillery. In the New Bedford Republican Standards August 18, 182 issue it was reported that a Dartmouth town meeting voted to pay a $ 200 bounty to nine-month volunteers. In the month following the Battle of Antietam , many Dartmouth men joined the 3rd regiment of infantry in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. They completed training at Camp Joe Hooker in Lakeville before leaving for Boston on October 22, 1862. They then embarked on

4346-421: The ceded land as, "that land called Dartmouth" and the younger son of Massasoit , Metacomet , began to question the boundary lines of the purchase. Metacomet stated that he had not been consulted about the sale, and he had not given his written permission. The situation culminated with new boundaries drawn up by referees. Chief Massasoit gave his final permission to the changes in 1665. About six months after

4428-425: The cold weather in what he called ''Old'' Dartmouth, as well as writing about his maladies while serving in the South, and morale among the troops, before sending his regards to his family in Dartmouth. Nahum Nickelson was another resident of Dartmouth who served in the Civil War. He enlisted in the 35th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment as a drummer in March 1864. He trained for five weeks in Boston Harbor before taking

4510-465: The duty whiche [sic.] we owe to that Constitution and Flag under which we have lived in happiness and prosperity for more than Eighty Years And that we proffer unreservedly and with cheerfulness our aid and cooperation in defence of our liberties and National Flag. At the onset of the Civil War, the first troops to be sent to Washington, D.C. in Massachusetts were called by telegram on April 15, 1861, by Senator Henry Wilson . The Dartmouth men enlisted in

4592-547: The eastern edge of Westport. Massachusetts Route 88 , the longest state highway in Massachusetts to be entirely located within one town, serves as an access from I-195 (at exit 16) to Horseneck Beach State Reservation . There is bus service along Route 6 provided by the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA). During the summer, service is extended to Horseneck Beach. Regional bus service can be reached in Fall River, and regional rail service can be reached in Middleborough/ Lakeville, and in Providence. Plans have been in

4674-462: The election. Westport is governed by an open town meeting , led by a five-member board of selectmen . The police department is located directly East of the fire department on hixbridge rd. Westport has a full-time fire department, (which also has on-call firefighters). The two fire stations are located in the north end (on Briggs Rd.) and in the south end (on Hix Bridge Rd). The fire department also staffs two Advanced Life Support ambulances 24 hours

4756-420: The first call to arms were enlisted in the 18th, 33rd, 38th, and 40th regiments . According to the New Bedford Republican Standard , on September 4, 1862, Dartmouth fulfilled its part in the quota sent from Washington, D.C. Which called for 20 companies, three full regiments, and four regiments of militia to be brought from Massachusetts. The fighting force was meant to be made up of the strongest companies in

4838-429: The land to a group of developers who have worked to preserve the history, grandeur and natural environment. The property is now a gated, mostly summer residential community on the water featuring a nine-hole golf course. In 1980 Sunrise Bakery and Coffee Shop opened its first store in Dartmouth. The town appeared in national news in 2013 when Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , then a university student at Dartmouth, participated in

4920-460: The mansion and used in the development of the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System . MIT continued to use Round Hill through 1964. It was sold to the Society of Jesus of New England and was used as a retreat house. The upper floors were divided into 64 individual rooms. The main floor was fitted with a chapel, a library, and meeting rooms. In 1970 the Jesuits sold the land and buildings to Gratia R. Montgomery. In 1981, Mrs. Montgomery sold most of

5002-428: The mid-20th century with rides such as the wooden roller coaster The Comet . Round Hill was the site of early-to-mid 20th century research into the uses of radio and microwaves for aviation and communication by MIT scientists, including physicist Robert J. Van de Graaff . There in 1933 he built the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator (now located at the Museum of Science (Boston) ). It

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5084-510: The month of September. The last tropical system to hit Westport was Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012, which hit the town at about 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and brought powerful gusts and periods of heavy rain to the area. The storm disrupted power for many across the town, however, much of Westport's service was restored within a day. The town is accessible via Interstate 195 , U.S. Route 6 , and Massachusetts Route 177 , which has its eastern terminus at its intersection at Route 6, on

5166-428: The northern-main business part of town from New Bedford to Westport on an east-west axis within a mile or two apart from one another. Dartmouth includes the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve that extends from Fall River into many protected forests of North Dartmouth in the Collins Corner, Faunce Corner, and Hixville sections of town. The Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve extends its protected forest lands into

5248-523: The northwest and west, Dartmouth to the east, Rhode Island Sound to the south, and Little Compton , and Adamsville , and Tiverton , Rhode Island , to the west. Westport is approximately 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Providence , Rhode Island , and approximately 60 miles (97 km) south of Boston . There are several unofficial localities within town: Head of Westport, South Westport, Westport Point, Central Village, North Westport (known in former times as Westport Factory) and Westport Harbor which

5330-403: The official purchase, Dartmouth began to be settled by English immigrants around November 1652, and it was officially incorporated in 1664. While the Europeans considered themselves full owners of the land through the transaction, the Wampanoag disputed this claim because the concept of land ownership —in contrast with hunting, fishing, and farming rights—was a foreign concept to them. The town

5412-403: The population. There were 5,386 households in Westport, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

5494-464: The rest of Rhode Island. Instead, smaller routes connect to the area (RI 138, MA/RI 24, RI 177/MA 177, and MA 81, and MA 88). Route 24 lies an average of 15 to 20 miles away in Tiverton, RI and Little Compton, RI, Route 177 and Route 140 and Route 24 are based upon old Indian routes and trails. Westport, Massachusetts Westport ( Massachusett : Acoaxet ) is a town in Bristol County , Massachusetts , United States. The population

5576-412: The rest of the Plymouth Colony. He would settle in Old Dartmouth. 30 yards of cloth, eight moose skins, fifteen axes, fifteen hoes, fifteen pair of breeches, eight blankets, two kettles, one cloak, £2 in wampum, eight pair of stockings, eight pair shoes, one iron pot and 10 shillings in another commoditie [sic]. While the Europeans considered themselves full owners of the land through the transaction,

5658-552: The south is approximately 16 miles (26 km). The villages of Hixville , Bliss Corner , Padanaram , Smith Mills , and Russells Mills are located within the town. Dartmouth shares borders with Westport to the west, Freetown and Fall River to the north, Buzzards Bay to the south, and New Bedford to the east. Boat shuttles provide regular transportation daily to Martha's Vineyard and Cuttyhunk Island . The local weekly newspapers are The Dartmouth/Westport Chronicle and Dartmouth Week. The Portuguese municipality of Lagoa

5740-492: The state. Dartmouth had eight men in the 18th Regiment, twelve men in the 38th Regiment, and one in both the 33rd and 40th. In 1862, the town of Dartmouth voted to pay volunteers for the war. William Francis Bartlett stopped in Dartmouth after being wounded at the Siege of Yorktown . Several Dartmouth soldiers were at the Second Battle of Bull Run . George Lawton, Leander Collins, Robert H. Dunham, Frederick Smith, Joseph Head, Abraham R. Cowen, and John Smith were all present at

5822-433: The town on April 21, 1775, by Captain Thomas Kempton to a military camp in Roxbury, joining 20,000 other soldiers. Prior to the war Kempton had been a whaler in New Bedford . The additional two Dartmouth companies were led by Captain's Dillingham and Egery. The last Dartmouth town meeting called in the name of George III occurred in February 1776. Also in 1776, and again in 1779, Dartmouth voters where called upon to sit on

5904-562: The west, New Bedford to the east, Fall River and Freetown to the north, and Buzzards Bay and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The highest point in the town is near its northwestern corner, where the elevation rises to over 256 feet (78 m) above sea level north of Old Fall River Road. The Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies , located in South Dartmouth, is a non-profit organization that provides educational programs on aquatic environments in southeastern New England. It

5986-492: The works to bring South Coast Rail service to Fall River, and New Bedford, and is set to be completed in 2024. The nearest airport is New Bedford Regional Airport , 8 miles (13 km) away. National airline service can be reached at T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island , 36 miles (58 km) away. Construction of two MBTA commuter rail stations is currently underway in the adjacent city of Fall River as part of

6068-634: The year in Westport occurs during January, in which residents can see temperature plummet into the teens and single digits. Spring: Seasonal effects of spring begin in the end of March and end in mid-May, with mostly rain in March and April and sun/rain in May. Temperatures average with highs in the 50s/60s, and lows in the 40s/50s. Summer: Seasonal effects begin in the end of May and end in mid-September, with mostly sunny conditions. Hurricanes/tropical storms usually hit or come close to Westport during late August and September. Temperatures average with highs in

6150-462: 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 dock on the Westport River where Main Road meets the river; "Central Village" with town offices, retail stores and businesses; "Head of Westport" at the head of the east branch of the river; and the area referred to either as "Acoaxet" or "Westport Harbor," which

6232-409: Was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.01. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males. The median income for a household in

6314-441: 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. During the late 18th century and into the early 19th century, Paul Cuffee and his wife settled in the town. He was a Quaker businessman, sea captain, patriot, and abolitionist who developed

6396-454: Was established in 1969, and is directly adjacent to Bishop Stang High School, a Catholic high school. St. George Parish in Westport , also covers portions of the town of Dartmouth and was founded in 1914. The origin of the name is considered to be named after Dartmouth, England . This could have been because Bartholomew Gosnold , the first European to explore the land, sailed to America on

6478-606: Was modeled after University-style degrees. Their team name is the Westport Wildcats who have won multiple championships in the Mayflower League. The Wildcats are one of the few teams in the Mayflower League who have won multiple championships in every sport. Their mascot is the Wildcat, and their colors are brown, white and yellow (a legacy of when Westport was in a different league that used Ivy League colors—Westport using brown and white after Brown University). The school

6560-558: Was purchased by 34 people from the Plymouth Colony, but most of the purchasers never lived in Dartmouth. Only ten families came to reside in Dartmouth. Those ten families were the Cooks, Delanos, Francis', Hicks', Howlands, Jennys, Kemptons, Mortons, Samsons, and Soules. Members of the Religious Society of Friends , also known as Quakers , were among the early European settlers on the South Coast . They had faced persecution in

6642-469: Was the westernmost port in the Massachusetts Bay Colony . It was first settled by English colonists 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

6724-625: Was then known as Akin's Landing, and following Elihu Akin driving three Loyalists out of the village in September 1778, British raiding parties burned down most of the village, focusing on Akin's properties. The raiders targeted Akin specifically because he had expelled the Loyalists from Dartmouth. They forced Akin to move to his only remaining property, a small home on Potters Hill—the Elihu Akin house. Elihu never financially recovered from

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