Westport Island History

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Westport Island, ME
Westport Island History

Dedicated to the pursuit, preservation and promotion of the Island’s proud history and rich culture

05/09/2026

THE HISTORY CENTER IS OPEN! Come visit on May 10 from noon to 2 pm. View the Old Brooks Farm exhibit, see some old ferry photos, and check out our newly renovated History Center.

01/02/2026

The HISTORY CENTER may be closed for renovation, but you can still visit — VIRTUALLY! Content of our past exhibits can be viewed via brochures, available on the Friends website, at https://fowih.org/about-us/exhibits-events/past-exhibits/. Newly added is "Heal Cove: An Icon of History and Beauty".
Our most recent exhibit, "The Old Brooks Farm" will return in the spring. See you then!

12/10/2025

HISTORY CENTER UPDATE: We are preparing for renovation! To that end:
• This Sunday, Dec. 14th, is the last day in 2025 to view the Old Brooks Farm exhibit.
• The Old Brooks Farm exhibit will reopen in Spring 2026.
• Sunday the 14th is also the last day to purchase great holiday gifts at the History Center — note cards, books, and maps. See https://fowih.org/support-us/items-for-sale-store/
• NOTE: Items for sale will continue to be available at the town office
• Come visit our newly renovated space — with a Community Room for island residents to enjoy — in the Spring of 2026. We'll keep you posted!

10/09/2025

Thank you Kim Bielinski for sharing impressions of the History Center and the Old Brooks Farm Exhibit from your recent visit! Great video. Visit the History Center on Sundays noon to 2 or email [email protected] to schedule a visit.

07/20/2025

NEW EXHIBIT AT THE HISTORY CENTER BEGINS TODAY: The Old Brooks Farm Ancestral Homestead at the Southern End of Westport Island. Learn about the eight generations who lived and continue to live at the Old Brooks Farm. Sundays, noon to 2 pm. Thursdays 4-6 pm.

07/19/2025

Westport Island History Talk at the Old Town Hall
Sunday, July 27, 3 PM

The second of the History Talks at the Westport Island Town Hall will be given by Tim Dinsmore, local historical archaeologist, on Sunday, July 27, starting at 3 PM. The talks are co-sponsored by the town History Committee and the Friends of Westport Island History on topics we think will be of interest to friends and neighbors. There will be light refreshments and time to socialize afterwards.

Tim Dinsmore will present the 40+ years of archaeological research he’s conducted on a forgotten 18th century shipbuilding complex. Shipwrights George Barstow and Nathaniel Bryant settled on adjacent lots along the Damariscotta River in Newcastle in 1765, which Dinsmore considers to mark the birthplace of the shipbuilding industry along the Damariscotta River.

Westport Island, or Jeremysquam as it was first known, was very involved in maritime industries in the 18th and 19th centuries. The famous Hodgdon boatbuilding company in East Boothbay, recognized as America’s oldest boat builder and one of the most prestigious, was started on the Eastern Shore of Jeremysquam in 1816 by Caleb Hodgdon, before he moved with his business to Boothbay.

06/28/2025

Make tomorrow — SUNDAY, JUNE 29 — a HISTORY DAY!

It's the last Sunday to view the current History Center exhibit: HEAL COVE: AN ICON OF ISLAND HISTORY AND BEAUTY. If you haven't seen it yet, now is your chance! See what the mill and the people who lived there 150 years ago looked like—and more. Open noon till 2 pm.

THEN AT 3 PM AT THE TOWN HALL, check out the town's online History Archives with us. View the TREASURES FROM ISLAND ATTICS that have been donated over the years. Join us to learn how to use Catalogit—our online museum. We'll reveal some fun stories and and maybe even solve some mysteries during this casual chat with island friends. See you there!

04/19/2025

A wonderfully busy weekend! Take a break, bring family & friends to Westport Island's History Center Sunday 12 to 2 pm. Open to all, free of charge! Lots of cool stories!

03/14/2025

Hooray for spring & St. Paddy's Day! We're thrilled to be watching the snow disappear! When you're out and about Sunday, take that turn down Ferry Road, enjoy the river view and stop into the History Center. Open for your enjoyment 12 to 2 pm.

02/14/2025

BRRR......We do have a love-hate thing with winter! It's beautiful and troublesome at the same time. Regrettably, due to predictions of snow and freezing rain and who knows what else, Westport Island's History Center will be closed this Sunday, Feb. 16. Apologies for any inconvenience. Please contact us via email -- [email protected] -- if you have a question.

Address

38 Ferry Road
Westport Island, ME
04578

Website

http://westportisland.us/board-committee/history-committee

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