Virtual History Westport

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Upcoming Events

Feb 24

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

“Bittersweet: Chocolate In the American Colonies” Exhibit Opening

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Lewis Howard Latimer (1848-1928) was an African-American inventor, electrical pioneer, artist and musician. Born the son of two formerly enslaved Virginians, Latimer taught himself mechanical drawing and became a draftsman after his time serving as a Union Navy soldier in the Civil War. During his civilian life, Latimer lived and worked in Bridgeport, CT, NYC and Flushing, NY and with a variety of scientific minds and fellow inventors. In 1878, Latimer was hired by Alexander Gram Bell to draft the images for his telephone patent. Not long after that, he worked with Hiram S. Maxim, chief engineer at U.S. Electric Lighting Company, while living on Whiting Street in Bridgeport, CT with his parents. Maxim was Thomas Edison's biggest rival in the electric lighting game, and while Edison may have come up with the first light bulb, Latimer was the one who made them last. Latimer's technique of encasing the filament in a cardboard envelope helped lightbulbs become vastly more efficient and thus more cost effective, allowing electric light to be installed in homes, businesses and streetlamps. Eventually, Lewis would go on to work with Edison at the Edison Electric Lighting and even write a book entitled "Incandescent Electric Lighting: A Practical Description of the Edison System."

Get cozy under a warm blanket and join us live for a discussion about quilts. Join us on our YouTube channel at 6pm to hear the history of quilting in America and view some of the museum’s iconic quilts while learning their fascinating histories.

Please join us on February 10th from 5-7pm for the opening of our newest exhibit 𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩.

Like many of us, Westport Museum has photographs with unidentified persons in them. We are starting a new feature on our social media to attempt to identify individuals in photographs from our collections. Re-discovering people and places in our history and sharing them with the community are key points in our mission at the Westport Museum and we need your help to tell these stories.

Drop in and make your own vintage valentine for the sweethearts in your life with a Westport Museum Cupid Kit. Each kit includes vintage-themed supplies to create your very own antique-styled greeting cards, a goose feather to make a quill pen with a link on our YouTube tutorial on quill cutting and a sample of vintage calligraphy to copy.

Did you know that George Washington visited Westport!? Learn all about early America in our second week of summer camp! The Early America Camp will run from July 17th - 21st. This week, campers will experience what life was like after the founding fathers made America its own country. They'll learn about America's presidents and how America was shaped into the country it is today! Role play as a colonist throughout the week and decide how your adventure will end. Camp registration is open on our website (Link in bio) or visit www.westporthistory.org #westporthistory #historyiscool #historycamp #summercamp #kidsfun #summer #camp #fun #georgewashington #westportct #westport #ushistory #cthistory

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Westport Historical Society Inc (tax ID: 23-7402125), D/B/A Westport Museum for History and Culture is a non profit organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Your donation is deductible to the extent allowable by law. We are also eligible for corporate matching gifts.

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