Virtual History Westport

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$75 vendor Fee includes 6-ft rectangular table

Calling all High School Historians for the 2nd Annual Student Curator Application!

Join us in surveying the resting place of past Westporters and learn their stories as you meander through Saugatuck Congregational Church’s Evergreen Cemetery. Meet at the southernmost entrance of the cemetery along Evergreen Avenue. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and bring bottled water — the ground is uneven and the weather may be warm. #walkingtour #fallfun #history #westport #museums #outdoorfun #walkabout #outside #fall #autumn #cemeteries #blackhistory #localhistory #connecticuthistory

You may have noticed that we’ve been doing a LITTLE work on the Museum’s grounds this spring and summer. 😊 Well the time has come to unveil our newly renovated gardens and Cobblestone barn. Did you know that our barn has seven-sides and is the only one like it in the whole state of Connecticut. This amazing project was made possible by a generous donation of the Daniel E. Offutt III Charitable Trust. Come see the beautiful gardens, original outdoor sculptures, and unique barn for yourself at our opening event on October 7th from 2 to 5pm. Light refreshments will be served! #museums #history #garden #westport #preservation #greenspace #publichistory #community #nativeplants #pollinatorpathway

Originally inhabited by the area’s native peoples, European colonizers first began grazing cattle at what is now Longshore Club Park in the mid-1600s. Soon after these White settlers begain building farms on the land and in 1648, the Town of Fairfield issued a land grant giving “Thomas Newton, Henry Gray and John Green” “liberty to set down and inhabit at Machamus[sic].” Each man was allotted 20 acres that would eventually become Longshore. Various owners of the property followed until Mr. David Bradley purchased 68 acre in May of 1846. He built what is now the Inn at Longshore by 1847 as a family home and it has stood ever since. In 1867 it became the grand country estate of the Lawrence family of New York City. In 1910 Mr. Frederick E. Lewis II who also purchased surrounding properties bringing Longshore to a total of 170.7 acres. Mr. Lewis was known for living a lavish lifestyle and throwing elaborate parties. He held a “lawn fete” on June 30, 1917 to raise money to support troops in WWI, at which Harry Houdini performed as well as having a Wild West show where Lewis showing off his own horsemanship. These elaborate parties led to speculation that Lewis may have been the inspiration for F. Scott Fitzegerald’s Jay Gatsby. Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda honeymooned in a cottage abutting the Longshore property during the summer of 1920.

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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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