Westport Real Estate
Westport’s unique character can be traced to the town’s roots in the Native American tribes who frequented the area, the five original “Bankside Farmers” who settled what is now known as Green’s Farms in 1648, and another group of settlers who followed — the Coleys, the Wheelers, the Bennetts, the Jennings, the Burrs, the enslaved and free African Americans who labored on the farms, in various trades, and on the harbor front, and many more who came after them to shape this nationally-known town.
Westport’s image continues to be special because of the people who live here and work here. And all of the town’s agencies – from the Office of the First Selectman to the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Recreation and Conservation Commissions, to the Representative Town Meeting (the town’s grassroots democratic representatives) – collectively work together in the town’s best interests. People are often outspoken and they publicly differ, but when a decision is made they come together as a whole for the good of the community.
It is also the people who take the time to make sure senior residents can afford to stay in the town, ensuring that Westport retains a key segment of its population. Through the years, Westport has become one of the most affluent suburbs in America, culturally rich, filled with a blend of old Yankee farmers, academics, and professionals from all fields, reflecting its international flavor. Yet, it still retains the old New England small-town charm on many of its streets.
It is this dichotomy between an affluent suburb and an old New England town that applies to Westport. It is coming to grips with the New Millennium as the town continues to modernize and yet, at the same time, to retain its charm. Westport is enjoying great economic growth and success, building and expanding schools to house the town’s burgeoning student population, while at the same time working to keep its small-town milieu.
Like many other towns in New England, Westport’s roots are in the Native Americans who frequented this area years ago. Names such as Saugatuck, meaning mouth of the tidal river, and Compo (Compaug), the bear’s fishing ground, come from the early Paugussett tribe.
One of the major reasons for the town’s cosmopolitan nature is that Westporters have a real sense of place. Perhaps most impressive is the high caliber of the great number of people who participate in the community, either as elected officials or as volunteers. The spirit and care with which people tend to this town are what give it its very heart and soul.
Source: The Westport Museum for History and Culture, and the Westport Chamber of Commerce.
