Editing Westport, Massachusetts (section)

==History==
Westport was so named because it 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 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, Massachusetts|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 [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionist]] who developed a shipyard on the banks of the Westport River. Of Wampanoag and Ashanti ancestry, Cuffee became one of the richest [[Free Negro|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#Relevance in human use|turnip]] traces its ancestry to seeds brought to Westport from the [[1876 Centennial Exposition]].<ref>Linda Murphy, [https://www.wickedlocal.com/news/20151230/195-things-westport-has-its-very-own-turnip---macomber "195 Things: Westport has its very own turnip — the Macomber"], ''Wicked Local'', December 30, 2015.</ref> During the [[World War II|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.<ref>[http://www.wpthistory.org/timeline/ Westport Historical Society - Timeline]</ref>