The Westport Historical Society was established in 1889 and is located just on the corner of Avery Place and Myrtle Avenue. Here Westport residents of all ages can find a multitude of enriching programs. Located in the building are exhibits featuring local artists, a gift shop, a large selection of books about Westport, a museum residing in the renovated The Bradley Wheeler Cobblestone Barn, and more.
Wheeler House, the Society's headquarters, at 25 Avery Place, Westport, Connecticut, was purchased in 1981. The house, built in 1795, was remodeled in the Italianate style in the 19th Century and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Connecticut Register of Historic Places. The house has three Victorian Period rooms and a gift shop. The only octagonal-roof, cobblestone barn in Connecticut, which is on the property, was completely restored over a ten-year period and houses the Museum of Westport Historydisplaying a diorama of the town as it looked toward the end of the 19th Century.
The Society has hosted series of educational lectures and has mounted a succession of well-received exhibits which have been an important part of the continuing programs presented to the town. Children's special events, after school, vacation and summer camp programs are offered during the year. House Tours and Garden Tours are regular parts of each year's program.
Several years ago the Westport Historical Society started a house plaque program to allow homeowners to show pride in owning historical houses. The plaques identified the original owner of the house and the date of construction. Today Westport has 117 historical plaques identifying houses that were built over 100 years ago.
To raise more awareness of the history of our town, the Westport Historical Society has embarked on a direct mail campaign to homeowners that have houses which were built over 100 years ago. The material provided includes the historical importance of the house and the proposed house plaque appearance. Homeowners receiving the material can acknowledge the historical value of their house by requesting a handcrafted plaque from the Westport Historical Society. There is a fee of $250 which covers the costs of the plaque and a contribution to the Westport Historical Society.
As House History Chair, Bob Weingarten is in charge of the plaque program. The new program started with letters to 45 town homeowners with houses built over 100 years ago. The response exceeded our expectations and he intends to continue this program since there are over 300 additional homeowners with houses built over 100 years ago. The need to document our historical roots is great. As owners of historic homes, we can establish a precedent of research and care for future generations.
Please contact House History Chair Bob Weingarten at rwmailbox@aol.com to receive information about our Historic Plaque Program.