Name: In Our Own Words: The Path to Independence 1760 – 1790
Start: 2025-12-09T10:00:00-05:00
Location: Westport Free Public Library

$In Our Own Words: The Path to Independence 1760 \u2013 1790$

In Our Own Words: The Path to Independence 1760 – 1790
10 AM Tuesday December 9, 2025 at the Westport Public Library
408 Old County Road, Westport MA 02790
What happened in Westport during the Revolutionary War? How did the townspeople react to the issues of the day? How did the significant Quaker population respond to the call to arms? What led to the break-up of Old Dartmouth and the move to form independent towns? In order to gain a deeper understanding of this region before, during, and after the Revolutionary War, the Westport Historical Society and Dartmouth Historical and Arts Society will undertake a project to transcribe town meeting records of Old Dartmouth from 1760 – 1790. Members of the community are invited to join a team of volunteer transcribers and take this journey through the 1760s – 1780s! Join local historians on Tuesday December 9 for a roundtable discussion to provide context and diverse perspectives.
The late 1700s was an era of revolution for the American colonies. It was also a time of formation for Westport and other neighboring towns. In the decade following the Revolution, Westport separated from Dartmouth and, in 1787, was incorporated as a town, forging its own unique identity. During this time Old Dartmouth encompassed Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Fairhaven, and Acushnet.
Volunteers can log on to a website FromThePage, a crowdsourcing platform for archives where volunteers transcribe historic documents. It enables volunteers to work from home. Volunteer transcribers will receive guidelines and an introduction to the website FromthePage. Bring your own questions!
Co-sponsored by the Westport Historical Society and the Dartmouth Historical and Arts Society. Learn more at www.wpthistory.org.