Knocking on history’s door

by Deborah Allard Dion

When shopping for a house, some look for brand new construction with polished untouched surfaces and a contemporary design. Others search for history – pretty or tarnished – and prefer to live within the walls of a home formerly occupied by a Revolutionary War captain, an at-home funeral business, or a retired president.

Luckily, the South Coast boasts a treasure trove of historical homesteads. A look at Westport, known for its stone walls, beaches, and farmland, revealed several houses for sale that offer a colorful history at very modern price points.

Captain John Gifford might be surprised to know that his house, built circa 1775, at 498 Old County Road, is now for sale for $475,000.

Gifford is known for smuggling goods to the patriots during the Revolutionary War and evading the British Navy. He was described as a “coastal trader under duress” according to historical records.

Gifford’s sprawling 10-room Georgian with six fireplaces (and an outhouse that seats three) once operated as an inn. For buyers searching for a little of the macabre, a coffin shop and funeral business ran out of the barn for many years, according to the Westport Historical Society.

Next to Gifford’s house are other historical homes and buildings, including the old Bell School, making this a great neighborhood for walking and taking a tour with materials found online from the Society, located at the old school house at 25 Drift Road.

Around Gifford’s property on Old County was once a tavern, ammunition storehouse, country store, physician office, shipbuilding facility, attorney’s office, ice cream shop, and post office – which washed into the middle of the street during the Hurricane of 1938.

First inhabited by Native Americans, the Head of Westport, once known as Westport Village, has a rich history that exists in historical documents and within homes like Gifford’s.

European settler Richard Sisson came to the Head in 1671. His Drift Road home, located at roughly 42 Drift Road today, burned during King Philip’s War in 1675-76.

A “new” house was erected at the site by Captain Howland in 1793.

The Captain John Gifford Home

Home in history

A tale of axe murder occurred at the Head in July of 1909 in the area where Sisson resided.

A man murdered his wife and left her body at Lyons Brook. He then shot himself in front of police officers at the New Bedford Police Department after making his confession.

Westport Point has its own storied history. While industrialization was going on at the Head, the Point was known for its seafaring pursuits in whaling.

The Point, now a historic district, is also known for its beautiful old residences and stone walls dotting Main Road all the way to the wharf. Codfish and saltworks were two prominent industries at the wharf.

The Point was laid out as farmland, some of it by the renowned Macomber family, who gave the world its sweet white Macomber turnip.

Houses popped up at the Point, along with early business like a custom house, post office, and shops.

The historic George Tripp House at 1834 Main Road, built circa 1870, is for sale at the Point for $585,000. A portion of the house operated as the former Gull’s Nest Restaurant, where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once dined, according to listing information.

The house, besides its history, offers salt air, a new kitchen, and nine rooms on the two-acre lot.

The Captain Manchester Home

Just a bit further, at 1940 Main Road, the Captain Manchester home is listed at $890,000. The Greek Revival, built in 1840, was owned by the same family for three generations. It offers many preserved architectural assets including its crown mouldings and staircase.

For one more historic Westport beauty, the home at 1 Old Horseneck Road, built in 1765, was sold earlier this year for $675,000.

But, it’s worth a mention because it’s where the first light bulb was installed when electricity came to Westport in 1922 according to EverythingWestport.com. The GE bulb was installed at the front entrance, where it remained until it was donated to the Westport Historical Society in 1989.

The 2,800 square feet colonial, with deeded water access, offered vaulted ceilings, custom bookcases, and original pine flooring, with pastoral views on more than two acres.

Deborah Allard Dion is a native of Fall River and a graduate of B.M.C. Durfee High School, Bristol Community College, and Bryant University. She is a Realtor at Keller Williams South Watuppa, a writer, and an animal lover. Connect at DDion@KW.com or on social media.