What is it like to live in Westport?
This town on the south coast near Rhode Island is very much in tune with the sea.
Claude Ledoux’s introduction to Westport farming started early.
His family emigrated from Quebec, Canada, to the United States in 1949, when he was 13 years old, and settled in Westport, where Ledoux’s father went to work at his father’s brother’s chicken farm. Shortly after, Ledoux also started working at farms in town. He distinctly remembers the scant $1 pay for a 12-hour day.
At 16, Ledoux joined the Marines. He later attended college (with help from the GI Bill) to study electronics and married Clarisse Francoeur of Fall River in 1958. They raised four children in a home they built on Horseneck Road, where they have lived for more than 50 years. Three of their children still live in town. Ledoux got involved in Westport affairs over the years, serving on the Board of Selectmen, the Planning Board, and other committees.
Today, few of Ledoux’s beloved farms remain. When Route 88 was built in the late 1950s, “it knifed through the farms,’’ said Ledoux, an author and historian on the town’s farming past. Land became less expensive, which touched off an extended period of development.
Although many things have changed in nearly seven decades, Ledoux, now 80, notes that a great deal of open space remains in town, much of it dedicated to conservation and recreation. Residents value the historic buildings, Ledoux said, and the town is a popular perch for seasonal residents, with waterfront homes overlooking Horseneck Beach State Reservation.
After all these years, Ledoux has grown to appreciate the neighbors, the land, and the familiarity of his adopted hometown. “For my family and myself, it’s home,’’ he said. “It’s where the footsteps are.’’
Claude Ledoux of Westport
BY THE NUMBERS
54
The number of whaling vessels built in Westport between 1790 and 1860. Westport was one of the largest whaling ports in the area, according to the town’s historical society.
374
The number of family shellfish permits sold in 2015. Also 211 senior citizen shellfish permits, 53 commercial, and 10 scallop, among others
35
The miles of shoreline and ponds in Horseneck Beach State Reservation
1870s
When Israel Macomber’s farm produced a new turnip by crossing yellow ones with white radishes. The sweet Macomber turnip was very popular in the 1920s, the historical society reports.
PROS & CONS
Pro
Lower taxes
isn’t cheap, but compared with many Massachusetts communities, Westport’s residential taxes are relatively low, about $3,000 for the average home (July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015).
Pro & Con
Population swells in summer
Westport’s summer residents typically increase the town’s population by nearly one-quarter. On the plus side, they contribute to the tax base without demanding services year-round.
Pro
New middle school
The town is working with the state to build a new school with hopes of beginning construction in 2018.
Rachel Lebeaux can be reached at [email protected].
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