Westport: Onion Center to Artists' Community

Shown here is a Saugatuck Shores in Westport CT by French artist Mo Gart. Colonists settled along the Saugatuck River as early as 1639. In 1780 George Washington visited the Marvin Tavern in Westport. Westport was officially incorporated as a town in 1835, with land taken from Fairfield, Weston, and Norwalk. For many decades after that, Westport was a prosperous agricultural community and distinguished itself as the nation’s leading onion-growing center. After the turn of the century, Westport gained the reputation as an artist & writers’ colony, and cultural center. It was the home of Norman Rockwell’s Famous Artists School, also the Famous Writers School. Although Westport still retains its cultural roots, the town is no longer an artist’s colony. Despite its small-town charm, Westport Connecticut is a thriving business center, home to many corporate headquarters and more than 600 retailers and one of the best Art Galleries in Connecticut (Westport River Gallery)