The earliest history of Westport relates to Essex County_fs early settler William Gilliland, as two of his patents were located in Westport. He christened the area Bessboro, in honor of his wife, Elizabeth. It is believed that an early settlement, developed by his brother-in-law existed there, but all signs of it were obliterated by the Revolution. The town was not settled again until 1804 when Charles Hatch made his way to North West Bay from Elizabethtown. Westport_fs medicinal springs, located a half mile west of the lake, were celebrated during the mid 19th century for their miraculous power in healing disease. Westport remains the location for the Essex County Fair. The fairgrounds, the exhibition buildings and the trotting track are still in use today. Camp Dudley traces its roots to 1885 when Sumner F. Dudley established a camp on Orange Lake. For the next five summers, Dudley took his campers to Wawayanda Lake near Warwick. In 1891, the camp moved to its present Westport location on Lake Champlain. Dudley is the oldest, continuously run YMCA camp and is as vigorous as ever going into the 21st century. Split Rock Mountain on Lake Champlain, one of the most striking physical features on the Lake, is shared by Westport and Essex. Its rattlesnakes are as well known as its topography, as the snakes are reported nowhere else in the county.
Westport is accessible by car or boat, as it is located on Lake Champlain.
'''Le Bistro-Du-Lac''', 44 Old Arsenal Road, 12993 518-962-8777, [http://www.bistrodulac.com].
'''Westport Marina''', 20 Washington Street, 12993 518-962-4899, [http://www.westportmarina.com/galley].
'''The Westport Hotel Restaurant''', 6691 Main Street, 12993-2005 518-962-4501, [http://www.thewestporthotel.com].
'''Merrick's Bread & Coffee''', 2576 County Route 10 (''corner of Rt 22''), 12993-3855 518-962-2280