Wow, beautiful video Todd! You have done one of the best jobs I've seen of capturing the essence of Westport in video. For such a beautiful village, and the capability of so many people to work remotely now, the population is actually dropping. 2016 census shows 590, when for years through the 1970s into the '80s, it was fixed at 700. I grew up about 15kms east of Westport, on County Road 10 towards Perth. Lanark County Road 4 back then. The structures themselves have hardly changed since the 1970s. Village Green was a Red & White grocery store for years. Home Hardware was a Canadian Tire. And there was an OPP detachment on Bedford Street. Beer Store was there in the '70s, as too, the Bank of Montreal. The village always *completely* shut down after hours, and after tourist season. As the editor of the Perth Courier somewhat lampooned in an editorial article once. Back in the '70s, Westport was a major vacation hub for wealthy American outdoors enthusiasts from the 'Greatest Generation'. The village would be filled with licence plates from New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Premium luxury cars, station wagons and trailers. My public school would have field trips to Foley Mountain every Fall. Wonderful video, thank you! Pat
Thanks Pat! You’ve sure got a fount of knowledge about Westport. Very interesting background history! I was surprised how busy the town was when we were there although my video doesn’t really show that. But I did notice that many Americans were still vacationing there. Most I saw were from Pennsylvania. Also New York and Maryland I think it was. Lots of fancy cars still cruising through the streets. Saw a Maserati on a side street. So many wonderful views there it’s hard to know what to include or leave out of a video.
When my parents retired from Ottawa to that area in 1975, I remember we were almost stunned at how Westport transformed from a bustling little tourist hub in summer, to a desolate place in late Fall and Winter. Glad, it is more balanced, and active now. The Brown Bear on Bedford Street was a major tourist store back then. Also, had a Kingston location. And The Cove was called The Tweedsmuir Inn for years. There were some serious crashes coming down the big hill. I used to always ask my dad to take the highway through Fermoy and Godfrey, when we headed to Kingston. As I loved that curvy section around Sand Lake. Awesome work Todd!
What a beautiful little town.
Yes it is and during all seasons it is like a postcard.
Wow, beautiful video Todd! You have done one of the best jobs I've seen of capturing the essence of Westport in video. For such a beautiful village, and the capability of so many people to work remotely now, the population is actually dropping. 2016 census shows 590, when for years through the 1970s into the '80s, it was fixed at 700.
I grew up about 15kms east of Westport, on County Road 10 towards Perth. Lanark County Road 4 back then. The structures themselves have hardly changed since the 1970s. Village Green was a Red & White grocery store for years. Home Hardware was a Canadian Tire. And there was an OPP detachment on Bedford Street. Beer Store was there in the '70s, as too, the Bank of Montreal.
The village always *completely* shut down after hours, and after tourist season. As the editor of the Perth Courier somewhat lampooned in an editorial article once. Back in the '70s, Westport was a major vacation hub for wealthy American outdoors enthusiasts from the 'Greatest Generation'. The village would be filled with licence plates from New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Premium luxury cars, station wagons and trailers. My public school would have field trips to Foley Mountain every Fall. Wonderful video, thank you! Pat
Thanks Pat! You’ve sure got a fount of knowledge about Westport. Very interesting background history! I was surprised how busy the town was when we were there although my video doesn’t really show that. But I did notice that many Americans were still vacationing there. Most I saw were from Pennsylvania. Also New York and Maryland I think it was. Lots of fancy cars still cruising through the streets. Saw a Maserati on a side street. So many wonderful views there it’s hard to know what to include or leave out of a video.
When my parents retired from Ottawa to that area in 1975, I remember we were almost stunned at how Westport transformed from a bustling little tourist hub in summer, to a desolate place in late Fall and Winter. Glad, it is more balanced, and active now. The Brown Bear on Bedford Street was a major tourist store back then. Also, had a Kingston location. And The Cove was called The Tweedsmuir Inn for years. There were some serious crashes coming down the big hill.
I used to always ask my dad to take the highway through Fermoy and Godfrey, when we headed to Kingston. As I loved that curvy section around Sand Lake.
Awesome work Todd!
Two weeks from October, and we just had a thunderstorm in downtown Ottawa tonight. 🙂
We had a little thunder tonight too but just a few downpours of rain.