West Island is located off the eastern shore of a pennisula called Sconticut
Neck, in the town of Fairhaven, MA. The island is about 2 1/2 miles long and a
mile wide and situated along Buzzard's Bay. Views of the Bourne Bridge and Woods
Hole along with the Elizabeth Islands can be seen from the Town Beach at the
southern end of the island. Connected by a causeway first completed in 1945-6 it
was developed as a summer colony named Fairhaven Estates. Previous to being
purchased by the Fairhaven, West Island Company the island was the location of
two farms and the homes to three families dating back to possibly the late
1700's. Before it was bought by colonists from Plymouth, the island was often
visited bt Wampanoag Indians who came to the island shore to fish and gather
shellfish. Various Wampanog names attributed to the island are Nokatay, Nakata
and Makatan.
Significant historical events that occured at or near West Island include the
first naval battle of the War of Independance fought off West Island's shore.
Legend says that a British raiding party spotted sheep on the island and came in
to steal meat for the troops, but residents saw the ship, slipped away and
warned towns folk about the British arrival. Fairhaven residents comandeered a
ship and fought off the raiding party. Reports of casualties for both sides
differ.
NEW! In 1922 a man in a boat washed up on the shores of West Island and
caused quite a commotion. STARVING
CASTAWAY BABBLES AND CHORTLES IN COURTROOM
Excerpts from the Fairhaven
Star regarding West Island.
Article from New
Bedford Evening Standard May 25, 1886 regarding a petition that was signed
by boaters who objected to the building of a causeway from Long Island to West
Island if it did not include a draw bridge in the design. The article mentions
of intent to develop the island and Sconticut Neck. Tedious wording but
interesting. This article also appeared in the Fairhaven Star of May 29,
1886.
Many
Ownership Changes Seen in Tiny Tract Where Vikings, Indians and Colonists
Roamed By JOHN FLANAGAN, Standard Times March 17, 1946. Article about history of
West Island and impending development of "Fairhaven Estates" on uninhabited
island.
150 Cottages
built in 3 Years On Fairhaven's West Island Standard Times article from June
4,1950
Ground
Breaking on West Island for Community House Standard Times article from
August 30, 1951
Standard Times
article from June 29, 1952 about colonization of "Fairhaven
Estates"
Standard
Times article from November 13, 1951 about insolvency of West Island Power
Co.
I found this article from November 1954 especially interesting.
Primarily because of the last paragraph. It describes the attempts to get the
causeway reconstructed after the '54 hurricane rendered it impassible to
anything but foor traffic. The problems stemmed fron the fact that West Island
Estates, the developer of West Island and actual owner of the causeway, was
bankrupt. The concern for the 200 or so houses and residents of the island
seemed only slightly as important as access as to the Town Beach for visitors.
Some things never seem to change. Herter
to Inspect Causeway Damage
Incomplete...Memories
of West Island
Sconticut
Neck and Ripleys Believe It or Not
Articles
about West Island from the Standard Times
Old Fairhaven from
the Fairhaven Star of April 4, 1946
Pope Beach off of
Manhatten Ave on Sconticut Neck was one of the first developed areas on the
Neck. A pavillion and pier were just part of it.
A West Island Mystery
cemented into legend
West Island
Tower is dedicated for Civil Defense plane spotting, Standard Times July 26,
1956
I wasnt familiar with the GOC, or Ground Observer Corps so I did a
google search and came up with this site, among others GOC
and a little more on the Tower and it's sister structures
Tower page from
Millicent Library site listing monuments in town compiled by Jim
Cochran
Army Corp of Engineers Map Of the observation installment at
West Island, 1943, provided by Chris Wiles, U.S. Coast Artillery Photos,
ca.ckwinfo.net
Some of my observations
on the above articles
History of Sconticut Neck written by Mabel L. Potter in 1945.
Posted on the Millicent Library website.
Fairhaven History
Timeline By Chris and Lori Richards.
Was
treasure buried in Riverside Cemetary?
West Island ghost
story
Aerial photograph of West Island and Wibur's Point from MSN
Terraserver
I'd like to thank Debbie Charpentier, Archivist of the
Millicent Library, for access to their collection.
Debbie is wonderfully
helpful and extremely knowledgable of most of the old homes in Fairhaven.
