As a proud Westporter, born and raised, one of the things I enjoy holding on to is the nostalgia of my childhood.

Now, I know I'm not just speaking for myself when I say that the memories growing up were quite interesting, to say the least. There was good, old fashioned fun and traditional standards that painted a picturesque description of the town.

I'm 31 years old going on 32, and although I haven't been in this town as long as a majority of the population, I still have fond recollections of what use to be and what still is. With a little help from my parents and my friends, I was able to put together an impressive list that is sure to take you back to the simpler days.

We didn't need video games, we had basketball hoops that were nailed to telephone poles. Instead of wasting away in the virtual realm of Netflix, we made bike ramps out of dirt and measured how far we jumped with twigs. Friday nights were spent locally; there was no need to drive to the city because the bars here were (and still are) just fine.

It was the way life should be, without the constant social connection or fancy nightclubs.

Get ready to take a trip down Westport memory lane. If you grew up in this small town, chances are you'll remember or have done these things:

  1. Took a lap or two around the Westport Go-Karts at Kart-Way on Route 6.
  2. You're familiar with or had a few "pops" at the Social Club.
  3. Ordered some chowder or clam cakes from Chandy's By The Sea Clam Shack near Gooseberry Island.
  4. Played a game or two of "Cow-Pie Bingo" at the Harvest Festival at the Westport High School.
  5. Like most "Townies," your first job was at Lee's Market on Main Road and "Skukes" were the absolute worst.
  6. Cornfields were the best hiding places to play "Manhunt" and it was played well past dusk.
  7. You visited Wood's Farm to purchase vegetables, not ice cream.
  8. Tractor Pulls were (and still are) the highlight of summertime entertainment. The louder, the better.
  9. Losing your bottoms at the end of the slide on the Route 6 Westport Waterslides.
  10. "Boots" provided a majority of booster shots and vaccines for the locals, also known as Dr. Kirkaldy's nurse.
  11. Alhambra's was the place to be on a Friday or Saturday night. Chances are you or your parents met there.

Welcome back, did you enjoy your trip down the dirt road of reminiscence?

Admittedly, there are a few items on that list that I was too young to experience for myself (such as the bars), but I'm glad I was old enough to be alive and aware of most of it.

Although modern-day Westport still holds onto its rustic, old fashioned, country living ways just like most of the world, there's no stopping progression of the times.

As long as we keep it local and remember the days when time moved slower, then the historical heritage of Westport will continue to stay relevant – and I wouldn't want it any other way.

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