The Very Best of Westport Matters
 hosted by Claude Ledoux

Welcome

Welcome to the official website of the Westport Matters TV show hosted by Claude Ledoux. Westport Matters airs weekly on WACC, Westport Mass. Cable Access Channel 17.

Westport Matters began as a local history project. In Claude's words: "My goal for Westport Matters was to record what life was like at the turn of the millennium. The shows (to be archived at the Westport Historical Society) would give future historians an unfiltered view of Westport, and of similar small towns all across New England."

Hundreds of episodes later, what's been achieved amounts to much more than that. Claude asks all the right questions. He methodically documents professions that few of us know anything about. His handheld camera work is sometimes stunning... In short, every minute of every show is packed with extraordinary material that you're not likely to find anywhere else.

To date, there have been over 450 different shows. The purpose of this website is to put the very best of Westport Matters on-line so that they can be viewed 24/7, by anyone so inclined.

DVD Archives

DVD archives of about 300 shows are available both at the Westport Historical Society and at Westport Free Public Library. Interested parties may also contact Claude Ledoux for tapes and DVD's, provided the shows you want cannot be obtained from either of the above. Please use the form on the Contact Us page to email Claude.

E-Book Project

In 1995, Claude and Carmen Maiocco collaborated on a wonderful book titled: A History of Westport in the Twentieth Century. We are pleased to make the entire text of that book available here. Bound copies (they make great gifts) may be purchased at Partner's Village Store, and possibly elsewhere in town.

A few tips to help you enjoy this e-book:

1. Click on the book cover (above) to open the book.

2. To enlarge the text, press the Shift, Ctrl and +/= keys.

3. To reduce the text, press the Ctrl and - keys.

4. To search for something in the book, use File Menu/Find.

5. Red underlines (called links) means there's a picture attached. Click on the link to view the picture.

6. We're always looking for more (and better) pictures. If you'd like to help out, send us a JPG. Tell us where you think it ought to go and we'll be happy to add it to the book!
    

Sponsors

Westport Matters is an informal, non-profit organization. Since 1993, Claude has invested several thousand dollars of his own money in the show, and volunteered approximately four thousand hours of his own time in preparation, film production, and disc reproduction.

In 2004, the Westport Arts Council donated $1,200 to help fund the project.

In 2007, the great folks at Complete Recycling Solutions, Fall River, MA, helped us to obtain much needed computer hardware.

This program is also supported in part by a grant from the Westport Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.


If you'd like to comment on any aspect of the Westport Matters project, if you'd like to contribute in any way, or if you'd just like to thank Claude for all the great shows, please click here to leave us a note.

Westport Matters
Copyright © 2007-2008, Claude Ledoux. All rights reserved.
Revised: 07/01/08.

You are Visitor Number: