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Westport, California facts for kids

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Westport
The Westport Community Store
The Westport Community Store
Westport is located in California
Westport
Westport
Location in California
Westport is located in the United States
Westport
Westport
Location in the United States
Country United States
State California
County Mendocino County
Elevation
125 ft (38 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 60
Time zone UTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
95488
Area code(s) 707

Westport is a small, quiet community located in Mendocino County, California. It sits right by the Pacific Ocean on California State Route 1. This makes it a scenic spot, about 13 miles (21 km) north of Fort Bragg. Westport is known as an "unincorporated community." This means it's a town that doesn't have its own local government. Instead, it's managed by the county.

Discovering Westport's Past

Westport has an interesting history. It was first called Beall's Landing. This name honored Samuel Beall, who was the first white settler in the area. The first post office in Westport opened its doors in 1879.

How Westport Got Its Name

The name changed to Westport in 1877. A man named James T. Rodgers was responsible for this. He built a special facility there to load timber onto ships. He chose the name "Westport" to be a contrast to his hometown, Eastport, Maine. It's like having a "West" town to go with an "East" town!

Life in Westport Today

Westport is a very small community. In 2010, only 60 people lived there. Even though it's small, it has some important places.

What You'll Find in Westport

The town has a community store. This store is handy because it also has gas pumps. There are also several inns where visitors can stay. In recent years, more homes have become available for rent. These include places listed on Airbnb or VRBO. This shows that Westport is a peaceful spot for people to visit and enjoy the coast.

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