06/12/2025
Welcome to the Museum’s first interactive display! Come on in and step on the scale used at Merkley’s—Westport’s full-scale abattoir that closed in 1986. It can weigh up to 500 pounds with accuracy, so try it out with your family. Please, no jumping on the scale… she’s very sensitive. Extreme thanks to Robb Merkley for donating this fantastic piece of Westport history, and to he and Steve for hauling it into the Museum, for it was not a light task. Also, another big thanks to Steve for bringing in an original 1909 edition of the Westport Mirror (which was found in a wall). Back in the 1980s, the Museum had a reprint made of this edition of the Mirror as a fundraiser, but this is the first original copy of this that I've seen. Fantastic!
An additional note from Robb: Rideau Gardens was located across the road, and the new subdivision is now built on the land which was their fruit and vegetable gardens. These fruits and vegetables were sold through their corner store, currently home to the Westport Car Wash.
