Westernport's first settlement is identified on a French military map dating from 1758. The map is currently on display at École Militaire in Paris. The settlement at that time had no name. By 1774, it was known as Hardscrabble because the rocky soil made planting difficult. Some time in the mid-1790s, the name was changed to Westernport, with the town being the western-most navigable port on the Potomac River. In the late 18th century and early to mid part of the 19th century, coal and timber was loaded onto flatboats where George's Creek empties into the Potomac, then floated down to near Great Falls, Virginia, where the goods were unloaded, the boats broken up to sell as lumber, with the operators walking back to Westernport. The town was incorporated in 1859. In 1886–87 the Piedmont and Cumberland Railway was built through Westernport, connecting the town to Cumberland.
Stephen Wheeler Downey, the "Father of the University of Wyoming", was born in Westernport in 1839. He became a trustee and eventually president of the University of Wyoming from 1891–97.
Geography
Westernport is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Westernport has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,888 people, 810 households, and 532 families living in the town. The population density was. There were 1,006 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the town was 98.6% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Asian, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population. There were 810 households of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.3% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the town was 44 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.6% were from 45 to 64; and 21.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,104 people, 909 households, and 601 families living in the town. The population density was 2,385.6 people per square mile. There were 1,056 housing units at an average density of 1,197.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 99.24% White, 0.19% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.14% Asian, and 0.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population. There were 909 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88. The age distribution is 22.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $23,681, and the median income for a family was $31,714. Males had a median income of $34,896 versus $16,920 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,503. About 12.1% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.
