Before the Adirondack, there was the rustic comfort of the Westport
In short: The iconic Adirondack chair is a modern staple of backyard relaxation, but its DNA traces back to an earlier, more rugged ancestor. By reconstructing the 1903 Westport chair, you can move beyond mass production to build a piece of history designed for deep reclining and intentional rest.
The Westport chair serves as the stylistic predecessor to the ubiquitous Adirondack lawn lounger. While modern versions are often highly refined, the original Westport design is characterized by a more rustic aesthetic. It was first built in 1903 by Thomas Lee, who prioritized physical comfort above all else. This vision is still evident today: the chair features a deeply pitched seat and a slanted back designed to practically demand that the user recline.
To recreate this heirloom-quality piece, builders use stock cedar boards—specifically 5/4 x 10 cedar. The construction requires a mix of precision and patience, involving several tricky cuts including angled bevels and specific notches for curves. Key components include wide arms intended to hold a drink or a book, as well as arm brackets and rear braces that provide structural integrity to the heavy timber frame.
The project is rated as easy to moderate, requiring passable carpentry skills to execute the compound miter cuts. The assembly relies on 1 5/8-inch stainless-steel trim-head screws and a finishing touch of teak oil. By following plans based on those held by the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, New York, makers can produce a chair that balances historical accuracy with functional durability.
What makes the Westport significant is its role as a bridge in furniture history. It represents an era where outdoor furniture began to transition from purely functional seating to objects of leisure. Every cut—from the 45-degree bevels on the battens to the specific dimensions of the front rails—contributes to a design that has remained fundamentally unchanged for over a century.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How to Build a Classic Westport Chair | This Old House
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