In My Footsteps: 4K New England - Fort Phoenix, Fairhaven, MA

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - SS James Longstreet Cape Cod's Target Ship

(Alchetron.com)

     For more than five decades a giant rusting hulk loomed large over Cape Cod Bay. It was battered, beaten, and bruised yet remained a stoic relic to a bygone day. It was created for World War II and named for a Confederate Civil War general. Though not visible anymore it is still there lurking just below the surface. A Liberty Ship, a ‘target ship,’ a day-trip boating adventure, this is the story of the S.S. James Longstreet.

     The man behind the ship’s name was born in South Carolina on January 8, 1821. He graduated West Point in 1842 and would be given the rank of Brigadier General when James Long street joined the Confederate Army in 1861. He gained the trust of General Robert E. Lee however grew opposed to Lee’s strategic moves beginning with the frontal assault known as Pickett’s Charge on July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg. In the end anywhere from 5,800-6,200 of the 12-13,000 Confederate soldiers were killed on that fateful day.

James Longstreet, the man
(Gamaliel Bradford, public domain)

     Longstreet held several federal offices after the war beginning ironically under former Union General Ulysses S. Grant. He was an ambassador to Turkey as well as a U.S. Marshal for the state of Georgia. Rumors of corruption led to his removal from the latter post in 1884.

     His post-war affiliation with the former enemy earned Longstreet some scorn from the Confederate loyalists. This was only exacerbated with his criticism of Lee and his memoir From Manassas to Appomattox in 1896. In 1897 Longstreet married Helen Dortch, a woman more than 40 years his junior. After being severely wounded in battle in 1864 Longstreet was told he would likely not live another decade. He persevered though and lived another forty years, finally succumbing to pneumonia January 2, 1904 just days shy of his 83^rd birthday. His wife Helen lived until 1962, making her a living Civil War widow nearly a century after the war had ended.

     Known as the ‘Confederate War Horse’ James Longstreet’s name would not completely fade into the history books.

     After the outbreak of World War II in 1941 2,708 cargo ships, known as ‘Liberty Ships’ were built to help move supplies overseas. One such ship was a 417-foot long, 7,000 ton steel beast named after James Longstreet. It was assembled in Houston, Texas and put into wartime service in October 1942. The vessel would only make 3 journeys abroad though they did include stops in Australia, India, and England.

James Longstreet, the cargo ship, on active duty circa 1943
(Longstreet Society.org)

     The end of active service for the S.S. James Longstreet came during the fall of 1943. It was one of four ships to be forced aground at Sandy Hook, New Jersey on October 26, 1943 in gale force winds. The ship sat on the tidal flats for a month before finally being refloated on November 23^rd. Upon being towed to New York for further repairs it was deemed a total structural loss and decommissioned. It was sent to a ship graveyard.

     In early 1944 the Navy acquired the Longstreet as a target ship for surface-to-air missiles. It sat in New York Harobr until another big storm ripped it from its moorings and sent it drifting away. For weeks the ship was missing but when found on December 4^th it was towed to Norfolk, Virginia. It was around this time that the Navy began ‘Project Dove’ a guided missile project. They had been using areas of Monomoy Island and Camp Wellfleet, east of Lecount Hollow Road, for land tests and desired a target ship for water testing. The S.S. Longstreet provided the perfect answer.

    On April 25, 1945 just as World War II was coming to an end the former Liberty Ship was towed into Cape Cod Bay. It was anchored in shallow water off of Eastham on a spot called New Found Shoal, an oval shaped spit. The Longstreet was ballasted with more than 10,000 steel drums and scrap metal as it was partially sunk, becoming the newest Cape Cod resident.

     The bombings of the ship went on day and night during the summer. The times were never known to residents of the surrounding towns of Eastham, Wellfleet, Orleans, and Brewster, only the rumbles of approaching aircraft gave them any notice. Aircraft from as far away as Rhode Island came and lay waste to the behemoth in the shallows. July Fourth bombing raids were of particular thrill to tourists and children. Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s countless tons of ammunition was fired into and upon the vessel until it looked like steel Swiss cheese. The pilots prepared for the Korean War and later the Vietnam War by practicing on the Longstreet.

     Not everyone was enamored with the Cape’s oddest tourist attraction though. The noise and rumbling of windows of homes in the surrounding areas was bad enough. However the occasional errant bomb was a different problem. Most well known of those such incidents was when a bomb exploded near the front door of a home on Shurtleff Road in Eastham on Mother’s Day 1951. Nobody was injured but it was a jarring experience for a rural beach town such as Eastham.

     Time passed and the S.S. James Longstreet, rusted and full of holes, was retired in 1970. The reasons were both due to the proximity of the public to the bombings and the closing of the Quonset Point Naval Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Despite it no longer being peppered with live rounds it remained a hugely popular attraction for photographers, painters, and even some graffiti artists who in 1966 spray painted a large Playboy bunny logo on the side of the ship. Slowly over time the Longstreet looked less and less like a proud wartime cargo ship. Some calls came to officially sink it fully underwater, however time did that on its own.

After decades of service as a target ship.
(Truro Historical Society)

     In a fitting piece of full circle irony, a large storm finally did in the Longstreet much as had ended its active duty in 1943. April 1996 saw a storm finally submerge the hull of the former Liberty Ship. Occasionally the ship comes back to the forefront, either at very low tides when it peeks its head above water, or more chilling when an unexploded ordnance is discovered either on the surrounding beaches or by divers and fishermen in the waters around the ship’s resting place.

The location of the SS James Longstreet in relation to First Encounter Beach.

     Outside of those moments the S.S. James Longstreet has been but a memory for nearly 25 years. It was once one of the most photographed locations on Cape Cod and thus has been immortalized in countless images. For those looking to perhaps catch a glimpse of this sunken legend it sits approximately two miles off the coast of Eastham, nearly due west of First Encounter Beach. Its GPS coordinates are: 41.8255416978 -70.0398798405.

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View my previous blog posts: In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Bartholomew Gosnold

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Billingsgate Island

                              

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Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com

Road Trip Day 3 - Civil War Bookends

     Day 3 of my epic road trip peaked in the morning and went downhill slowly thereafter.  I left Hagerstown, MD a little after 9am headed for Harpers Ferry, WV.  This part of the day was great. The sky was overcast and it was only in the low 40's but the little town of Harpers Ferry is full of history.  It was here on October 16-18, 1859 that John Brown attempted but failed to start a slave revolt by overtaking the arsenal at Harpers Ferry. It was considered to be a dress rehearsal for the Civil War.  The town, located where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet, is home to less than 300 people year round yet welcomes more than half a million visitors each year.  

John Brown's Fort in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

     The downtown area looks and feels straight out of the 1850's with more historical plaques than you can believe.  The highlights include John Brown's Fort where he holed up during the raid on the arsenal in 1859, the B&O Railroad bridge which goes through a tunnel, and the Maryland Heights trail which is a 6.5 mile round trip hike to the top of a rocky hill that overlooks Harpers Ferry.  If I'd have had more time, and it wasn't cloudy I might have attempted it.

     Next was a stop at another Civil War era town Winchester, Virginia.  It is known for its Old Town area that includes Stonewall Jackson's headquarters that is today a Civil War museum.  The area is also a dining and shopping hub that doesn't allow vehicles, only pedestrian traffic.  It was here that I also stopped for lunch and tried something new for me, Bojangles.  Think similar to KFC, there are more than 750 in the southeast, it was a good stop, although messy to eat in a car.  

Old Town Winchester, Virginia

     From there things went downhill.  The next stop was meant to be the north entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway in Afton, Virginia.  I wanted to drive the scenic route for a little while and get some great photos.  I had an idea that the entrance might be closed due to the time of year, so that was not a total shock.  I went up to the visitors center on a nearby hill, which itself had some amazing views.  The super nice couple that worked inside actually had ties to New England, living at one point in Greenfield, Massachusetts.  They told me there might be an alternative route to get me onto the Blue Ridge Parkway about 17 miles southwest in the small village of Love.  I drove the curvy, climbing route, over 3,000-feet up, only to find that the road was closed still at that point too.  I was pretty disappointed.

     By this time it was 4pm, cloudy, and starting to rain.  I decided to try for my last destination anyway, the Appomattox Court House National Park which was where Lee surrendered to Grant to end the Civil War in 1865.  It was more than an hour south so I was hustling trying to get there with some semblance of light remaining.  The rain came down harder and it looked bleak.  Sunset was at 5:02pm and I arrived there about 5 minutes after.  I raced to at least get a few photos and videos of the McLean House where the actual surrender occurred.  The park closed at 5pm so the rangers were in the midst of shutting it down.  I told them I just wanted a photo and they let me go which was nice of them.  I managed to grab the photos and video I needed and then was on my way.  It was as good as I could have hoped for considering the time and weather.

The McLean House in Appomattox, Virginia

     I ended my 3rd day of my road trip in Lynchburg, Virginia.  It is a pretty nice college town, home to Liberty University.  I continued my streak of trying something new for dinner by going to Firehouse Subs.  There are more than 1,100 locations in the country but none closer than 75 miles of where I live.  That was a good choice.  The hotel, not as much.  They didn't take cash, my AAA discount was not close to what the website had offered, plus the people in the room above me sounded like they were killing each other most of the night.  I got up earlier this morning and am bypassing a shower just so I can get out of here.

     Due to the big storm that passed through the Outer Banks, North Carolina access road is likely closed until tomorrow afternoon.  This means I have to do some clever rerouting to see all I want to see and still make it home late Thursday.  Starting Day 4 heading to historic Jamestown, Virginia!

Road Trip Day 2 - The Office, Chocolate, and Battlefields

     My second day on the road saw me wake up in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  I had a few more sites to see including the 'Welcome to Scranton' sign from The Office located in the Marketplace at Steamtown.  Unfortunately being a Sunday the mall did not open until 11, meaning I had to get a later start than I'd have preferred.  I visited the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour at McDade Park.  The tour wasn't open yet so I walked the grounds for a bit, it is a nice wide open area with underrated views of the Moosic Mountains.  Before visiting the mall I stopped at the Steamtown National Historic Site only a stone's throw from the mall.  It is a railroad museum with many old locomotives outside and actual live trains running as well located at the site of the former Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad .  At the other end of the parking lot is the Electric City Trolley Museum, kind of a cousin to the railroad museum.  

     Technically there is a sky walk to get to the mall but it was locked so I had to drive the few yards to park underneath the mall which is neat.  I was going to take the elevator up but a screaming child changed my mind, high-pitched voices echo quite loudly in a parking garage.  The Marketplace at Steamtown is pretty big but it has a lot of empty storefronts.  It has a Crunch Fitness near the Scranton sign and a few big stores I've never heard of in New England like Boscov's which is a department store.  After getting a photo taken of me at the sign it was time to leave Scranton behind.

     Next up was a visit to the sweetest place on Earth, Hershey, Pennsylvania.  It definitely feels like something created in a dream.  The street lights are topped with Hershey Kisses, the buildings even look like thy're made of chocolate.  The Hershey Park amusement park was pretty busy for mid-November, the screams of people on the rides could be heard even on Chocolate Avenue (their Main Street).  I made sure to pay a visit to the Hershey Story Museum and the store inside because of course I would.  The friendly lady that rang me up wished me a 'sweet day' which was fitting.

     Time began to be an issue as I flew from Hershey to the state capital of Harrisburg.  Luckily I wanted to visit the State Capitol building first and since it was Sunday there was nobody working.  I was able to park and take a walk around the few blocks surrounding the capitol.  I crashed wedding photography on the steps of the capitol, but they were almost done so I just stayed to the side, although they might be in part of a video I shot.  The view from the steps of the Capitol Building gives a great view of State Street out to the Susquehanna River.  I had wished I could have stayed longer but I had one more important site I wanted to visit before it got dark.

The Pennsylvania State Capitol 

     It was about 45 minutes to get from Harrisburg to Gettysburg, specifically the National Military Park Museum which I'd wanted to visit for years.  I love history as you can tell if you've read my blogs before, and the Civil War is fascinating to me.  There are several sites related to the battle located near the museum and you can actually do a driving tour to the sites, or you can walk like I did.  It was a fine walk out to the battlefield and soldier's cemetery.  What I thought were squirrels foraging for food in the brush ended up being close to 10 deer, yes I finally saw live deer in Pennsylvania compared to the 2 dozen or so I'd seen as roadkill.

     The battlefield at Cemetery Ridge is dotted with memorials of the units who lost their lives.  It is considered the most important battle of the Civil War, and the bloodiest with 23,000 Union soldiers, and 28,000 Confederate soldiers (more than 1/3 of Robert E. Lee's army) losing their lives in July 1863.  It was exciting for me to be there but definitely tempered with sadness looking over the rolling fields knowing how many people had died there fighting for what they thought was right.  I visited the Gettysburg National Cemetery a few yards from Cemetery Ridge, it is the final resting place of more than 3,500 Union soldiers, many of whom are known simply as a number on small stones.  It is also on these grounds where Abraham Lincoln gave the legendary Gettysburg Address.

Gettysburg National Cemetery

     After staying on the cemetery grounds well past sunset, trying to get my camera to work right, I had to walk nearly a mile back to the museum parking lot which made me wish I had driven.  Originally I had wanted to drive well into Virginia to find a place to stay for the night, however I really wanted to visit Harpers Ferry, West Virginia so I compromised.  

     I stayed in Hagerstown, Maryland, only about 1/2 hour from Harpers Ferry.  I got to watch a raccoon stealing trash from the hotel dumpster which was fun, but overall it was a relaxing night.  I had dinner at the nearby Hagerstown Family Diner, it was very quiet there on a Sunday evening but the staff was friendly.  The food was great, Country Fried Steak, and I was lucky to get to watch the Patriots playing, of course I had to keep quiet about that since everyone else in there kept talking about how much they hated them.  Sorry they beat your Eagles everyone.  I also stopped into a Weis supermarket which I'd never heard of until tonight. It was good too but I noticed they don't have marshmallow Fluff down here, not that I wanted any, just a curiosity. 

     It was a slightly shorter day, less than 250 miles total but just as many great places to see.  Day 3 starts with Harpers Ferry and we'll go from there!

In My Footsteps: Trip 120: Marlborough, Massachusetts

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 120:  Marlborough, Massachusetts

April 14, 2011

The John Brown Bell

            With a connection to one of the pivotal events that began the Civil War the city of Marlborough has a rich history that you can reach out and touch.  Founded as a town in 1660, a city in 1890, and named for the market town in Wiltshire, England, Marlborough’s history began with the local Native Americans.  First they were one of seven so-called ‘praying Indian towns’ because the local Natives were converted to Christianity by Rev. John Eliot.  Then the entire settlement was nearly destroyed in 1676 during King Philip’s War.

            The connection to the Civil War that Marlborough has is through the John Brown Bell.  Perhaps the second most well known bell in the country behind Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell, the bell named for the famed abolitionist has a good story behind it.  The story has it that there was a company of men from Marlborough assigned to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia on the night that John Brown last battled for the emancipation of the slaves.  The company took the bell from the firehouse where Brown’s last stand took place and then left it in the hands of a local woman for over thirty years; they returned in 1892 to bring the bell back to Marlborough.  It now sits in a tower near the street corner of Main Street and Rt. 85.

            Granted you can’t touch the bell, it is up a good fifteen feet, but it is easier to get to than the Liberty Bell is.  There is a nice park area around where the bell resides with a really nice brick walkway leading off into the distance to the front steps of a church.  On this sunny day with the rows of trees casting shadows it was an awesome photo opportunity. 

A class posing for a photo outside of City Hall.

            I parked further down Main Street in Marlborough so that I would have the chance to walk and see more of the city up close.  I enjoyed stopping in the shadow of City Hall while a class of young children were getting their pictures taken in front.  I did not mind waiting as getting to see the looks of joy on their faces reminded of when I was a child and how much fun field trips were for me.  The huge gray stone building built in 1905, blocked out the sun as I stood below it on this day and is the centerpiece of Downtown Marlborough.  It was a nice walk on a good day but there was more to see in this town turned city.

Peter Rice Homestead

            The home of the Marlborough Historical Society resides in the Peter Rice Homestead on Elm St.  The house is said to have been built in 1688 with many additions made to the large white home in the centuries since.  The Rice family is considered to be one of the most prominent of old Marlborough with Peter being active in civil affairs including serving as a Representative to the General Court of Massachusetts at varying times from 1709-1730.  He also acquired land that stretched deep into neighboring Northborough and Westborough.  Besides the house there were a couple of oddities on the property including the cornerstone from the Grand Army of the Republic building built in 1891 on the front lawn.  There was also a store sign for the Frye Boot Company which manufactured their famous footwear in Marlborough up through the 1970’s.  The sign behind the home says the company was established in 1863 and their center of operations is in Great Neck, New York today.

            The final spot I checked out was to satisfy my love of nature.  The conservation area known as Cider Knoll is located over 105 acres with a few parking areas where you can enter.  I parked at the end of Woodland Drive where there is a sign alerting you to Cider Knoll.  The walk through is easy but there are some nice views and on this day there were some interesting things to see as well.

Looking down on the small river at Cider Knoll.

            Almost immediately the trails cross over a small river and the sound of the rushing water fills the area.  I stopped on a foot bridge and listened while taking photos and hoping to see some wildlife.  With no luck there I kept on walking up a little hill.  Up at the top there was a tractor skeleton partially covered by leaves that was unexpected but made the hike more interesting.  Not to mention the incredible view looking down on that small river I had crossed over, I was able to get a better view standing on a couple of large rocks on the edge of the hill.  I do not recommend that to everyone, you can still get a good view without risking injury like I did!  Cider Knoll is a large area but the trails only make up two miles so you can hike it in short time.  It also ends up behind some houses so don’t trespass.

            Marlborough is a city that grew from a small town in the last century.  It has a city feel when you’re downtown but retains that small town vibe when you are in places like Cider Knoll.  I highly recommend taking a walk on Main Street past City Hall to where the John Brown Bell resides.  Then afterward you can hike Cider Knoll and who knows maybe that tractor skeleton will still be there, or maybe there will be something even more unexpected.  Have fun and happy traveling!

My first book, In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide, is now available at SchifferBooks.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Amazon.com, soon to be in stores everywhere!  Follow me on Twitter!

Directions:  John Brown Bell:  From I-495N take exit 24A for Rt. 20E.  Turn right onto Granger Blvd., follow .6 mi., turn left onto Main St.  Park where the bell is sits on right, parking is along Main St.

            Cider Knoll:  From I-495N take exit 24A for Rt. 20E.  Turn right onto Granger Blvd., take slight left onto E. Main St., turn right to stay on E. Main St.  After .5 mi., turn left onto Concord Rd., follow 1.6 mi., left onto McNeil Cir., take 1^st right onto Vega Rd., take 1^st left onto Juniper Rd.  Turn left onto Woodland Dr., Cider Knoll is all the way at the end. 

References:  Marlborough Historical Society

            Marlborough, Ma. - Official Site

            The Frye Company.com

New Marlborough on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Trip 116: Newton, Massachusetts

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 116:  Newton, Massachusetts

March 30, 2011

            Ranked third on the list of best places to live by CNN Money for 2010 the city of Newton is unique for a variety of reasons.  First is the fact that it is made up of a whopping twelve ‘villages’ which is amazing in and of itself.  Though it is a suburb of Boston, Newton has a feel of its own, not merely a smaller Boston.  It is also known for the famous ‘Heartbreak Hill’ which is part of the Boston Marathon.  A fun bit of trivia is that the Fig Newton cookie is named for the city.

City Hall from the walking bridge.

            I began by visiting the Heartbreak Hill area which is close to City Hall.  I did not run it but it did look imposing.  I knew Newton was special when their City Hall was such a cool area.  From where I parked I crossed over a small creek thanks to a bridge to get to the building.  I don’t know many City Halls with bridges and creeks around them.  I stuck around in the warm spring sun shooting for a bit but there was so much more to see in the twelve villages of Newton.

            I took a spin down to Crystal Lake in the village of Newton Highlands next.  Being a fan of the Friday the 13th movies when I heard the name Crystal Lake I immediately began to think of the famed horror movie franchise.  Luckily for me the lake is nothing like that.  In fact the majority of the shore is dotted with private homes; the recreation and swimming area is relatively small.  The beach area was seemingly only large enough for a few people, though there is another swimming area that I did not visit which might be larger.  The crews were cleaning up the picnic area in anticipation of the upcoming season while I was there so I did not hang out there very long.

            An historic home I checked out after Crystal Lake is far more important in the history of America than any other in the city as far as I am concerned.  The Jackson Homestead is so meaningful because of the fact that it was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War.  William Jackson, who was elected to Congress in 1832, was associated with other abolitionists which led to him using his home as part of the Underground Railroad. 

Jackson Homestead and Museum

            Located on Washington Street the home was built in 1809 and stands out with its yellow exterior and green shutters.  It became a museum showcasing the early history of Newton in 1950 after being given to the city a year earlier.  It is open year round but closed on Mondays and most major holidays.  The tours show you areas such as the cellar where runaway slaves may have hidden during the time that the house was used on the Underground Railroad.  It is a very deep and unique experience to say the least.

            As you know by now the natural beauty of the places I visit are what I enjoy the most and this was the case in Newton as well.  In the village of Newton Upper Falls there is a really great place called Hemlock Gorge, named for the trees which cluster around the gorge.  It is known more for Echo Bridge which I will get to in a moment, but this small area along the Charles River needs to be expanded on a bit more.

The dam at Hemlock Gorge

            The first thing I did was follow the sound of the rushing water to a small dam where a muskrat or something like that was swimming around.  The water runs north and continues underneath Rt. 9.  I never did see that muskrat again once I shot some photos of the dam.  After shooting that area I began to walk my way up the rocky cliff faces of Hemlock Gorge toward Echo Bridge.  The cliffs get pretty high, well thirty feet or so which is high when it’s a drop onto more rocks below.  The views are amazing though, just watch your step.

Echo Bridge

            Echo Bridge, completed in 1877, was an aqueduct which carried water from the Sudbury River to Boston during its prime.  It is no longer in use but is still maintained by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.  There are two observation areas associated with the bridge.  The one I checked is underneath it which is where visitors can hear the echoes of the flowing water against the stone arch of the bridge overhead.  While I believe this to be the case the water was so calm when I was there that the only echo I heard was that of a pair of geese arguing on the other side of the river.  I did enjoy the peace and serenity of Hemlock Gorge despite not hearing any echoes underneath the bridge.

            Newton may be made up of twelve villages but there is one vibe to the city when you arrive.  Whether you want to see a piece of American history in the Jackson Homestead, or take in a more natural spot like Hemlock Gorge you cannot go wrong.  Make sure to try to time it right to catch the Charles River when it’s a little rougher going under Echo Bridge.  Have fun and happy traveling!

            For more In My Footsteps items follow my Twitter Feed, view more photos at the In My Footsteps fan page on Facebook, or visit my homepage at ChristopherSetterlund.com.   Thanks for reading!   

Directions:  Jackson Homestead and Museum:  From Rt. 3 take exit 20B for I-93 N, take exit 20 toward Worcester.  Merge onto I-90 W, take exit 17 toward Newton.  Take a slight left onto Washington St., after .6 mi., turn right onto Jackson Rd.  Museum is on left.

            Hemlock Gorge:  From Rt. 3 take exit 20A toward I-95, continue onto Rt. 1, continue onto I-95 N, take exit 19B.  Merge onto Highland Ave., turn right Gould St., turn right onto Central Ave., continue onto Elliot St.  Turn left at Chestnut St., take 1^st left onto Ellis St., there is a small parking area on the right at the intersection.

References:  Best Places to Live 2010 - Newton, Ma.

            City of Newton, Ma.

            Historic Newton.org

In My Footsteps: Trip 99: New Bedford, Massachusetts

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 99:  New Bedford, Massachusetts

December 2, 2010

            An historic seaport matched in importance only Gloucester that’s what New Bedford is.  Nicknamed ‘The Whaling City’ it was one of the largest whaling ports in the world during the 19^th century.  That history is still a big part of what makes New Bedford a popular destination for travelers.  However the whaling history is only the tip of the iceberg as I was pleased to learn.  In addition to the New Bedford Whaling Museum there are forts, historic homes, and some extraordinary cobblestone streets.

Fort Rodman, Clarke's Point Light on top.

            The first place I visited when I arrived in New Bedford was a pair of old forts strategically placed on Clarke’s Point, the southernmost point of the city which sticks out into Buzzards Bay.  Fort Taber is a living breathing artifact.  It is two buildings, an earthen fort and granite fort side by side along the breezy shores.  The earthen fort was built during the Civil War in 1861.  It was built first as Governor John Andrew and Mayor Issac Taber could not wait for state or federal aid to help build the granite fort at the dawning of the Civil War.

The much larger, granite structure next to the earthen fort was started shortly thereafter; the United States War Department stopped construction in 1871.  It was locally finished in 1898 and named Fort Rodman after Civil War Lt. Col. Logan Rodman of New Bedford.  The Clark’s Point Lighthouse, which once stood alongside the granite structure, was placed on the second tier of the fort and is easily visible today.   The many windows of Fort Rodman have been sealed shut using brick.  However there have been holes chipped into these bricks making it possible to see inside and even for me to get my camera inside to snap photos of the courtyard.

Garden at Rotch-Jones-Duff Museum

Despite being two different buildings with two different names, the area is usually mistakenly simply called Fort Taber.  The granite fort is kept under lock and key but the earthen fort can be entered, though beware as vandals have sprayed graffiti inside and littered as well.  It is not as large as Fort Revere in Hull but walking through the darkened tunnels of this fort is creepy yet exhilarating.  You can almost feel what it was like when the fort was active 150 years ago.

Butler Flats Light

Not to be missed is a spark plug lighthouse known as Butler Flats Light.  It is quite a ways out if you walk the long pier which stretches out from Clarke’s Point.  It is a lot closer to shore as you’re leaving the forts.  There are a few spots to stop along East Rodney French Boulevard where you can get a much better view of the lighthouse at the mouth of the Acushnet River.  Built in 1898 Butler Flats Light was the replacement for Clarke’s Point Light.  That lighthouse stood along the shore from 1799 until 1869.  Once Fort Rodman had taken shape a new wooden structure was built on top of it where the lantern was relocated.  The stone lighthouse tower stood until 1906. 

One really nice historic home in New Bedford is the Rotch-Jones-Duff House.  It was built in 1834 for a whaling merchant named William Rotch Jr.  The house has three names, one for each of the families that lived at the house at different times.  The Rotch family obviously when it was first built in 1834, the Jones family starting in 1851, and the Duff family starting in 1935.

New Bedford Whaling Museum

The house has a more golden yellow color which looked impressive with the sun softly shining on it.  However the best part of this twenty-eight room mansion actually is outside where the amazing garden resides.  The garden encompasses a full city block and even in the late autumn it was a sight to behold.  It is said that the current garden is more in line with the time that the Jones family lived here.  There is a knee-high hedge maze which wraps around patches of beautiful flowers, some of which were still colorful even at this late stage of the season.  I would put this location on my list when planning a visit to New Bedford in the warmer months.

One area that needs no time frame to be enjoyed is a virtual time warp back to the 19^th century.  In the historic district of New Bedford, near the waterfront, there is a block of streets which are still lined with cobblestones.  Just walking these streets is a magical experience but when that is coupled with the fact that nearly every building you pass is significant it makes it a nearly perfect place to explore.

The Whaleman's Chapel from Moby Dick

Of course most people know of the New Bedford Whaling Museum, established in 1903, it is probably the most visited spot in the entirety of New Bedford.  Inside there are more than 200,000 artifacts from the past few centuries which give a complete history of the whaling industry in New Bedford and the entire ‘Old Dartmouth’ area.  This museum is a must see for all visitors.

The home of another rich whaling and banking industry pioneer Andrew Robeson is famous for having its 500 ton frame moved some 400 feet in 1978.  The federal-style(brick) home built in 1821 was in line to be torn down in the name of progress but it was saved by the Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE(WHALE).  It was painstakingly moved inch by inch from Second Street and turned ninety degrees before it came to rest at its current locale on Williams St.  That story is enough to warrant a visit when passing through New Bedford.

The cobblestone historic district has so much to see that it would be impossible to list it all.  I can only tell you to park and walk, you will be sure to find some amazing places.  Of course the Whaling Museum needs to be seen and don’t forget the historic forts out at Clarke’s Point.  New Bedford is one of the most historic seaports in the country and I can’t recommend a visit enough.  Have fun and happy traveling!    

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Directions:  Fort Taber/Rodman: From I-195 West take Exit 15 into New Bedford.  Follow John F Kennedy Memorial Highway until you need to bear right onto Rodney French Blvd.  The Fort Taber/Rodman site is on the right at the end of the road.

            Rotch-Jones-Duff Museum:  From I-195 take Exit 15, continue onto JFK Memorial Highway for 1.7 miles, turn right at Union St., turn left at 7^th St., follow it .2 miles to house on right.

            New Bedford Whaling Museum:  From I-195 take Exit 15, continue onto JFK Memorial Highway for 1.5 miles, turn right at Elm St.  Take the 2^nd left onto 1^st St., museum is on left.  

References:  Rotch-Jones-Duff Museum.org

Fort Taber.org

            New Bedford Whaling Museum