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

In My Footsteps: Trip 98: Acushnet, Massachusetts

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 98:  Acushnet, Massachusetts

December 2, 2010

            Formerly a part of New Bedford and then Fairhaven the town of Acushnet may be small in size but it has a rather large link to the world of sports.  The name Acushnet comes from the Wampanoag word ‘Cushnea’ which means ‘peaceful resting place near water’ which is no coincidence since the town lies along the Acushnet River.

Acushnet Town Hall

            The link to the world of sports that Acushnet has comes from the Acushnet Process Company, now known as the Acushnet Company.  Founded in 1910 the Acushnet Company owns the Titleist brand name which is very well known to any fan of the sport of golf.  The Acushnet Company was founded by Philip E. Young and began creating their own rubber-based products after initially supplying rubber to other companies.

            I began my time in Acushnet by visiting the center of town which as I have stated many times is where my GPS tends to bring me.  I parked next to the Town Hall and took a walk.  Posted on nearly every telephone pole were signs celebrating Acushnet’s Sesquicentennial.  That means 150 years, I had never heard of that particular term before visiting Acushnet.  The Town Hall had a unique style to it with a stone face looking more like an old castle than an official building.

History outside Long Plain Museum

            Being that this trip came during the Christmas season there were decorations and lights everywhere that captured my favorite time of the year.  I really loved the set up in front of the local fire department.  There were nutcrackers, snowmen, white bears, and of course Santa on the front lawn.  I arrived as the winter sun was getting low and the yellow orange hue to the collection really made it a sight to behold.

            After leaving the center of Acushnet I took a drive out to the Long Plain Museum further out on Main Street.  This museum is also the home of the town’s historical society.  The Long Plain Museum was built in 1875 and was originally the Long Plain Schoolhouse until 1972.  Many of the historical photos and exhibits inside depict school life in the late 19^th and early 20^th century.

Long Plain Museum

            What I particularly liked about this museum was the fact that there were several pieces of significance outside lined up along the fence.  There is a horse watering trough from 1840 that formerly resided outside of the Whelden School on Middle Street.  Next to that is the front step of the one room ‘Bog School.’  This tiny schoolhouse was taken over from Fairhaven in 1860 and remained in operation until 1905 when it was closed and the students transferred to the Long Plain School.  To the right is a date stone from the Whelden Mill, one of the earliest cotton mills in the northeast.  It was built in 1814 by Captain Joseph Whelden near where Deep Brook meets the Acushnet River.  Finally there is the keystone of the Deep Brook Bridge built in 1845.  The old bridge crossed Middle Road over Deep Brook before being replaced in 1974 by the current bridge.  The old schoolhouse had a haunting presence in the fading daylight making it an image I will take from my time in Acushnet.

            The final place I was able to visit before winter took the sunlight away was the Long Plain Friends Meeting House and Museum a short drive away on Main Street.  The meeting house was built by the Quakers in 1759, the term ‘friends’ used in many of the titles of these religious halls was just another way of saying Quaker.  It is the oldest such meeting house in southeastern Massachusetts but is no longer actively used. 

Long Plain Friends Meeting House

Set back from the road it was a memorable walk to get to where the solo white building stood in the open field.  As is the case with every other Quaker meeting house I have seen in my travels there is a small cemetery of loyal followers not far from the meeting house.  I stayed on the grounds of the meeting house until there was only milky dusk remaining it was as if I was in the soul of little Acushnet at that time.  That is what I will take from my trip, being able to ‘feel’ what the town was about.

Acushnet is a small town with a big connection to the world of sports with its association with the Titleist company. It also has hands on history with the Long Plain Museum.  It absolutely lived up to its Wamapnoag name of being a peaceful resting place near water and I believe that any visitor will enjoy their time in Acushnet.  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:  Long Plain Museum:  From I-195 take Exit 20, take Rt. 105 through Rochester.  Turn right at Cushman Rd., left at Robinson Rd., these are still Rt. 105.  Follow Robinson Rd. to Main St., turn right, Museum is almost immediately on left.  Quaker Meeting House is .7 miles further up on left.  

References:  Long Plain Museum.org

            Acushnet, Ma. - Official Town Site

            Acushnet Comapny.com

In My Footsteps: Trip 67: Fairhaven, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 67:  Fairhaven, Mass.

July 22, 2010

            With so many of the things that I look for in a place I visit Fairhaven ended up being one of my favorite spots thus far.  The beautiful architecture downtown, a view of a lighthouse in the harbor, and a tremendous piece of Colonial-era history are what makes up what Fairhaven is all about.

The Old Stone Schoolhouse

            Located just to the east of New Bedford, sharing the harbor with it, Fairhaven has a rich history intertwined with the whaling and fishing heritage of New Bedford.  The name most synonymously known with Fairhaven is that of Henry Huttleston Rogers.  He was a wealthy businessman as well as philanthropist.  Mr. Rogers was an original in oil refinery, first battling against John D. Rockefeller and his Standard Oil Company, and then later joining forces with him.  Henry H. Rogers’ philanthropic contributions to Fairhaven later in his life account for many of the incredible buildings in the downtown area.

            The first place I visited in Fairhaven however has nothing to do with Henry H. Rogers.  The Old Stone Schoolhouse, also called the Oxford Village schoolhouse, on North Street is a really small building built in 1828.  Incredibly the 20 ½ by 36 foot room could hold sixty-four students in its day.  The children must have been smaller in the mid-19^th century.  By the end of the 19^th century the population had grown such that a new Oxford Village schoolhouse was built and the tiny little stone building became little more than a meeting place for various religious and social groups.  It is a cool place to check out to give you some perspective on how little education was valued back 150 years ago.

Fairhaven Town Hall

            When I hit the downtown area of Fairhaven along Main Street I was amazed by the beauty of some of the architecture.  In a lot of ways it reminded me of my time in Easton, Massachusetts.  The buildings such as the Oakes Ames Memorial Hall in Easton designed by H.H. Richardson bare a striking resemblance to a few of the buildings in Fairhaven.  It is especially apparent when I looked at the Town Hall and Millicent Library.  The reason for this resemblance is that Richardson drew some of his style from noted 19^th century architect Charles Brigham.  It was Brigham who designed the incredible Town Hall and Millicent Library in 1892 and 1893 respectively.

            The Millicent Library was donated to Fairhaven by Henry H. Rogers and his wife Abbie.  It was named to honor their youngest daughter Millicent who had died of heart failure at seventeen in 1890.  The building is exquisite and includes a sculpture of a man’s face above the Millicent Library name.  I do not have any idea as to whose face it is though I am checking.

Fort Phoenix

The final spot I visited is a virtually untouched piece of American history.  Fort Phoenix is located along the water of the harbor shared by Fairhaven and New Bedford.  This spot was built during the American Revolution in 1775.  The first naval battle of the Revolution was fought within sight of Fort Phoenix on May 14, 1775 and was led by Captains Nathaniel Pope and Daniel Egery.  It was destroyed by British troops in 1778 but was rebuilt so quickly that it was given the name Fort Phoenix after the mythical bird. 

In 1812 it was enlarged under the supervision of the future ‘Father of the Military Academy’ at West Point, Sylvanua Thayer.  It helped repel an attack by the British HMS Nimrod in 1814.  It remained in use during the Civil War with Union troops rotating between Fort Phoenix and Fort Taber.  Though not used since 1876, Fort Phoenix still bears the look of an active military institution with five 19^th century cannons perched facing over the waters of Buzzards Bay as if ready for an oncoming battle.   On this day there was a man dressed in typical Revolutionary War soldier garb who was talking to any and all visitors about what it was like to serve on that very spot more than 230 years ago.  I was not aware of his presence until he fired off his musket for the people, needless to say that was a bit of a shock to me.

Palmer Island Lighthouse

The site is now a state park and the area leading up to the fort itself is covered with some awesome rock faces which when climbed give you a tremendous view of Fort Taber and Fort Rodman which are located across the water in New Bedford.  In addition to the Fort and the views of New Bedford there is another attraction not far away. 

Palmer Island Lighthouse sits out in the harbor and can only be reached on foot at low tide.  The island was used as an interment camp during King Philip’s War in 1675-76.  Made from rubble stone, scraps basically, Palmer Island Light was built in 1849 and is sort of a dwarf lighthouse as it only stands twenty-four feet tall.  Incredibly even though the island is only six acres there at one point was a hotel on it and later on an amusement park.  Getting to see this little known lighthouse after standing where Revolutionary War battles took place was a perfect end to a great trip to Fairhaven.

Fairhaven is a town where you can easily lose yourself all day visiting historic homes and sites and still not see everything there is to see.  A walk around the historic district of Main Street where the Town Hall and Millicent Library stand is a great start, but not the only place to start.  Fort Phoenix is a great historic site but is also a very popular beach.  I’ll bet some folks who go there fail to realize how much significance is so close to them.  Don’t forget about Palmer Island Light hiding out in the harbor while you are there.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions:  Fort Phoenix:  From I-195 West take Exit 18 into Fairhaven.  Turn right to take Rt. 240 south.  A little more than a mile turn right onto Bridge St.  Bear right onto Rt. 6/Huttleston Ave.  Turn left on Main St.; left onto Church St.; and right onto Fort St.  Fort Phoenix is on the right as you approach the beach.

            Town Hall/Millicent Library:  From Rt. 6 heading west turn left at Washington St.  Turn left at Walnut St., turn right at Center Street.  The Town Hall and Library are across the street from each other.  There is a sign with all of the historic spots in front of the Town Hall which makes for a great walk.

            Old Stone Schoolhouse:  From I-195 take Exit 18 for Rt. 240, follow it south to Bridge Street.  Turn right, follow it to Adams St., turn right.  Turn left on North Street, the schoolhouse is on the right.

References:  Fort Phoenix History Blog

            New England Lighthouses - Palmer Island Light

            Millicent Library.org

            Old Stone Schoolhouse History

Fairhaven on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Trip 8: New Bedford, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 8: Fort Taber/Rodman – New Bedford, Mass.

Fort Phoenix – Fairhaven, Mass.

Ned’s Point Light – Mattapoisett, Mass.

January 22, 2010



Massachusetts being one of the thirteen original colonies is a state rich in history. Every town in the state has its own list of historical places to visit. There are so many places in fact that it is possible to visit any of Massachusetts towns several times and still miss some amazing historical places. There are three mentioned here today that are must see, but they are by no means the last I will seek out.

Located only a half hour from the Bourne Bridge, New Bedford is overflowing with historical places. Deep in the tradition of the sea the New Bedford Whaling Museum, established in 1907, is normally the first spot circled on any itinerary as well it should be. The cobblestone streets and old-time looking shops in the surrounding area make it feel as though you have traveled back to another time. After visiting the museum there are many other places just as rich in significance in New Bedford. One such place is located at the end of Rodney French Boulevard on Clarks Point along 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(left) 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(right) 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. 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. If you take a step back and close your eyes you can imagine the soldiers training on this spot more than a hundred years ago.

Only five miles north of Fort Taber is an even older piece of American history. Located along the water in Fairhaven, and within sight of Fort Taber is Fort Phoenix. This spot was built during the American Revolution in 1775. It was destroyed by British troops in 1778 but was rebuilt so quickly that it was given the name Fort Phoenix(right) after the mythical bird. In 1812 it was enlarged under the supervision of the future ‘Father of the Military Academy’ at West Point, Sylvanua Thayer. It helped repel an attack by the British HMS Nimrod in 1814. It remained in use during the Civil War with Union troops rotating between Fort Phoenix and Fort Taber. Though not used since 1876, Fort Phoenix still bears the look of an active military institution with five 19th century cannons perched facing over the waters of Buzzards Bay as if ready for an oncoming battle. The site is open year round and has a tremendous breakwater walk with a view of Palmer’s Island Light located on a small island in the middle of the harbor.

About seven miles east, in the small town of Mattapoisett, there is yet another piece of history. On the shore of Buzzards Bay, at the mouth of Mattapoisett’s harbor, sits Ned’s Point Lighthouse(left). It was built in 1838 at the urging of former President, and at that time Massachusetts Congressman, John Quincy Adams. It had been rushed and poorly built at first, needing several rounds of improvements up through 1888. The wooden light keeper’s house was loaded on a barge and floated across Buzzards Bay to Wing’s Neck Light in Bourne in 1923. Russell Eastman, the last keeper at Ned’s Point, rode in the house across the bay on the day. Decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1952 the light became active again in 1961. The thirty-nine foot stone tower is open for a few hours Thursdays during July and August but the grounds are open all year long.

Massachusetts is filled with history that dates back nearly 400 years. It is impossible to visit any of the 351 cities and towns in the state and not find one if not several amazing historical landmarks. You don’t even have to enjoy history to appreciate these sites mentioned above. It is much different than studying a book when the places themselves are brimming with life as you stand before them. I recommend each of these places be visited but they don’t have to be all in one day! Have fun and happy traveling!

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.

Fort Phoenix: From I-195 West take Exit 18 into Fairhaven. Turn right to take Rt. 240 south. A little more than a mile turn right onto Bridge St. Bear right onto Rt. 6/Huttleston Ave. Turn left on Main St.; left onto Church St.; and right onto Fort St. Fort Phoenix is on the right as you approach the beach.

Ned’s Point Lighthouse: From I-195 West take Exit 19A. Turn right into Mattapoisett. Bear right onto North Street, follow for a mile and a half and turn left onto Water St. which becomes Beacon St. This road becomes Ned’s Point Rd. without any turns. Follow it to the park where the lighthouse is located.

References: Fort Taber/Rodman History

Fort Phoenix History Blog

Ned's Point Light Virtual Guide

New Bedford Whaling Museum