In My Footsteps
Christopher Setterlund
Trip 36: Bristol, Rhode Island
March 25, 2010
When it comes to the most historic towns in New England there are many that would come to mind right away. It might take a while to name the beautiful coastal town of Bristol, Rhode Island as one of those towns. However after taking a drive down the east coast of Rhode Island and walking the amazing downtown area of Bristol any visitor will find out just why this town ranks up near the top of historic places in this region.
For the first trip outside of Massachusetts I chose Bristol because of the fact that it was an underrated historical town; its history goes back as far as 1675. It was here that the first battle of King Philip’s War took place; this was the battle between the European settlers and Native American
sachem, or chief, Metacom. Founded in 1680 originally as a part of Plymouth County and named for a town in England, Bristol’s main settlers were the DeWolf family. James DeWolf started out as a leading slave trader and was a Revolutionary War veteran captured twice. He eventually became a senator in Rhode Island from 1821-25. Fortunately local Quakers fought to abolish slavery not too long after the Revolution. The DeWolf family’s home, Linden Place(left) on Hope Street, was built in 1810 and is currently a museum. Concerts and performances take place during the year and there are many other events going on to celebrate the bicentennial of Linden Place. This piece of history, however, is only the beginning of an incredible visit to Bristol.
A great place to start a trip into Bristol is the entrance to the town: The Mount Hope Bridge(right). Named for a hill in Bristol which overlooks Mount Hope Bay, it is a very important site as it is located close to the spot where Metacom met his demise during King Philip’s War. The bridge itself was initially proposed in 1920 as a way to connect Bristol and Portsmouth across one of the narrowest parts of Narragansett Bay. The bridge is built in a classic suspension style, much like San Francisco’s Golden Gate
, it spans more than 6,000 feet from end to end and is a registered historic place. There is a small parking area at the foot of the bridge where the history of it is captured in several images.
, it spans more than 6,000 feet from end to end and is a registered historic place. There is a small parking area at the foot of the bridge where the history of it is captured in several images. 
The only unfortunate part of the Mount Hope Bridge being built is the fact that it hides another historic Bristol location. The Bristol Ferry Lighthouse(left), built in 1855, sits almost directly underneath the bridge. Discontinued shortly after the completion of the bridge, the lighthouse is now privately owned. It can be viewed from the end of Old Ferry Road which runs along the dorms of Roger Williams University. This is a must see spot for the great views of the lighthouse, bridge, and the shoreline of Portsmouth across the bay. It is from this spot that you can truly appreciate just how long the Mount Hope Bridge really is as it stretches out of sight. It is a perfect example of the progression of our own capabilities as humans to see this mammoth steel creation towering over a modest forty-foot brick lighthouse.
There is no shortage of historic places to see in the historic downtown area of Bristol. In fact the best way to fully appreciate this area is to find a spot along Hope Street and walk. If you are like me you will find yourself stopping every few steps and snapping photos of almost every building you see. I wanted to make sure that I pointed out at least a couple of really amazing spots that caught my eye during my walk on the streets of Bristol. The first one actually sat right in front of where I parked.
The Burnside Memorial Building which doubles as a courthouse at times is located next to the Bristol Town Hall. It was originally built in 1883 as a tribute to the Civil War General, and Bristol native, Ambrose Burnside
. Along the side and behind the building is a spectacular war memorial(left) encompassing all of the major conflicts faced by our country. It begins with a statue featuring two soldiers looking off toward the water. From there you will walk along a brick walkway featuring the names of donators to the memorial as well as incredible granite stones with names of some wars and local veterans on them. The highlight for me was the wall at the back of the memorial which featured the names of all of the local casualties of all of the wars up to and including the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The stone has such a brilliant reflection to it that it was possible for me to see the Burnside Memorial Building in great detail while staring at the names listed. It was hard not to get a greater scope of the horrors of war by looking at all of the names listed and realizing that it was only for the town of Bristol.
. Along the side and behind the building is a spectacular war memorial(left) encompassing all of the major conflicts faced by our country. It begins with a statue featuring two soldiers looking off toward the water. From there you will walk along a brick walkway featuring the names of donators to the memorial as well as incredible granite stones with names of some wars and local veterans on them. The highlight for me was the wall at the back of the memorial which featured the names of all of the local casualties of all of the wars up to and including the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The stone has such a brilliant reflection to it that it was possible for me to see the Burnside Memorial Building in great detail while staring at the names listed. It was hard not to get a greater scope of the horrors of war by looking at all of the names listed and realizing that it was only for the town of Bristol. The Burnside Memorial Building is just one of a seemingly unlimited number of historic places in this hidden gem of a town. There are thirteen officially recognized places included in the National Register of Historic Places in Bristol to be exact. The final spot I visited in Bristol is a great way to capture the maritime feel: Independence Park. Located along Thames Street and sitting on Bristol Harbor this park is the starting point for the East Bay Bike Path. There is a rocky pier for fishing and a beach used more for launching boats than swimming. There is a monument to Christopher Columbus
’ voyage across the Atlantic on the southern side of the park as well as a World War II era artillery gun facing out into the harbor. It is a great spot to watch the boats come in, watch the people and cars pass by along historic Thames Street, or to grab a bite to eat at Quito’s seafood restaurant.
’ voyage across the Atlantic on the southern side of the park as well as a World War II era artillery gun facing out into the harbor. It is a great spot to watch the boats come in, watch the people and cars pass by along historic Thames Street, or to grab a bite to eat at Quito’s seafood restaurant. A true hidden gem of a town, Bristol is so filled with history that I feel I have most certainly missed a great deal of sites despite having seen so much. I believe that any visitor needs to take in the scope of the Mount Hope Bridge, walk the historic Hope and Thames streets, and visit Independence Park or the nearby Colt State Park. Get out and enjoy Bristol. Have fun and happy traveling!
Directions: Bristol Ferry Light/Mount Hope Bridge: From Rt. 114 heading north cross over Mt. Hope Bridge. Take first right turn onto Old Ferry Road. Follow it to the water, there is a small area to park and look upon the bridge and water. The lighthouse is located on the right.
Independence Park: From Rt. 114 heading north, cross over Mt. Hope Bridge. Follow Ferry Road and take a left at Hope Street to stay on Rt. 114. Follow Rt. 114/Hope Street to Franklin St., turn left and the park is in front of you.
Historic District: From Rt. 114 heading north, cross over Mt. Hope Bridge. Follow Ferry Road and take a left at Hope St. to stay on Rt. 114. From there it is a matter of where to start. There is parking on the street and Thames Street is the next street to the west along the water.
References: Discover Bristol.com
got its name from the ‘falling river’ known as the Quequechan River. Quequechan comes from the Wampanoag word believed to mean ‘falling river/waters’ due to the waterfalls that ran through the city. These falls were diverted underground due to the development of the Braga Bridge and Interstate 195. The borders of Fall River at one time included Tiverton, Rhode Island but this area was annexed to the Ocean State to satisfy the border disagreement between Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1746.
Cove there is also an unexpected site, a restored carousel. Originally located at the now-closed Lincoln Park in nearby Dartmouth, the carousel, which was built in 1920, was restored by local high school students in the early-1990’s. Unfortunately on this day it was being rented out for a private party so my best view was through the windows. It is certain to be more accessible on other days so it should be sought out during any visit to Fall River. Having never been to Battleship Cove I took a bit of time to simply stand near the water’s edge and just marvel at the enormity of the ships and the area they covered. 
Museum(above). Although the museum itself is small, consisting of a few vintage railroad cars, it is still nonetheless a very important collection and piece of history. The Old Colony & Fall River Railroad came about as a merger between the Old Colony Railroad and the Fall River Railroad in 1854. Though the museum itself is small it contains a very conclusive look at the cars which once ran along the Fall River Railroad. On the museum grounds you can see how a rail switch works along with specific rail cars like the caboose and theater cars. It is impossible to miss this museum if you are anywhere near Battleship Cove and is a great stop on a visit to Fall River especially during the warmer months.
House(left). For those of you who may have never heard of the events legend has it that Ms. Borden murdered her father and step-mother with an axe inside the house in 1892. She was acquitted but the murders still took place regardless of who the perpetrator was. 
-era or earlier and I found it a little humorous that it is pointed eerily close to the farmers market.
season, even twenty-five years later I can picture that trip in my mind. The park has many rides and a vintage carousel, it is easy to find and as previously stated is synonymous with the small town of Carver.
State Forest is the largest publicly owned recreation area in the state and is home to many beautiful kettle ponds. Covering approximately 15,000 acres of land this amazing landscape is home to the endangered Plymouth Red-bellied turtle which populates several of the kettle ponds.
quietly swimming across Furnace Pond(left) and it made for a fitting end to my trip. 
just across the town line. The company, founded in 1930, began as a collection of three cranberry growers and has become the top brand of canned and bottled juice drinks in 
-style structure looks majestically over Rt. 105 which leads into a beautiful downtown area seemingly pulled right from a story. I felt it necessary to take a walk in the sun around this area to appreciate it more.
and King Philip’s War which astounded me. The intricate bricks that fill the center of the memorial are special as well; many of them have names of soldiers from Middleboro who fought and died in the wars. I felt honored to be standing among these brave soldiers, even if it was just their names.
’ pancakes which consisted of bananas along with chocolate and peanut butter chips. Needless to say I was not disappointed with the taste or the portions. The service and overall mood of the diner is off the charts, the people are all so friendly and seem to thrive on the carefree 50’s vibe. I highly recommend that you make a stop at Dave’s if you are in the area, or even if you are not. I made it a scheduled stop on my trip thanks to great reviews and here is another great review. 
and became an important town in the 19th Century due to silver and iron industries. The Taunton River is the town’s only major waterway. Though beautiful it can also be dangerous, it was flooded after a series of large rainstorms recently. 
shop named Colonial Donut Shop. It has a look and feel of a gathering place for locals untouched by progress, with a grandfather who once owned a few doughnut shops, in Hyannis as well as Brockton, this was something that I appreciated.
. This process takes between ten and fifteen years to occur. There is so much more to see on the grounds of the courthouse including an incredible World War II memorial fountain to the right of the building. Luckily at this time of year the fountains were not turned on; it allowed a great view of the granite earth located in the center of four pillars. On the other side of the courthouse grounds is a moving Korean War memorial featuring two soldiers, one of whom has seemingly just passed away. It is hard not to be touched by both of these memorials.
has 126 campsites and four lakes. Though the gates to the main road were closed on this day it was still populated by many people jogging and walking with their kids and dogs. The Perry cranberry bogs, which are privately maintained, fit right in with the rest of the natural beauty. Lake Rico(right) is the closest, and largest, body of water to the main gate if visitors do not wish to travel far into the park’s grounds. This lake takes up nearly a quarter of the park’s grounds and has a separate parking area outside of the park as well. It will give you a taste of the beauty of Massasoit even if you do not travel any further inside.
. It is what defines this incredible North Shore village. America’s oldest seaport, Gloucester houses many beautiful landscapes along its shore and some memorable statues and of course lighthouses. Only a forty mile drive north of Boston, this popular tourist destination at times can seem like the perfect painting of what a fishing village should be.
artifacts. Hammond was also a prolific inventor, second only to 
as far as patents. He is known as the ‘Father of Remote Control’ thanks to his works with remote control via radio waves. 
’ of October 1991. 
. It is so rare to find a place that has held onto its roots as a fishing village. At times it felt as though I had one foot in the present and one foot in the past. Lighthouses, medieval castles, spacious parks, great food, historic memorials, Gloucester has everything you could want in a vacation or a day trip. I suggest taking more than just a day to discover it all though, or you will find you have missed so much. Have fun and happy traveling!