122-555: The Dawson Building (also known as the Eagles Home ) is a historic commercial building located at 1851 Purchase Street in New Bedford, Massachusetts . It is a four-story, brick Classical Revival style building, whose most prominent feature is a large octagonal turret at the corner. It was constructed in 1896 for Benjamin Dawson, a grocer and liquor distributor. In 1923, it was purchased by
244-446: A sea wall was constructed in 1900 to protect the area from further erosion. The archaeological remains of the original 1607 fort, which had been protected by the sea wall, were not discovered until 1996. In 1932, George Craghead Gregory of Richmond was credited with discovering the foundation of the first brick statehouse (capitol) building, circa 1646, at Jamestown on the land owned by Preservation Virginia. Around 1936, Gregory, who
366-541: A 2001 study by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Policy Analysis, the three largest employment sectors in the Greater New Bedford area (the area includes New Bedford and Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and Wareham) were as follows: services (26% of total employment); wholesale trade (22%); manufacturing (19%). The largest industries by employment in
488-549: A Dutch flag. The approximately 20 Africans from present-day Angola , had been removed by the British crew from a Portuguese slave ship. They most likely worked in the tobacco fields, under a system of race-based indentured servitude . The modern conception of slavery in the British colonies was formalized in 1640, and fully entrenched in Virginia by 1660. In 1676, Jamestown was deliberately burned during Bacon's Rebellion , though it
610-457: A celebration honoring the establishment of the first permanent English colony in the New World at Jamestown to be held on the 300th anniversary in 1907. As a celebration was planned, virtually no one thought that the actual isolated and long-abandoned original site of Jamestown would be suitable for a major event because Jamestown Island had no facilities for large crowds. The original fort housing
732-507: A commercial zone and from there became a major whaling and foreign trade port. In the early 18th century, the Russell family purchased this area and developed it into a larger village (Joseph Russell III having made the most significant contributions). Age of Sail ships built in New Bedford include the schooner Caroline and whaleship Charles W. Morgan . By the 18th century, entrepreneurs in
854-570: A community of Kʼicheʼ people who originated from Guatemala and had traveled to the United States to avoid the Guatemalan Civil War . Starting in the end part of the 1980s, Kʼicheʼ adult men in Providence, Rhode Island moved to New Bedford, and other demographics of Kʼicheʼ came afterwards. Many, by 2010, were in low socioeconomic conditions and did not have documentation to be legally in
976-406: A curve in the river, and it was close to the land, making it navigable and offering enough land for piers or wharves to be built in the future. Perhaps the most favorable fact about the location was that it was uninhabited because the leaders of the nearby indigenous nations considered the site too poor and remote for agriculture . The island was swampy and isolated, and it offered limited space,
1098-536: A fashion similar to that practiced in England. Jamestown was located in James City Shire , soon renamed the "County of James City", better known in modern times as James City County, Virginia , the nation's oldest county. Another large-scale "Indian attack" occurred in 1644. In 1646 Opechancanough was captured, and while he was in custody an English guard shot him in the back—against orders—and killed him. Subsequently,
1220-757: A fierce warrior named Opechancanough , became head of the Powhatan Confederacy . As the English continued to appropriate more land for tobacco farming, relations with the natives worsened. Because of the high cost of the trans-Atlantic voyage at this time, many English settlers came to Jamestown as indentured servants : in exchange for the passage, room, board, and the promise of land or money, these immigrants would agree to work for three to seven years. Immigrants from continental Europe, mainly Germans, were usually redemptioners —they purchased some portion of their voyage on credit and, upon arrival, borrowed or entered into
1342-752: A foreign concept to them. Members of the Religious Society of Friends , also known as Quakers , were among the early European settlers on the South Coast . They had faced persecution in the Puritan communities of Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony ; the latter banned the Quakers in 1656–1657. When the Massachusetts Bay Colony annexed the Plymouth Colony in 1691, Quakers already represented
SECTION 10
#17328481226911464-528: A fortified community inland on the Virginia Peninsula , about 8 miles (13 km) distant. When the statehouse burned again in 1698, this time accidentally, the legislature again temporarily relocated to Middle Plantation and was able to meet in the new facilities of the College of William & Mary , which had been established after receiving a royal charter in 1693. Rather than rebuilding at Jamestown again,
1586-528: A logical location, leaders in Norfolk began a campaign to have a celebration held there. The decision was made to locate the international exposition on a mile-long frontage at Sewell's Point near the mouth of Hampton Roads . This was about 30 miles (48 km) downstream from Jamestown in a rural section of Norfolk County . It was a site which could become accessible by both long-distance passenger railroads and local streetcar service, with considerable frontage on
1708-527: A majority of the population of Old Dartmouth. In 1699, with the support of Peleg Slocum , the Quakers built their first meeting house in Old Dartmouth, where the Apponegansett Meeting House is now located. At first, the Old Dartmouth territory was devoid of major town centers, and instead had isolated farms and small, decentralized villages, such as Russells' Mills . One reason for this
1830-559: A particularly long voyage of four months, including a stop in the Canary Islands , in Spain , and subsequently Puerto Rico , and finally departed for the American mainland on April 10, 1607. The expedition made landfall on April 26, 1607, at a place which they named Cape Henry . Under orders to select a more secure location, they set about exploring what is now Hampton Roads and an outlet to
1952-532: A prosperity greater than that of the whaling industry. New Bedford, funded by industrial fortunes, developed a thriving art scene. The Mount Washington Glass Company (which later became Pairpoint ) crafted works of glass and silver for the newly affluent class, and examples of these works can be seen today on the second floor of the New Bedford Whaling Museum . In the 1920s, local employers came under competitive pressure from new textile factories in
2074-665: A rumored Spanish attack on the colony and urged the Powhatans to join it. The Spanish were driven off by the timely arrival in July 1609 of Captain Samuel Argall in Mary and John , a larger ship than the Spanish reconnaissance ship La Asunción de Cristo . Argall's voyage also prevented the Spanish from gaining knowledge of the weakness of the colony. Don Pedro de Zúñiga, the Spanish ambassador to England,
2196-594: A shipyard in Portsmouth , Virginia and placed on display at a new dock at Jamestown, where the largest, Susan Constant , could be boarded by visitors. On Jamestown Island, the reconstructed Jamestown Glasshouse , the Memorial Cross and the visitors center were completed and dedicated. A loop road was built around the island. Special events included army and navy reviews, air force fly-overs, ship and aircraft christenings and even an outdoor drama at Cape Henry , site of
2318-618: A sizable eastern-European Jewish community joined them in New Bedford. Some became prominent merchants and businessmen, mainly in textiles and manufacturing. Fishing and manufacturing continue to be two of the largest businesses in the area, and healthcare has become a major employer. The three largest single employers based in New Bedford are Southcoast Hospitals Group , one of the top ten employers in Massachusetts (healthcare), Titleist (golf clubs, balls, apparel, manufacturing), and Riverside Manufacturing (apparel manufacturing). According to
2440-625: A skilled and comprehensive maritime community. New Bedford's first newspaper, The Medley (also known as the New Bedford Marine Journal ), was founded in 1792. On June 12, 1792, the town set up its first post office. William Tobey was its first postmaster. The construction of a bridge (originally a toll bridge) between New Bedford and present-day Fairhaven in 1796 also spurred growth. (Fairhaven separated from New Bedford in 1812, forming an independent town that included both present-day Fairhaven and present-day Acushnet.) Nantucket had been
2562-552: A third garrison on Palmer Island . A section of Old Dartmouth near the west bank of the Acushnet River, originally called Bedford Village, was officially incorporated as the town of New Bedford on February 23, 1787, after the American Revolutionary War . The name was suggested by the Russell family, who were prominent citizens of the community. The Dukes of Bedford , a leading English aristocratic house, also bore
SECTION 20
#17328481226912684-530: A treaty between the Wampanoag, represented by Chief Ousamequin ( Massasoit ) and his son Wamsutta , and John Winslow , William Bradford , Myles Standish , Thomas Southworth, and John Cooke. While the Europeans considered themselves full owners of the land through the transaction, the Wampanoag have disputed this claim because the concept of land ownership —in contrast with hunting, fishing, and farming rights—was
2806-503: A violent crime rate in New Bedford, Massachusetts, of 640 per 100,000 residents in 2019, compared to a national average of 366.7 per 100,000 residents. An FBI report in 2020 showed burglary and breaking and entering dropped about 52% from 969 crimes in 2011 to 465 crimes in 2019. The economy of the Pilgrim settlement in the New Bedford area was initially based around a few farming and fishing villages. The early Bedford Village quickly became
2928-596: A work contract to pay the remainder of their voyage costs. In 1619, the first representative assembly in America, the General Assembly, convened in the Jamestown Church , "to establish one equal and uniform government over all Virginia" which would provide "just laws for the happy guiding and governing of the people there inhabiting." Initially, only men of English origin were permitted to vote. On June 30, 1619, in what
3050-693: Is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts , United States. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. It is the largest city in the region and second largest city in the Providence-Warwick-New Bedford Metropolitan Region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Indians. English colonists bought the land on which New Bedford would later be built from
3172-469: Is a coastal city, a seaport, bordered on the west by Dartmouth, on the north by Freetown , on the east by Acushnet and Fairhaven, and on the south by Buzzards Bay . From New Bedford's northern border with Freetown to the Buzzards Bay coast at Clark's Point the distance is approximately 14 miles (23 km). Across New Bedford east to west is a distance of about 2 miles (3.2 km). The highest point in
3294-538: Is a living-history park and museum located 1.25 miles (2.01 km) from the original location of the colony and adjacent to Jamestown Island. Initially created for the celebration of the 350th anniversary in 1957, Jamestown Settlement is operated by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and largely sponsored by the Commonwealth of Virginia . The museum complex features a reconstruction of a Powhatan village,
3416-524: Is also home to the New Bedford Whaling Museum and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park . Before the 17th century, the lands along the Acushnet River were inhabited by the Wampanoag Native Americans, who had settlements throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket . Their population is believed to have been about 12,000. On May 15, 1602, English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold in
3538-546: Is high precipitation year-round, with winter being split between rainfall and snowfall. New Bedford and surrounding communities are a part of the Providence metropolitan area . The Greater Providence-Fall River-New Bedford area is home to the largest Portuguese-American community in the United States. At the 2020 census , there were 101,079 people. The population density was 4,760 inhabitants per square mile (1,840/km ). There were 42,781 housing units at an average density of 2,063 per square mile (797/km ). The racial makeup of
3660-478: Is located at 41°39′06″N 70°56′01″W / 41.651803°N 70.933705°W / 41.651803; -70.933705 (41.651803, −70.933705). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 24.1 square miles (62.5 km ). Of the total area, 20.0 square miles (51.8 km ) is land, and 4.1 square miles (10.7 km ), or 17.13%, is water. New Bedford
3782-547: Is that the inhabitants enjoyed their independence from the Plymouth Colony and they did not want the Plymouth court to appoint them a minister. At this time, the economy primarily ran on agriculture and fishing. The availability of land attracted many Quakers and Baptists from Newport and Portsmouth in Rhode Island , as well as more waves of Puritan migration. The rising European population and increasing demand for land led
Dawson Building - Misplaced Pages Continue
3904-682: Is the archaeological site on Jamestown Island and is a cooperative effort by Jamestown National Historic Site and Preservation Virginia . Jamestown Settlement, a living history interpretive site, is operated by the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, a state agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Spain, Portugal, and France moved quickly to establish a presence in the New World , while other European countries moved more slowly. The English did not attempt to found colonies until many decades after
4026-467: The 2020 U.S. census , New Bedford had a population of 101,079, making it the state's ninth-largest city and the largest of the South Coast region. The city is also known for its high concentration of Portuguese Americans . New Bedford remains known for its fishing fleet and accompanying seafood industry, which as of 2019 generated the highest annual value of any fishing port in the United States. The city
4148-486: The Acushnet River . In 1875 alone, the Wamsutta Mills processed 19,000 bales of cotton into 20 million yards of cloth, which had a wholesale value comparable to that of the entire whaling catch, and continued to produce over 20 million yards of cloth yearly after 1883. The Wamsutta Mills remained the world's largest weaving plant until 1892. The textile mills redefined wealth in New Bedford, and gave birth to
4270-649: The Chesapeake Bay which they named the James River in honor of King James I of England . Captain Edward Maria Wingfield was elected president of the governing council on April 25, 1607. On May 14, he selected a piece of land on a large peninsula some 40 miles (64 km) inland from the Atlantic Ocean as a prime location for a fortified settlement. The river channel was a defensible strategic point due to
4392-562: The Dartmouth of the Boston Tea Party ) and Samuel Rodman were important Quaker businessmen in the whaling industry. After the War of 1812 's embargo was lifted, New Bedford started amassing a number of colossal, sturdy, square-rigged whaling ships, many of them built at the shipyard of Mattapoisett . The invention of on-board tryworks , a system of massive iron pots over a brick furnace, allowed
4514-476: The Indian massacre of 1622 . More than 300 settlers were killed in the attack, about a third of the colony's English-speaking population. Dale's development at Henricus , which was to feature a college to educate the natives, and Wolstenholme Towne at Martin's Hundred , were both essentially wiped out. Jamestown was spared only through a timely warning by a Virginia Indian employee. There was not enough time to spread
4636-533: The James River , about 2.5 mi (4 km) southwest of present-day Williamsburg . It was established by the London Company as "James Fort" on May 4, 1607 O.S. (May 14, 1607 N.S. ), and considered permanent, after brief abandonment in 1610. It followed failed attempts, including the Roanoke Colony , established in 1585. Despite the dispatch of more supplies, only 60 of the original 214 settlers survived
4758-536: The Nottoway and Blackwater rivers. The lifespan of these trees is up to 1,000 years, and their rings offer a good indication of an area's annual amount of rainfall. The borings revealed that the worst drought in 700 years occurred between 1606 and 1612. This severe drought affected the Jamestown colonists and Powhatan tribe's ability to produce food and obtain a safe supply of water. The settlers also arrived too late in
4880-608: The Peninsula campaign , which began later that spring, Union forces under General George B. McClellan moved up the peninsula from Fort Monroe in an attempt to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. The Union forces captured Yorktown in April 1862, and the Battle of Williamsburg was fought the following month. With these developments, Jamestown and the lower James River were abandoned by
5002-499: The Stone Fleet in an unsuccessful attempt to blockade the Confederate bay. Along with the poor business and low whale populations, this dealt a potent blow to a failing industry. In the midst of this decline, greater New Bedford's economy became more dependent on the textile industry , which began to eclipse the whaling industry in the late 19th century. The mills grew and expanded constantly, eventually comprising multiple sites along
Dawson Building - Misplaced Pages Continue
5124-559: The Underground Railroad . Many people were attracted by New Bedford's relatively open-minded atmosphere. For example, Paul Cuffe —an Ashanti - Wampanoag Quaker and self-made tycoon —among several other remarkable achievements earned black property owners in New Bedford the right to vote decades before Abraham Lincoln even signed the Emancipation Proclamation . Lewis Temple , an African-American blacksmith , invented
5246-461: The 1609–1610 Starving Time . In mid-1610, the survivors abandoned Jamestown, though they returned after meeting a resupply convoy in the James River. Jamestown served as the colonial capital from 1616 until 1699. In August 1619, the first recorded slaves from Africa to British North America arrived at present-day Old Point Comfort , near the Jamestown colony, on a British privateer ship flying
5368-583: The 1750s, when it was abandoned. By the mid-18th century, the land was heavily cultivated, primarily by the Travis and Ambler families. In 1831, David Bullock purchased Jamestown from the Travis and Ambler families. During the American Civil War , in 1861 Confederate William Allen , who owned the Jamestown Island, occupied Jamestown with troops he raised at his own expense with the intention of blockading
5490-558: The 1958 report Archaeological Excavations at Jamestown . In the present time, as part of the Colonial National Historical Park , the Jamestown Island area is home to two heritage tourism sites related to the original fort and town. Nearby, the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry service provides a link across the navigable portion of the James River for vehicles and affords passengers a view of Jamestown Island from
5612-638: The Atlantic— Cape Verde , the Azores , and Madeira —began arriving in New Bedford and the surrounding area, attracted by jobs in the whaling industry; many had family members who had worked on whaling ships. As the Portuguese community began to increase in population, it established the first Portuguese parish in the city, St. John the Baptist (1871). French Canadians also secured a foothold in New Bedford at about
5734-826: The Civil War, the Confederacy engaged in commerce raiding with ships such as the Alabama , the Florida , and the Shenandoah , trying to attack the Yankee whaling industry and sabotage the US economy. Additionally, the US federal government bought several inactive whalers , filled them with stones, sand, and dirt, and towed them to Charleston , South Carolina, where the Union Navy sank what became known as
5856-453: The Confederates. Some of the forces from Jamestown and the crew of Virginia relocated to Drewry's Bluff , a fortified and strategic position high above the river about 8 miles (13 km) below Richmond. There they successfully blocked the Union Navy from reaching the Confederate capital. Once in Federal hands, Jamestown became a meeting place for runaway slaves, who burned the Ambler house, an 18th-century plantation house, which along with
5978-488: The James Fort as it was c. 1610 –1614, and seagoing replicas of the three ships that brought the first settlers, Susan Constant , Godspeed , Discovery . With the national independence of the United States established by the end of the 18th century, Jamestown came to be looked at as a starting point. Its founding in 1607 has been regularly commemorated, with the most notable events being held every fifty years. The bicentennial of Jamestown on May 13–14, 1807,
6100-406: The James River and Richmond from the Union Navy. He was joined by Lieutenant Catesby ap Roger Jones , who directed the building of batteries and conducted ordnance and armor tests for the first Confederate ironclad warship , CSS Virginia , which was under construction at the Gosport Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth in late 1861 and early 1862. Jamestown had a peak force of 1,200 men. During
6222-466: The Jamestown Rediscovery staff. Visitors can also often observe archaeologists from the Jamestown Rediscovery Project at work, as archaeological work at the site continues. As of 2014 , the archaeological work and studies are ongoing. In addition to their newsletter and website, new discoveries are frequently reported in the local newspaper, the Virginia Gazette based in nearby Williamsburg, and by other news media, often worldwide. Jamestown Settlement
SECTION 50
#17328481226916344-408: The Jamestown settlers was believed to have been long ago swallowed by the James River . The general area in James City County near Jamestown was also considered unsuitable, as it was not very accessible in the day of rail travel before automobiles were common. As the tricentennial of the 1607 Founding of the Jamestown neared, around 1904, despite an assumption in some quarters that Richmond would be
6466-477: The Jamestown society organized a celebration marking the 250th anniversary of Jamestown's founding. According to the Richmond Enquirer , the site for the celebration was on 10 acres (40,000 m ) on the spot where some of the colonists' houses were originally built. However, it is also speculated that the celebration was moved further east on the island closer to the Travis grave site, in order to avoid damaging Major William Allen 's corn fields. The attendance
6588-407: The NPS's excavations at Jamestown. In 1954, John L. Cotter took charge of field projects at Jamestown, conducted with the site's 350th anniversary (1957) in mind. Cotter worked with Edward B. Jelks and Harrington to survey the area's colonial sites. In 1957 Cotter and J. Paul Hudson co-authored New Discoveries at Jamestown . Cotter contributed, along with Jelks, Georg Neumann, and Johnny Hack, to
6710-535: The New Bedford Aeire #647 Fraternal Order of Eagles . It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, and included in the Acushnet Heights Historic District in 1989. The building has since been converted into a 32-unit affordable housing apartment building. This article about a National Register of Historic Places listing in Bristol County , Massachusetts is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford ( Massachusett : Accushnet )
6832-557: The Powhatan Confederacy began to decline. Opechancanough's successor signed the first peace treaties between the Powhatan Indians and the English. The treaties required the Powhatan to pay yearly tribute payment to the English and confined them to reservations. A generation later, during Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, Jamestown was burned and eventually rebuilt. During its recovery, the Virginia legislature met first at Governor William Berkeley 's nearby Green Spring Plantation , and later at Middle Plantation , which had been started in 1632 as
6954-490: The Prince of Sweden, Mark Twain , Henry H. Rogers , and dozens of other dignitaries and famous persons. A major naval review featuring the United States' Great White Fleet was a key feature. U.S. Military officials and leaders were impressed by the location, and the Exposition site later formed the first portion of the large U.S. Naval Station Norfolk in 1918 during World War I . With America's increased access to automobiles, and with improved roads and transportation, it
7076-422: The Revolution) and set businesses on fire. Nantucket was even more exposed, and the physical destruction, frozen economy, and import taxes imposed after the war obliterated previous fortunes. New Bedford also had a deeper harbor and was located on the mainland. As a result, New Bedford supplanted Nantucket as the nation's preeminent whaling port, and so began the Golden Age of Whaling. William Rotch (owner of
7198-535: The Starving Time was John Rolfe , who carried with him a cache of untested tobacco seeds from Bermuda, which had grown wild there after being planted by shipwrecked Spaniards years before. In 1614, Rolfe began to successfully harvest tobacco. Prosperous and wealthy, he married Pocahontas, bringing several years of peace between the English and natives. However, at the end of a public relations trip to England, Pocahontas became sick and died on March 21, 1617. The following year, her father also died. Powhatan's brother,
7320-399: The Temple toggle iron, which was the most successful harpoon design. Frederick Douglass , the famous social reformer and orator, also found amnesty in New Bedford and worked at the wharf for three years. The whaling industry went into decline after the 1859 discovery of petroleum in Pennsylvania. Each decade thenceforth saw a gradual decrease in whaling work, activity, and revenue. During
7442-509: The United States. In 2019 an advocacy group for the Maya people complained to the courts that the New Bedford School District was not providing adequate Kʼicheʼ language services. The U.S. Department of Justice and the school district came to resolution so the school district could provide appropriate Kʼicheʼ language services. The city's crime rate, including violent and property crime decreased by 38% from 2011 to 2020 with 4456 incidents in 2011 and 2171 incidents in 2020. The FBI reported
SECTION 60
#17328481226917564-452: The Wampanoag in 1652, and the original colonial settlement that would later become the city was founded by English Quakers in the late 17th century. The town of New Bedford itself was officially incorporated in 1787. During the first half of the 19th century, New Bedford was one of the world's most important whaling ports. At its economic height during this period, New Bedford was the wealthiest city in North America per capita. New Bedford
7686-530: The age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 20.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01. Age distribution was 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
7808-422: The area were as follows: health services, eating and drinking places, wholesale trade, food stores, and social services. In 2002, the city received $ 61,194,358 in taxation revenue, $ 44,536,201 in local receipts, and $ 12,044,152 classified as other available . In 2005 the unemployment rate was 7.3%, having dropped throughout the 1990s from 12.5% to 5.3% in 2000, and then having risen to 10.4% in 2003. By 2009, in
7930-488: The area, such as whaling merchants from Nantucket, were attracted to the village and helped make it into one of the top whaling cities in the country. The most significant of these merchants was Joseph Rotch , who bought ten acres (four hectares) of land in 1765 from Joseph Russell III on which he and his sons ran the family business. Rotch moved his business to New Bedford since it would be better for refining whale oil and manufacturing candles made from whales. As these parts of
8052-402: The capital of the colony was moved permanently to Middle Plantation in 1699. The town was renamed Williamsburg , to honor the reigning monarch, King William III . A capitol building and "Governor's Palace" were erected there in the following years. After the move of the capital to Williamsburg, Jamestown declined. Those who lived in the general area attended services at Jamestown's church until
8174-401: The city is an unnamed hill crossed by Interstate 195 and Hathaway Road west of downtown, with an elevation greater than 180 feet (55 m) above sea level. The Port of New Bedford , also known as New Bedford Harbor, a body of water shared with Fairhaven, is actually the estuary of the Acushnet River where it empties into Buzzards Bay. The river empties into the bay beyond Clark's Point,
8296-494: The city limits. There are several parks and playgrounds, some with splash pads, scattered throughout the city, with the first four being primary parks: New Bedford has a cooler than normal version of a humid subtropical climate that in many aspects resembles a humid continental one, but with slightly milder winters. In spite of being influenced by continental winds with large differences between seasons, temperatures are somewhat moderated compared to areas farther inland. There
8418-542: The city was 72.17% (66.1% Non-Hispanic) White , 9.69% African American , 0.1% Native American , 1.00% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 13.51% from other races , and 3.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 16.11% of the population. The city is very multi-cultural and diverse. The ethnic makeup of the city is estimated to be 33.8% Portuguese , 10.1% Puerto Rican , 9.1% French , 8.8% Cape Verdean , 6.9% Irish , 5.3% English . There were 39,208 households, of which 31.2% had children under
8540-443: The colonists send commodities sufficient to pay the cost of the voyage, a lump of gold, assurance that they had found the South Sea, and one member of the lost Roanoke Colony. It fell to the third president of the council, Captain John Smith , to deliver a bold and much-needed wake-up call in response to the investors in London, demanding practical laborers and craftsmen who could help make the colony more self-sufficient. After Smith
8662-498: The colonists' relationship with the indigenous inhabitants of New England to deteriorate. European encroachment and disregard for the terms of the Old Dartmouth Purchase led to King Philip's War in 1675. In this conflict, Wampanoag tribesmen, allied with the Narragansett and the Nipmuc , raided Old Dartmouth and other European settlements in the area. Europeans in Old Dartmouth garrisoned in sturdier homes—John Russell's home at Russells Mills , John Cooke's home in Fairhaven , and
8784-579: The colonists, a historic drought and the communal nature of their workload, progress through the first few years was inconsistent. By 1613, six years after Jamestown's founding, the organizers and shareholders of the Virginia Company were desperate to increase the efficiency and profitability of the struggling colony. Without stockholder consent the Governor, Sir Thomas Dale , assigned 3-acre (12,000 m ) plots to its " ancient planters " and smaller plots to
8906-700: The colonists. Jamestown was located in James Cittie . Of the first documented African slaves to arrive in English North America , on the frigate White Lion in August 1619, were an African man and woman, later named Antoney and Isabella. Listed in the 1624 census in Virginia, they became the first African family recorded in Jamestown. Their baby, named William Tucker, became the first documented African child baptized in British North America. Another of
9028-577: The dominant whaling port, though the industry was controlled by a cartel of merchants in Boston, Newport, and Providence. In the 1760s, Nantucket's most prominent whaling families moved to New Bedford, refining their own oil and making their own premium candles. The American Revolutionary War completely paralyzed the whaling industry. British forces blockaded American ports and captured or destroyed American commercial ships; they even marched down King's Street in New Bedford (defiantly renamed Union Street after
9150-466: The early enslaved Africans to be purchased at the settlement was Angela , who worked for Captain William Peirce. After several years of strained coexistence, Chief Opechancanough and his Powhatan Confederacy attempted to eliminate the English colony once and for all. On the morning of March 22, 1622, they attacked outlying plantations and communities up and down the James River in what became known as
9272-466: The explorations of John Cabot , and early efforts were failures—most notably the Roanoke Colony , which vanished about 1590. In 1606, English colonists set sail with a charter from the London Company to establish a colony in the New World. The fleet consisted of the ships Susan Constant , Discovery , and Godspeed , all under the leadership of Captain Christopher Newport . They made
9394-627: The first landing of the settlers. This celebration continued from April 1 to November 30 with over a million participants, including dignitaries and politicians such as the British Ambassador and U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon . The highlight for many of the nearly 25,000 at the Festival Park on October 16, 1957, was the visit and speech of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and her consort, Prince Philip . Queen Elizabeth II loaned
9516-411: The harbor of Hampton Roads. This latter feature proved ideal for the naval delegations which came from points all around the world. The Jamestown Exposition of 1907 was one of the many world's fairs and expositions that were popular in the early part of the 20th century. Held from April 26, 1907, to December 1, 1907, attendees included US President Theodore Roosevelt , Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany,
9638-536: The historical significance of the colonial sites of the Peninsula. Williamsburg, a sleepy but populated town of shops and homes, was still celebrating Civil War events. However, as the new century dawned, thoughts turned to the upcoming 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now known as Preservation Virginia ) started the movement in 1900 by calling for
9760-686: The leaders and most of the supplies had been aboard Sea Venture , which fought the storm for three days before the Admiral of the company, Sir George Somers , deliberately drove it onto the reefs of Bermuda to prevent its foundering. This allowed all aboard to be landed safely. The survivors (including Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Gates , Captain Christopher Newport, Silvester Jourdain , Stephen Hopkins —later of Mayflower —and secretary William Strachey ) were stranded on Bermuda for approximately nine months. During that time, they built two new ships,
9882-499: The leather from shoes for sustenance. Only 60 of the original 214 settlers at Jamestown survived. There is historical and scientific evidence that the settlers at Jamestown had turned to cannibalism during the starving time. The ships from Bermuda arrived in Jamestown on May 23, 1610. Many of the surviving colonists were near death, and Jamestown was judged to be unviable. Everyone was boarded onto Deliverance and Patience , which set sail for England. However, on June 10, 1610,
10004-519: The long-term competitive decline of the local textile industry. Until 1800, New Bedford and its surrounding communities were, by and large, populated by Protestants of English, Scottish, Welsh, and Dutch origin. During the first half of the 19th century many Irish people came to Massachusetts. In 1818, Irish immigrants established the Catholic mission that built St. Mary's Church. Later in that century, immigrants from Portugal and its colonial possessions in
10126-636: The low-wage South. In April 1928 their demand for a 10 percent across the board cut in wages was met with strike action . After considerable controversy control of the large-scale work stoppage passed from the Communist-led Textile Mill Committee (TMC) to sundry craft unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor who, agreeing to a five percent wage cut, ended the strike in October. Wage reductions were not enough to arrest
10248-563: The mansion that evening. Also during the festivities, students of the College of William & Mary gave orations. An old barn on the island was used as a temporary theater, where a company of players from Norfolk performed. Attending were many dignitaries, politicians, and historians. The celebration concluded on May 14 with a dinner and toast at the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg. In 1857,
10370-547: The midst of the economic crisis of the era, the unemployment rate got as high as 12.4%. In 2005, the city received $ 104,925,772 for education, and $ 22,755,439 for general government from the State of Massachusetts . In 2016, the city hopes its proximity to Massachusetts' southern coastline will allow it to become a center for the growing wind energy market. Three companies, OffshoreMW, Deepwater Wind , and DONG Energy , have leased portions of New Bedford's Marine Commerce Terminal for
10492-428: The most experienced of hands, Christopher Newport. On June 2, 1609, Sea Venture set sail from Plymouth, England , as the flagship of a seven-ship fleet (towing two additional pinnaces ) destined for Jamestown as part of the third supply mission, carrying 214 settlers. On July 24, the fleet ran into a strong storm, likely a hurricane , and the ships were separated. Although some of the ships did make it to Jamestown,
10614-603: The number of hungry settlers. It seemed certain at that time that the colony at Jamestown would meet the same fate as earlier English attempts to settle in North America, specifically the Roanoke Colony (Lost Colony) and the Popham Colony , unless there was a major relief effort. The Germans who arrived with the second supply and a few others defected to the Powhatans, with weapons and equipment. The Germans even planned to join
10736-416: The old church was one of the few remaining signs of old Jamestown. When Allen sent men to assess the damage in late 1862, they were killed by the former slaves. Following the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Courthouse , the oath of allegiance was administered to former Confederate soldiers at Jamestown. In the years after the Civil War, Jamestown became quiet and peaceful once again. In 1892, Jamestown
10858-556: The pinnaces Deliverance and Patience . The original plan was to build only one vessel, Deliverance , but it soon became evident that it would not be large enough to carry the settlers and all of the food (salted pork) that was being sourced on the islands. While the third supply was stranded in Bermuda, the colony at Jamestown was in even worse shape. The settlers faced rampant starvation for want of additional provisions. During this time, lack of food drove people to eat snakes and even boil
10980-416: The popular Jamestown Ferry and a portion of State Route 31 were relocated. Major projects were developed by non-profit, state and federal agencies. Jamestown Festival Park was established by the Commonwealth of Virginia adjacent to the entrance to Jamestown Island. Full-sized replicas of the three ships that brought the colonists, Susan Constant , Godspeed , and Discovery were constructed at
11102-515: The remaining 1,500 acres (610 hectares) portion of Jamestown Island which had been under private ownership by the Vermillion family. The National Park Service partnered with Preservation Virginia to preserve the area and present it to visitors in an educational manner. On June 5, 1936, the national monument was re-designated a national historical park and became known as Colonial National Historical Park . Beginning in 1936, J.C. Harrington worked on
11224-531: The river. In 1996, Historic Jamestowne gained renewed importance when the Jamestown Rediscovery project began excavations in search of the original James Fort site, originally in preparation for the quadricentennial of Jamestown's founding. The primary goal of the archaeological campaign was to locate archaeological remains of "the first years of settlement at Jamestown, especially of the earliest fortified town; [and the] subsequent growth and development of
11346-567: The same time, and they built the Church of the Sacred Heart in 1877. Similarly, Polish immigrants began arriving in the late 19th century and established the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1903. A number of Jewish families, arriving in the late 19th century, were active in the whaling industry, selling provisions and outfitting ships. During the years leading up to the First World War ,
11468-400: The settlement's later arrivals. Measurable economic progress was made, and the settlers began expanding their planting to land belonging to local native tribes. That this turnaround coincided with the end of a drought that had begun the year before the English settlers' arrival probably indicates multiple factors were involved besides the colonists' ineptitude. Among the colonists who survived
11590-519: The settlers died before ships arrived in 1608 with supplies and German and Polish craftsmen , who helped to establish the first manufactories in the colony. As a result, glassware became the foremost American products to be exported to Europe at the time. Clapboard had already been sent back to England beginning with the first returning ship. The delivery of supplies in 1608 on the first and second supply missions of Captain Newport had also added to
11712-490: The ship Concord landed on Cuttyhunk Island while exploring New England . From there, he explored Cape Cod and the neighboring areas, including the site of present-day New Bedford. Gosnold left and settled in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia . In 1652, English colonists purchased Old Dartmouth —a region of 115,000 acres (470 km ) that is now Dartmouth , Acushnet , New Bedford, Fairhaven , and Westport —in
11834-539: The southernmost point of the city. To the west of Clark's Point is Clark's Cove, which extends landward approximately one and one-half miles from the bay. Just south of Palmer's Island, beginning near Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven, lies a two-mile-long hurricane barrier, constructed in the 1960s to protect the inner harbor where the fishing fleet anchors. Along with Palmer's Island, the city also lays claim to Fish Island and Pope's Island . Between these two islands lies one of
11956-724: The staging of turbines and platforms. In 1847, the New Bedford Horticultural Society was begun by James Arnold. The Ash Street Jail , which houses inmates from Bristol County, is located in New Bedford. It opened in 1829 and is the oldest continuously operating jail in the United States. Fort Taber and Fort Rodman (also called the "Fort at Clark's Point") were built during the American Civil War and are now in Fort Taber Park. Both forts are often called Fort Taber, including in some references. New Bedford
12078-518: The surname Russell. ( Bedford, Massachusetts , had been incorporated in 1729; hence "New" Bedford.) The late 18th century was a time of growth for the town. A small whale fishery developed, as well as modest international trade. In the 1760s, between the Seven Years' War and the American Revolution , shipwrights, carpenters, mechanics, and blacksmiths, settled around New Bedford harbor, creating
12200-487: The three sections, the central section, of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge. The central span, a swing bridge, connects the two islands as well as allowing boats and ships passage to the upper harbor. Two conventional bridges connect each of the islands to the nearest mainland, Fish Island to New Bedford and Pope's Island to Fairhaven. In addition to the harbor, there are several small brooks and ponds within
12322-411: The timely arrival of another relief fleet , bearing Governor Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (who would eventually give his name to the colony of Delaware ), which met the two ships as they descended the James River, granted Jamestown a reprieve. The colonists called this The Day of Providence . The fleet brought supplies and additional settlers. All the settlers returned to the colony, though there
12444-460: The town". Visitors to Historic Jamestowne can view the site of the original 1607 James Fort, the 17th-century church tower and the site of the 17th-century town, as well as tour an archaeological museum called the Archaearium and view many of the close to two million artifacts found by Jamestown Rediscovery. They also may participate in living history ranger tours and archaeological tours given by
12566-502: The whalers to render high quality oil from the blubber. This allowed the whaling ships to go out to sea for as long as four years, processing their catch while at sea. Ships from New Bedford came back to port with barrels of oil , spermaceti , and occasionally ambergris . Whaling dominated New Bedford's economy for much of the century, and many families of the city were involved with it as crew and officers of ships. The Quakers remained prominent and influential in New Bedford throughout
12688-405: The whaling era. They brought religious values into their business models, promoting stability as well as prosperity, investing in infrastructure projects such as rail, and employing without discrimination . They established solid social and economic relationships with Boston , New York , and Philadelphia , integrating New Bedford into the urban northeastern economy . Ten thousand men worked in
12810-516: The whaling industry had been monopolized by a merchant cartel in Boston, Newport, Rhode Island , and Providence, Rhode Island, Rotch felt that it would be better for business to handle these himself by moving to the mainland. Jamestown, Virginia The Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas . It was located on the northeast bank of
12932-409: The whaling industry. During this period, New Bedford's population increased from approximately 4,000 in 1820 to about 24,000 in 1860. At the height of the whaling industry in 1857, the harbor hosted 329 vessels worth over $ 12 million, and New Bedford became the richest city per capita in North America. On March 18, 1847, the town of New Bedford officially became a city; Abraham Hathaway Howland
13054-399: The word to the outposts. Of the 6,000 people who came to the settlement between 1608 and 1624, only 3,400 survived. In 1624, King James revoked the Virginia Company's charter, and Virginia became a royal colony . Despite the setbacks, the colony continued to grow. Ten years later, in 1634, by order of King Charles I , the colony was divided into the original eight shires of Virginia , in
13176-402: The year to get crops planted. Many in the group were either gentlemen or their manservants, both equally unaccustomed to the hard labor demanded by the harsh task of carving out a viable colony. One of these was Robert Hunt , a former vicar of Reculver , England, who celebrated the first known Anglican Eucharist in the territory of the future United States on June 21, 1607. Two-thirds of
13298-494: Was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males. The median household income was $ 37,569, and the median family income was $ 45,708. Males had a median income of $ 37,388 versus $ 27,278 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,602. About 17.3% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over. The city has
13420-656: Was active with the Virginia Historical Society , founded the Jamestowne Society for descendants of stockholders in the Virginia Company of London and the descendants of those who owned land or who had domiciles in Jamestown or on Jamestown Island prior to 1700. Colonial National Monument was authorized and established by the U.S. Congress in 1930. In 1934, the National Park Service obtained
13542-639: Was also a center of abolitionism at this time. The city attracted many freed or escaped African-American slaves, including Frederick Douglass , who lived there from 1838 until 1841. The city also served as a setting in Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby-Dick . From 1876 to 1900, New Bedford served as the initial home port for the Revenue Cutter School of Instruction, the precursor of the United States Coast Guard Academy . At
13664-476: Was called the Grand National Jubilee. Over 3,000 people attended the event, many arriving on vessels which anchored in the river off the island. May 13 was the opening day of the festival, which began with a procession which marched to the graveyard of the old church, where the attending bishop delivered the prayer. The procession then moved to the Travis mansion, where the celebrants dined and danced in
13786-405: Was desperately seeking this information (in addition to spies) in order to get Philip III of Spain to authorize an attack on the colony. The investors of the Virginia Company of London expected to reap rewards from their speculative investments. With the second supply, they expressed their frustrations and made demands upon the leaders of Jamestown in written form. They specifically demanded that
13908-436: Was elected its first mayor. The Quakers of New Bedford applied their principles of egalitarianism and community-building in their businesses. On the boats, at the docks, at the factories, or in the shops—British, Wampanoag , Cape Verdean , Azorean , Irish , and West African hands found work in New Bedford. New Bedford also became one of the first centers of abolitionism in North America , and an important stop on
14030-457: Was estimated at between 6,000 and 8,000 people. Sixteen large steam ships anchored offshore in the James River and were gaily decorated with streamers. Former US President John Tyler of nearby Sherwood Forest Plantation gave a 2½ hour speech, and there were military displays, a grand ball and fireworks. The 100th anniversary of the Surrender at Yorktown in 1781 had generated a new interest in
14152-538: Was feasible for the 350th anniversary celebration to be held at Jamestown itself in 1957. Although erosion had cut off the land bridge between Jamestown Island and the mainland, the isthmus was restored and new access provided by the completion of the National Park Service's Colonial Parkway which led to Williamsburg and Yorktown , the other two portions of Colonial Virginia's Historic Triangle . There were also improvements of state highways. The north landing for
14274-515: Was forced to return to England because of an explosion which gave him deep burn wounds during a trading expedition, the colony was led by George Percy , who proved incompetent in negotiating with the native tribes. There are indications that those in London comprehended and embraced Smith's message. The third supply mission of 1609 was by far the largest and best equipped. They also had a new purpose-built flagship, Sea Venture , constructed and placed in
14396-507: Was plagued by mosquitoes, and afforded only brackish tidal river water unsuitable for drinking. The Jamestown settlers arrived in Virginia during a severe drought, according to a research study conducted by the Jamestown Archaeological Assessment (JAA) team in the 1990s. The JAA analyzed information from a study conducted in 1985 by David Stahle and others, who obtained drawings of 800-year-old bald cypress trees along
14518-464: Was purchased by Edward Barney. The following year, Barney donated 22½ acres of land, including the ruined church tower, to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, now known as Preservation Virginia . By this time, erosion from the river had eaten away the island's western shore. Visitors began to conclude that the site of James Fort lay completely underwater. With federal assistance,
14640-747: Was rebuilt. In 1699, the colonial capital was moved to present-day Williamsburg, Virginia . In the 18th century, Jamestown ceased to exist as a settlement and remains as an archaeological site, Jamestown Rediscovery , which houses museums and historical sites, including the Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown. Jamestown is one of three locations composing the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia , along with Williamsburg and Yorktown. Historic Jamestowne
14762-414: Was still a critical shortage of food. Relations between the colonists and the Powhatans quickly deteriorated after De La Warr's arrival, eventually leading to conflict. The Anglo-Powhatan War lasted until Samuel Argall captured Wahunsenacawh's daughter Matoaka, better known by her nickname Pocahontas , after which the chief accepted a treaty of peace. Due to the aristocratic backgrounds of many of
14884-578: Was the first recorded strike in Colonial America , the Polish artisans protested and refused to work if not allowed to vote. On July 21, 1619, the court granted the Poles equal voting rights . Afterwards, the labor strike was ended, and the artisans resumed their work. Individual land ownership was also instituted, and the colony was divided into four large "boroughs" or "incorporations" called "citties" by
#690309