Place Information
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Fairhaven is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,159 at the 2000 census. History
Fairhaven was first settled in 1670 as "Acushnea," the easternmost part of the town of Dartmouth. It was founded on land purchased by English settlers of the Plymouth Colony from an Indian chief and his son, who was named Wamsutta. In 1787, New Bedford - which included the present towns of Fairhaven and Acushnet - separated from Dartmouth and became its own town. Fairhaven was officially incorporated in 1812 and originally included the land that would officially separate to form Acushnet in 1860. Fort Phoenix State Reservation is located in Fairhaven, and served as the eastern defenses at the mouth of the Acushnet River. There, during the American Revolution, British troops once stormed the area. Also within sight of the fort, the first naval battle of the American Revolution took place on May 14, 1775. The fort was enlarged before the War of 1812, and helped repel an attack on the harbor by British forces. The fort was decommissioned in 1876, and in 1926, the site was donated to the city by Cara Rogers Broughton (a daughter of Henry Huttleston Rogers) and today includes a park and beach to the east of the fort, which is just south of the river's hurricane barrier. Prior to the second half of the 19th century, whale oil was the primary source of fuel for lighting in the United States. The whaling industry was the mainstay for many New England coastal communities for over 200 years. The famous whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts is located across the river. Fairhaven originally was also a whaling port, and Herman Melville set sail aboard the Acushnet from the town in 1841. Once New Bedford's superiority became clearer, the town became a popular site for the homes of the ship owners and captains. Research Tips
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