Fairhaven, Massachusetts

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 which 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 is today inclueds 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.

Town natives

Among Fairhaven's natives was Henry Huttleston Rogers (1840-1909), who was a United States capitalist, businessman and philanthropist. Rogers was one of the key men in John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust. He later developed the Virginian Railway. Rogers and his wife Abbie Gifford Rogers, another Fairhaven native (who was daughter of whaling Captain Peleg Gifford), donated many community improvements in the late 19th and early 20th century, notably including schools, the Town Hall, the Unitarian Church, and the Millicent Library. These structures were erected by top-quality construction standards, a trademark philosophy of Henry H. Rogers; most were still in regular use more than 100 years.

Fairhaven was also home to Warren Delano II, grandfather of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Other famous people include John Cooke, last male Pilgrim; Joseph Bates, co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventists; Captain Joshua Slocum, first man to sail alone around the world, and his ship the Spray; and "John" Manjiro Nakahama, first Japanese person to live in America.

World-renowned marine painter and photographer William Bradford lived and worked in Fairhaven.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.5 km² (14.1 mi²). 32.1 km² (12.4 mi²) of it is land and 4.4 km² (1.7 mi²) of it (12.06%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 16,159 people, 6,622 households, and 4,251 families residing in the town. The population density was 503.1/km² (1,303.4/mi²). There were 7,266 housing units at an average density of 226.2/km² (586.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.32% White, 0.60% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.19% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 6,622 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,696, and the median income for a family was $52,298. Males had a median income of $38,201 versus $29,736 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,986. About 6.5% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

External links

Millicent Library, Fairhaven MA, Henry Rogers homepage
Mark Twain and Henry Huttleston Rogers in Virginia excerpts from their trips together to the 1907 Jamestown Exposition and the 1909 Dedication of the Virginian Railway
Mark Twain's Correspondence with Henry Huttleston Rogers, 1893-1909
Virginian Railway (VGN) Enthusiasts Group of preservationists, authors, photographers, historians, modelers, and railfans
Town Beach, West Island, rated among the Top 10 New England Beaches
North Fairhaven, and NFIA (North Fairhaven Improvement Association) information NorthFairhaven.org

Mr. History Person's Fairhaven, MA, Timeline