Historical Markers in
Bristol County, Massachusetts

A Tribute of Respect to Enterprising Whalemen Abijah Hathaway House Alfred Johnson and John B. Morin Anawan House Anawan House-Inn Anawan Rock Angell Park Angle Tree Stone Attleborough's Tribute Bad Luck Pond Battleship Cove 9-11 Memorial Bliss-Carpenter Saw & Shingle Mill Borderland Bourne Warehouse Cape Verde to New Bedford Captain Paul Cuffe Captain Paul Cuffe's Atlantic World Centre Street Charles O. Fiske Square Civil War’s First Black Regiment Col. Lewis L. Millett Memorial Cole-Perry Turning Mill Colonel George Claghorn Commonwealth of Toil Daniel Bullock- Samuel Baker Sawmill site 1750-1850 Dedicated as a Tribute DePillow Square Dighton Community Church Donald R. Bernard Double Bank Draper Farm Historic Site Ernestina's Many Lives Everett Southworth Horton First Burial Ground First School House Fort Phoenix Fort Phoenix Fort Phoenix Frederick Douglass From Whales to Bales From Whales to Flatfish and Scallops Garland - Muccio Square Henry C. Cousineau EOI U.S.N.R Heroes of Fort Wagner Historic Town Hall Clock Hornbine School Horton Signal In Memoriam In Memory of Anthony Perry Indian Oven Rock King Philip's Cave Korean War Memorial L.G. Balfour Company WWII Marker LaSalette Seminary Last Wooden Bridge Legend of the Turnips Leonard Iron Mine Lewis Temple Liberty Tree Lost Lightship Sailors Memorial Lowney Common Major Israel Fearing Major Thomas J. Deegan Memorial Bridge Making Room-Johnny Cake Hill Mansfield Bell of Freedom Mansfield Orthodox Congregational Church Mansfield Veterans Memorial Mansfield Veterans Memorial Mansfield World War I Monument Mansfield World War II Memorial Mason Barney School Cupola Memorial for Soldiers against Terrorism Memory of the Revolutionary Soldiers Merrill's Wharf Miles (Myles) Bridge Myles Garrison House Site Nathan and Mary (Polly) Johnson House New Bedford Historic District North Attleborough 9/11 Memorial North Attleborough Civil War Memorial North Attleborough World War I Memorial North Attleborough World War I Monument North Attleborough World War II Memorial Norton Common Burial Ground Old Powder House 1768 Old Yellow Meeting House Operations Desert Shield - Desert Storm Veterans Monument Orleans Manufacturing Co. Palmer River Pound Perryville Dam Plante-Quintairos Square Memorial POW*MIA 9-11 Memorial Preserving Whaling's Legacy Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal Pvt. David Lewis Gifford Memorial Redway Plain Revolutionary War Cannon Revolutionary War Memorial Sabin Sawmill Samual Baker Grist & Sawmill Site Seamen’s Bethel September 11, 2001 Signs of the Time Site of First Church in Norton Site of Jonathan Barney - Mason Barney Shipyard Site of Original Oak Swamp Church Site of the First Successful Iron Works in the Old Colony Solomon Family Burial Ground South Attleboro Memorial Wall Spanish American War Memorial SPC Corey M. Shea Stony Brook Swansea Navy Veterans Memorial Swansea World War Honor Roll Swansea World War II & Korean Conflict Veterans Memorial Swansea's Vietnam Veterans Memorial Teixeira-Ruggio Square The Andrew Robeson House The Benjamin Rodman House The Dartmouth The First Attleborough Towne House The Great War Memorial The Liberatore Brothers The Mariner's Home The Mullaney Twins Memorial Parking Area The Old Bay Road The Old Shuttle Shop The Palmer's River Meeting House The Purple Heart Medal The Seamen's Bethel The Site of the First House in Norton Trial by Fire Twentieth-Century Whaling U.S. Custom House-Customary Duty USS Massachusetts Propeller Veterans Bandstand Veterans Memorial Common Veterans' Memorial Green Viking Whaleman’s Memorial Whaling Capital Whaling's Final Days White's Factory William Bradford Winneccunnett Pond Area Woodcock-Hatch-Maxcy House Working Waterfront World War II Memorial
In 1837, Harvard University held a "prostitute parade" where students marched through Boston with prostitutes to protest a law that would have made it illegal to hire women for "immoral purposes."
Massachusetts random facts
Bristol County, Massachusetts has a rich and vibrant history dating back to the early colonial era. Originally inhabited by the Wampanoag Native American tribe, the area was first settled by Europeans in the early 17th century. In 1639, Plymouth Colony established the town of Duxbury, marking the first permanent European settlement in the county. As more settlers arrived, additional towns were established, including Taunton in 1639 and Dartmouth in 1664.

During the American Revolution, Bristol County played a significant role. In 1776, the Battle of Rhode Island, also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill, took place on the border of Bristol County and Newport, Rhode Island. This engagement was a crucial moment for American forces, as they successfully defended against a British attempt to recapture Newport.

In the 19th century, Bristol County saw rapid industrialization and economic growth. The cities of Fall River and New Bedford became major centers for textile manufacturing and the whaling industry, respectively. Fall River became famous for its cotton mills, while New Bedford became known as the world's whaling capital, with many ships departing from its harbor to hunt for whales in distant waters.

In the 20th century, Bristol County continued to evolve. The decline of the textile industry and the end of whaling led to an economic shift, and the county became more diverse in its industries. Today, Bristol County is known for its mix of suburban, urban, and rural areas, with a thriving economy that includes sectors such as healthcare, education, and technology. The county's rich history, picturesque landscapes, and vibrant communities make it an attractive destination for both residents and visitors.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Bristol County, Massachusetts.

  • 1685 - Bristol County is established in Massachusetts Bay Colony.
  • 1692 - Bristol County becomes part of the newly formed Province of Massachusetts Bay.
  • 1746 - County boundaries change with the creation of a new county, Bristol County, Rhode Island.
  • 1790 - Population of Bristol County reaches 24,900.
  • 1800 - New Bedford becomes the county seat.
  • 1820 - Fall River splits from Freetown and becomes a separate town.
  • 1840 - Fall River becomes a city.
  • 1877 - The City of Taunton becomes the county seat.
  • 1892 - The towns of Acushnet and Fairhaven split from New Bedford and become separate towns.
  • 1950 - Population of Bristol County reaches 317,101.
  • 1997 - Bristol County Superior Court is split into two divisions: New Bedford and Taunton.
  • 2000 - Population of Bristol County reaches 534,678.