The Saturday morning tour of the Cape Cod Canal has been enhanced. To begin the tour we will be spending an hour at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. (Fairhaven is the town on the east side of New Bedford harbor and the town, in which, we will be sleeping.) Originally we were to get a special custom verbal tour of the Revolutionary War fort by a docent from the Fairhaven Historical/Tourism office. Now we will be spending an hour at the fort witnessing an actual Revolutionary War military encampment. “Thank you Department of Tourism”.
Note: This is only two miles from our hotel.
Fairhaven is excited to have us as guests. Now, the Fairhaven Village Militia will be sleeping in 1700 style tents for two nights and demonstrating drilling, camp cooking, musket firing and even tomahawk throwing. And special for BAC dentist Alan White, there will be a demonstration of 18th century dentistry. There is a good chance they will fire one of the cannon for us. Really!
Adjacent to the fort is Fort Phoenix State Beach where BAC inlanders from Colorado and Kansas can put their toes in the sand. Also, this is the location of the beginning of the New Bedford Harbor Hurricane Barrier. You can walk on it and see the 150′ opening where the fishing fleet enters the open sea. This is the largest stone structure on the east coast. If there is a storm you can watch them close the massive gates.
After that visit the tour continues to the first stop on the Cape Cod Canal – the Buzzards Bay Railroad Lift Bridge.
Make reservations at the Hampton Inn, New Bedford/Fairhaven, Massachusetts for September 21,22,23. Members in-the-know will be arriving days early and staying days late.
Tom Corcoran