FRIENDS OF THE DARTMOUTH LIBRARIES
Revolutionary Dartmouth
Saturday, April 12, 2 p.m.

 

Join the Friends of the Dartmouth Libraries on Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. to 
mark the 250th anniversary of the start of Revolutionary War. Local historian and journalist Bob
Barboza will bring audience members back to 1775 in Old Dartmouth, which then included
Westport, Acushnet, Fairhaven, and New Bedford. Learn about life in the town, the important
role that it played in the Revolution, and the war’s impact on its citizens and local economy. The
presentation will be held at the Dartmouth North Branch Library.

Dartmouth was a key part of the military landscape as its waterfront villages were among the few
commercial ports in the region not occupied or blockaded by the British. Its numerous
shipyards, sail lofts, warehouses and other support facilities were often visited by American
privateer vessels, Continental Navy ships, and government-sanctioned blockade runners during
the War for Independence. Dartmouth was also a highly divided community: Tories were loyal
to the British crown; Patriots wanted to fight for independence; and Quakers, regardless of
allegiance, were strongly anti-war.

Mr. Barboza is the former editor of Dartmouth’s weekly newspaper, The Chronicle, and a
correspondent for many South Coast newspapers over the years. He has been a student of local
history for many decades and has authored dozens of articles on local history during his long
journalism career. Dozens of these old history articles from the past 20 years are being gathered
and edited for publication in his next book, scheduled to come out this year to help celebrate the
250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution. A former editor of The Antiquarian, a
magazine published by the Middleborough Historical Society, he currently serves on the board of
directors for the Dartmouth Historical & Arts Society.

Mr. Barboza’s presentation is free and open to the public and will be held at the Dartmouth
North Branch Library, 211 Cross Road, Dartmouth. For more information, please e-mail
[email protected].