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Decorative drawing: a small American settlement seen from a low hill. Not a photograph of this place.

Acushnet, Massachusetts

34 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1885 and the latest in 1994. It stands in Acushnet town. It lies in ZIP code area 02743. It stands on Tarkiln Hill. The Survey maps it on the New Bedford North quadrangle.

Acushnet within Bristol County

Then and now

1885 to 1994

The same ground, surveyed 109 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Acushnet, surveyed 1994
Topographic sheet of Acushnet, surveyed 1885

Topographic sheets covering this place

34 sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

22,761 words on this township

Atlas of Bristol County, Massachusetts : from Actual Surveys, published 1871; History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, published 1883 names this settlement in its chapter on Acushnet Town. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

Taber, Robert B..Blank Books Manufd to order of the best quality of Paper,and Binding at short notice, all kinds of Letter, Note, Bill and Cap Paper Ruled to order, in any variety of Pattern or Color, and Printed or Lithographed to suit any taste, all kinds of Counting House Stationery constantly on hand, 49 Union st

Passage source: Atlas of Bristol County, Massachusetts : from Actual Surveys, published 1871.

In a warrant issued for a town-meeting in Fairhaven April 4, 1859, article eleven asked action on the petitions of Rev. Israel Washburn and others, " now referred to the next Legislature," with reference to a division of the town, and it was voted that a committee of five be nominated by the chair to define a line of division of the town and report. This committee as appointed and chosen consisted of Isaac Wood, Arthur Cox, Jonathan Cowen, Cyrus E. Clark, Charles H. Adams, and John Ellis. This committee reported at a meeting of June 2, 1859, and this same committee was requested to appear before the next Legislature and present all the facts in the case that could be procured by them. They did so, and not only that, but a petitioii in favor of the division was also presented, signed by a large number of the residents of the south part of the town. A result of this was that the committee of the Legislature before which the matter was heard reported in favor of the division, and the report was adopted.

Passage source: History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, published 1883.

The first public meeting of the legal voters of the new town was held March 14, 1860, in the "enginehouse," which stands in the village on the north side of the road, nearly opposite the parsonage house of the

Passage source: History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, published 1883.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Acushnet Town - it names this place 51 more 51 times.

Photographs

1 photograph,

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Wamsutta Mill, Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, Bristol County, MA
Wamsutta Mill, Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, Bristol County, MA
Unattributed, . Library of Congress

Fires near this place

32 since 2015

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 32 fires within 5 miles of Acushnet between 2015 and 2020, burning about 26 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined15
Debris and open burning9
Recreation and ceremony3
Smoking2
Misuse of fire by a minor2
Power generation/transmission/distribution1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
21 September 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
23 August 2016Power generation/transmission/distribution1.0 acresMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
2 August 2020Smokingunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
11 August 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
3 July 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire ControlMATTAPOISETT
4 June 2020Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
3 May 2015Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
22 May 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Bristol County

Specimens collected near this place

12 of 2,083 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 2,083 specimens collected within 10 miles of Acushnet between 1824 and 1975: 795 Animalia, 601 Plantae, 575 Fungi, 85 Chromista, 23 Bacteria, 4 Unrecorded. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. B. Gridley, A. Clark, A. F. Faull and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
A photograph of the species Gamochaeta purpurea, not of this specimenGamochaeta purpurea (L.) Cabrera1824T. A. Greene
A photograph of the species Lythrum salicaria, not of this specimenLythrum salicaria L.1831T. A. Greene
A photograph of the species Mentha aquatica, not of this specimenMentha aquatica L.1831Collector unknownNew Bedford. [Inferred county from precise loc.]
A photograph of the species Trypethelium virens, not of this specimenTrypethelium virens Tuck.1848ex herb. OakesNew Bedford.
A photograph of the species Endocarpon pusillum, not of this specimenEndocarpon pusillum Hedw.1858H. WilleyFort Phoenix. Fairhaven.
A photograph of the species Menegazzia terebrata, not of this specimenMenegazzia terebrata (Hoffm.) A.Massal.1860H. WilleyNew Bedford
A photograph of the species Scolopax minor, not of this specimenScolopax minor J.F.Gmelin, 17891860Alan PooleWestport
A photograph of the species Abrothallus parmeliarum, not of this specimenAbrothallus parmeliarum (Sommerf.) Nyl., 18691862Willey H.Weymouth, New Bedford
A photograph of the species Agyrium rufum, not of this specimenAgyrium rufum (Pers.) Fr.1862Willey HenryNew Bedford
A photograph of the species Anaptychia palmatula, not of this specimenAnaptychia palmatula (Michx.) Vain., 18991862H. WilleyNew Bedford.
A photograph of the species Anisomeridium polypori, not of this specimenAnisomeridium polypori (Ellis & Everh.) M.E.Barr1862H. WilleyNew Bedford
A photograph of the species Anzia colpodes, not of this specimenAnzia colpodes (Ach.) Stizenb.1862H. WilleyNew Bedford.

All 2,083 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this place

2 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Acushnet: 1 unknown, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Acushnet QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Blue Stone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

Every working recorded in Bristol County

Storms near this place

20 since 1997

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Acushnet in 20 storm reports between 1997 and 2025: 6 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind, 5 flood, 2 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 2005Flash FloodAcushnet$10,000no account filed
July 2025Thunderstorm WindAcushnet$8,000In Acushnet, several trees were down including on a few cars.
May 2024LightningAcushnet$5,000In Acushnet, a house was hit by lightning causing damage to the home electrical system on Beaver Dam Rd.
May 2013FloodAcushnet$5,000Belleville Avenue between Tarkiln Hill Road and Nash Road was flooded and nearly impassable. The basement of the Urban Grille on Purchase Street was flooded with 10 inches of water.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindAcushnet$5,000Trees on Main Street were downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindAcushnet$2,000In Acushnet, there were several trees down.
July 2019FloodAcushnet$1,000In New Bedford, Belleville Avenue at Covell Street was closed due to flooding, with a car stuck in the flood waters.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindAcushnet$300In Acushnet, there was a tree down blocking Hamlin St.
August 2024HailAcushnet-In Acushnet, 1 inch hail fell.
August 2024HailAcushnet-In Acushnet, 0.75 inch hail fell.
August 2022FloodAcushnet-Street flooding caused the closure of Belleville Road at Covell Street. Also, there was street flooding on Nash Road, with 6 to 12 inches of water on the roadway.
March 2020HailAcushnet-At 907 PM EST, dime size hail was reported by amateur radio operators in New Bedford, at the Acushnet town line.
October 2012Flash FloodAcushnet-Two and a half feet of water flooded Main Street near Belleville Avenue in New Bedford. The intersections of Church and Princeton Streets and Ashley Boulevard and Wood Street were flooded with a foot and a half of water. Purchase Street was flooded with a foot and a half of water. Phillips Road near Pine Hill Drive was flooded with a foot of water. A condo complex on Heritage Drive was flooded with a foot of water. Belleville Road was closed due to two and a half feet of water over the road.
July 2011FloodAcushnet-Street flooding on Christian and Belleville Avenues, Hatch Street, and Brooklawn Park all with a foot or more of water over the road.
June 2010FloodAcushnet-A portion of Main Street, extending from the fire station to 310 Main Street, was flooded and impassable.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindAcushnet-Large tree limbs down on Main Street.
August 2008HailAcushnet-no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindAcushnet-no account filed
July 1997HailAcushnet-no account filed
July 1997HailAcushnet-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Bristol County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Coury Heights1.4 miles34
North Fairhaven1.5 miles34
Acushnet Station (historical)1.7 miles34
Oxford1.7 miles34
Sherwood Forest2.1 miles34
Mount Pleasant2.7 miles34
Plainville2.8 miles34
Fairhaven3.0 miles34

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 613623. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.