Random spooky building? Let’s go in![/caption]
“Hello? Is anyone there?”
I peered into the concrete doorway, wondering what treasures or suprises I would find if I ventured through into this abondoned fort. Should I enter? Yes! Was it spooky? Yes! Was it well lit? No. Was it the best idea? Probably not. Curiosity got the best of me, and in I went, accompanied by my trusty sidekick, my wife.
Fort Rodman is in Fort Taber Park in New Bedford, MA. Where’s Fort Taber? Fort Rodman is Fort Taber. Confused? So was I.
Originally, the fort was referred to as Fort Taber, and then when the stone walls were completed in the 1860s, it was named Fort Rodman, but people still referred to it as Fort Taber. It’s main purpose was to defend the New Bedford harbor during the Civil War. Today, it’s a nice city park with spectacular views of the ocean.
Inside, we were pleasantly surprised. I expected the place to be a complete mess where vagabonds and bored teenagers go to escape the law. My low expectations were not fulfilled; the fort was for the most part clean. It looked as if someone had swept the floor recently.
Most of the inside was lit, however, there were a few rooms the sunlight didn't reach. We really should have stayed out of those rooms. In fact, when I filmed the above video, I said that would be staying out of those rooms, but my curiosity was getting the best of me. Using my phone as a flashlight, I went in to explore.
Full disclosure: I did think this was the fort. This was actually one of the batteries: Walcott Battery. I have to confess: I fell asleep during my "Basic Fort Construction 101" class in high school, so I can't tell you if the battery is part of the fort or if the fort is part of the battery. Either way, it was a very interesting place to explore.
Spooky!
This is the actual fort:
We couldn't get in the old fort, but I was able to get a picture through a hole in the door.
Near the fort, or the battery, there's a walkway leading out to the water. It's a nice place to get some sun.
Not far from the walkway, The Fort Taber Military Museum welcomes anyone interested in our nation's military history, starting with the Revolution. Admission is free, but I suggest making a donation to help with the upkeep. The volunteers who staff it are very knowledgable and helpful.
And of course, there's nothing like ending a the day with a little bit of ice cream, which you can get right at the park.
Sorry it's out of focus. I was in a rush and really wanted to start eating the ice cream!
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Fort Taber Park can be found at the end of Rodney French Boulevard in New Bedford, MA. Spend at least 1-2 hours to experience what the park has to offer.
A small parking fee applies. At the time of this writing, it was $2 an hour.
Insider tip: If you're interested in going to the museum, do that first. They'll give you a free parking pass. Unfortunately, we found out about that after we had already paid to park.
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I was curious to know so that I could reminisce my time when I was living at Ft Rodman as a young teenager in 1966-1967 inside the old barracks style bldgs there. It was the time when we were all part of the Job Corp program and wanted to know if there are any photos of any sort to review of that time frame during the Vietnam era of which I am a veteran of if so please let me know of any, Thanks
Hi Ruben,
I don’t have any photos of that era, but you should check out the Fort Tabor/Rodman Military Museum. The people who run it will be more than happy to help you out, and they’re your best bet to find the photos you’re looking for. Good luck! Please let me know how it turns out. – Bob