Did You Know Gold Bond Powder Got Its Start in Fairhaven?

If you're from the SouthCoast, then you probably already know about the rich history of this region. Manufacturing was our thing for a long, long time. However, did you know that the Gold Bond Medicated Powder company planted its roots right in our backyard?

Allow me to take you back to the 1800s, to the address of 47 Main Street in Fairhaven where Gold Bond had its start.

Arthur W. Guilford began selling the medicated skin conditioning powder out the small Fairhaven shop. He obtained the formula from a group of physicians from The Rhode Island State Medical Association. Sales of the product date back to its debut in the year 1908.

Somewhere along the way, a businessman named John M. Chapman eventually bought the company and the formula from Guilford and continued on with his legacy by bringing Gold Bond to life through mass distribution. What was once a small-town, word-of-mouth product, was now hitting more store shelves, both locally and afar.

The powder became a gift of sorts for anyone ranging from infants to WWII soldiers. There were a variety of uses because the powder was highly effective; I can justify that as a continuous customer of Gold Bond Powder.

Eventually, a man named Timothy Shea rose to the top of the ranks of the company. His son would then take over operations back here at a Fairhaven location, continuing the traditional family-owned company. He went on to become a pharmacist at Finn’s Pharmacy in New Bedford.

To this day, it's now one of the most successful body powders and antiperspirants around the world. Whether you're using it on your body or your feet, each spray or dab of powder was once a molecular idea that eventually blossomed right here on the SouthCoast.

Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is a fun fact I didn't know about, but also glad I stumbled upon it.

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