New Bedford’s Hazelwood Park Has a Remarkable History

I remember New Bedford's West Beach as a child and the sprawling slopes of Hazelwood Park, where Sundays at Clark's Point were for family cookouts, kite flying or adding a coat of fresh polish to the chrome bumper of the family car.

Though I spent considerably more time as a child at Brooklawn Park and Buttonwood Park in the north and west ends of the city, the park on the peninsula had an appeal, perhaps because of its proximity to the water.

After more than six decades of taking Hazelwood Park for granted, I recently spent some time there learning about bowling on the green.

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I arrived ahead of my fellow bowlers, giving me time to explore the park in a way I had never done before.

What I learned about Hazelwood Park amazed me.

As the amount of developable land in New Bedford began to shrink, city officials sought space for parks and recreation areas. In 1902, the City of New Bedford purchased a 23-acre parcel of land now known as Hazelwood Park.

Warren Manning, who had worked for famed public parks developer Frederick Law Olmsted, was hired by the city to design the South End park.

There are currently three buildings at Hazelwood Park, all of them have historical significance. The buildings were country estates built in the 19th century.

A Gothic Revival-style estate in the center, built in 1840 by Joseph Congdon, was called "Hazelwood." I am told this house may also have served as home to the park supervisor.

The Coffin-Howland House, which may contain portions of Congdon's carriage house, suffered fire damage and is fenced off.

The Howland House, currently the Rosemary S. Tierney Community Center, close to Brock Avenue, was built in 1890. The Howland House Estate has an attached carriage house and stable.