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Padanaram is a coastal village in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States. The village is located on Buzzards Bay, more specifically near the inlet of Apponagansett Bay.
The village of Padanaram was one of many settlements that began cropping up within the town of Old Dartmouth after its purchase from the Wampanoag by members of the Plymouth Colony in 1652. During King Philip's War, English colonists residing in the area took shelter at 
History
The village of Padanaram was one of many settlements that began cropping up within the town of Old Dartmouth after its purchase from the Wampanoag by members of the Plymouth Colony in 1652. During King Philip's War, English colonists residing in the area took shelter at Russell Garrison
The Russell Garrison was a fortified area of Dartmouth, Massachusetts in the 17th century. Now a small town-owned public park located on Fort Street in its Apponagansett neighborhood, the garrison site includes the reconstructed foundational rem ...
. Remains of the settlement can still be seen at the foot of Lucy Street.
In the mid-18th century it became a shipbuilding center. In September 1778, during the American Revolution, the British attacked nearby New Bedford
New Bedford (Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American pe ...
with a small force attacking Padanaram. The town prospered as a minor whaling port and was home to a large salt works during the 19th century. As these industries died out, "the village" (as it is referred to by locals) became mostly a residential area with several yachting businesses, galleries, eateries, and shops.
The town is also the location of the Southworth Library Southworth Library may refer to:
* Southworth Library (Dartmouth, Massachusetts)
The Southworth Library was a library located in the village of Padanaram, Massachusetts, Padanaram, a coastal village located in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, at 404 E ...
, which was built in the late 1880's, and early 1890's.
Name etymology
The name “Padanaram” came from a prominent early resident named Laban Thatcher, who identified with the Biblical figure Laban who resided in Paddan Aram in Mesopotamia. The village eventually adopted this new name, and dropped its earlier Wampanoag name, “Ponagansett.”New Bedford Yacht Club
The New Bedford Yacht Club, while founded inNew Bedford
New Bedford (Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American pe ...
, is now located in Padanaram. The club originally founded their headquarters on nearby Fish Island in 1877. Two years later, in 1879 in order to accommodate its growing membership, the club headquarters were moved to the larger neighboring Pope Island. In 1901, the club built the station in Padanaram. It replaced the Pope Island station as the main station of the club following the 1941 sale of the island. The New Bedford Yacht Club bi-annually hosts the Buzzards Bay Regatta.
See also
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Bristol County, MassachusettsReferences
{{authority control Historic districts in Bristol County, Massachusetts Villages in Bristol County, Massachusetts Dartmouth, Massachusetts Providence metropolitan area Villages in Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Bristol County, Massachusetts Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts