Post by nokatay on May 28, 2015 17:46:15 GMT -5
I took a ride out to 'The Nubble' in Westport, MA last weekend. That part of Westport, in case you didn't know is called Acoaxet, a Wampanoag name that means “the land on the other side of the little land”, got that? It also represented a Wampanoag tribe that lived in the area and still used by residents to denote that area today.
What the Hell is the Nubble, you ask? Simply put, it's a rock. It's a pretty big rock though. In fact, supposedly, pirates of the 1600's used to hide their ship behind it by sailing into the West branch of the Acoaxet (Westport) River. Today it is on town property accesible by a dirt and sand road but parking is limited on a short sand dune lined road.
Another interesting fact about Acoaxet is that access it by land you have to enter through Adamsville, Rhode Island. On this day I travelled from Fairhaven, MA on Route 6 West to Faunce Corner rd in Dartmouth and turned left onto Old County rd which also heads west to Main road, Westport, you will cross Route 77 before getting to Main rd. I turned left heading south on Main road a little more than 2 miles to Admasville road where there is a small traffic Island I turned right and headed west once again. Adamsville road is a nice scenic road that eventually heads downhill to Gray's Mill Pond and over a small bridge. Alongside the bridge is Gray's Daily Grind, a coffee shop boasts "free range coffee."
I haven't stopped there yet but when you go by it smells awfully good, maybe someday.
Adamsville road at this point means you have reached Rhode Island and is now Main st, Route 179. Taking the first left will get you on Old Harbor road. In about a mile you will come to a fork in the road. An 8 foot fork actually. Bear right and you will be on River road which will take you to the shore and Beach avenue, the dirt road leading to the Nubble. Along this road you'll see neatly maintained cottages and beach houses as well as views of the Westport River. As you reach an 'S' turn on the left you will see a couple of old gas pumps which offer a great photo opportunity, keep in mind this is private property though. When I went by there were for sale signs up and a couple were looking at the property.
This property was once Macombers Stable and there were barn doors in the building near where the gas pumps are now. Once autos and motorcycles caught on Macombers began servicing cars and a boarding house was added.
There are still Macombers in the repair business in Westport today. At the top of the hill after Macombers grand old beach homes appear reminding one of turn of the cenutury Atlantic City architecture.
Along Beach avenue you can't help noticing and impressive stone mansion as beautiful as any Newport mansion. The estate was call Pond Meadow and I assume it was built with stone cut from the immediate area.
It was built by E. P. Charlton a Five and Dime store pioneer who competed with the Woolworth's chain.
Charlton and his family were benefactors to the city of Fall River and Union and Truesdale hospitals, later merged to form Charlton Memorial Hospital.
On your way back, when you reach Route 179 try turning left and heading west. This will take you to Tiverton Four Corners and Gray's Ice Cream. If you are like me you won't be able to drive by with out stopping once you've stopped here. "They make their own ice cream from their own milk cows." I've seen a cow or two in the grassy area near the parking lot. Just for show I assume. If you've realized the coffee shop and the ice cream shop are named after after Grays' family you may also notice that there are other family named business in the area.
From Four Corners head north on Route 77 to the intersection of Route 177 where just north of there is Evelyn's Nanaquaket Drive In.
Great seafood where you can eat inside, outside on a patio or my preference on pick-a-nick tables in the parking lot right on the waters edge where you will most likely be joined by a mooching seagull. I like the Cakes and Chowder combo, 4 clam cakes and a bowl of clear broth chowder, probably the best I've ever eaten. Last year the combo was $7 but after Labor Day the run it for $5. A great warm up on a cool fall day. Be warned, a seafood platter which they claim weighs TWO pounds is $45.00, I think it's $52 with a lobster tail. Needless to say I've never tried one. I'm too cheap. Evelyn's has been on Guy Fiore's 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'. Guy flipped over Lobster Mac n Cheese and Hoo Mee chow mein mix made with lobster. Don't know if he tried coffee syrup or not.
Also nearby but over the Route 24 bridge in Portsmouth, RI is Flo's Drive In directly across from the beach at Island Park.
Flo's has great food and features a clam cake that is fluffier than most and really, really good and great fried clams. After your order is placed you're given a plastic lobster that will flash and buzz when your order is ready.
If you're headed back to the New Bedford area after reaching these destinations try taking Route 177, Bulgarmarsh road all the way to Westport and back home. You can also take 24 to 195 but I prefer the scenic routes.
Please feel free to leave comments or questions about this article and let me know someone is reading!
What the Hell is the Nubble, you ask? Simply put, it's a rock. It's a pretty big rock though. In fact, supposedly, pirates of the 1600's used to hide their ship behind it by sailing into the West branch of the Acoaxet (Westport) River. Today it is on town property accesible by a dirt and sand road but parking is limited on a short sand dune lined road.
Another interesting fact about Acoaxet is that access it by land you have to enter through Adamsville, Rhode Island. On this day I travelled from Fairhaven, MA on Route 6 West to Faunce Corner rd in Dartmouth and turned left onto Old County rd which also heads west to Main road, Westport, you will cross Route 77 before getting to Main rd. I turned left heading south on Main road a little more than 2 miles to Admasville road where there is a small traffic Island I turned right and headed west once again. Adamsville road is a nice scenic road that eventually heads downhill to Gray's Mill Pond and over a small bridge. Alongside the bridge is Gray's Daily Grind, a coffee shop boasts "free range coffee."
I haven't stopped there yet but when you go by it smells awfully good, maybe someday.
Adamsville road at this point means you have reached Rhode Island and is now Main st, Route 179. Taking the first left will get you on Old Harbor road. In about a mile you will come to a fork in the road. An 8 foot fork actually. Bear right and you will be on River road which will take you to the shore and Beach avenue, the dirt road leading to the Nubble. Along this road you'll see neatly maintained cottages and beach houses as well as views of the Westport River. As you reach an 'S' turn on the left you will see a couple of old gas pumps which offer a great photo opportunity, keep in mind this is private property though. When I went by there were for sale signs up and a couple were looking at the property.
This property was once Macombers Stable and there were barn doors in the building near where the gas pumps are now. Once autos and motorcycles caught on Macombers began servicing cars and a boarding house was added.
There are still Macombers in the repair business in Westport today. At the top of the hill after Macombers grand old beach homes appear reminding one of turn of the cenutury Atlantic City architecture.
Along Beach avenue you can't help noticing and impressive stone mansion as beautiful as any Newport mansion. The estate was call Pond Meadow and I assume it was built with stone cut from the immediate area.
It was built by E. P. Charlton a Five and Dime store pioneer who competed with the Woolworth's chain.
Charlton and his family were benefactors to the city of Fall River and Union and Truesdale hospitals, later merged to form Charlton Memorial Hospital.
On your way back, when you reach Route 179 try turning left and heading west. This will take you to Tiverton Four Corners and Gray's Ice Cream. If you are like me you won't be able to drive by with out stopping once you've stopped here. "They make their own ice cream from their own milk cows." I've seen a cow or two in the grassy area near the parking lot. Just for show I assume. If you've realized the coffee shop and the ice cream shop are named after after Grays' family you may also notice that there are other family named business in the area.
From Four Corners head north on Route 77 to the intersection of Route 177 where just north of there is Evelyn's Nanaquaket Drive In.
Great seafood where you can eat inside, outside on a patio or my preference on pick-a-nick tables in the parking lot right on the waters edge where you will most likely be joined by a mooching seagull. I like the Cakes and Chowder combo, 4 clam cakes and a bowl of clear broth chowder, probably the best I've ever eaten. Last year the combo was $7 but after Labor Day the run it for $5. A great warm up on a cool fall day. Be warned, a seafood platter which they claim weighs TWO pounds is $45.00, I think it's $52 with a lobster tail. Needless to say I've never tried one. I'm too cheap. Evelyn's has been on Guy Fiore's 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'. Guy flipped over Lobster Mac n Cheese and Hoo Mee chow mein mix made with lobster. Don't know if he tried coffee syrup or not.
Also nearby but over the Route 24 bridge in Portsmouth, RI is Flo's Drive In directly across from the beach at Island Park.
Flo's has great food and features a clam cake that is fluffier than most and really, really good and great fried clams. After your order is placed you're given a plastic lobster that will flash and buzz when your order is ready.
If you're headed back to the New Bedford area after reaching these destinations try taking Route 177, Bulgarmarsh road all the way to Westport and back home. You can also take 24 to 195 but I prefer the scenic routes.
Please feel free to leave comments or questions about this article and let me know someone is reading!