Nestled away in the back corner of the Pine Grove Cemetery in New Bedford, Massachusetts stands a rather impressive mausoleum, statue, and plaque. This stands in remembrance of Marcelino Manuel da Graça, otherwise known as Charles Manuel “Sweet Daddy” Grace.

Daddy Grace was born on January 25th in the Cape Verde Islands. Interestingly, there is no verifiable information to confirm his exact birth year, although most sources either state 1881 or 1884.

In May of 1902 his family set sail aboard a ship named “The Freeman” and he arrived in America at the port of New Bedford, Massachusetts. 17 years later in 1919 he quit his job as a railway cook and built the first “House of Prayer” in West Wareham, Massachusetts at the cost of $39.

Photo by Steven Richard.

In December of 1921, a regular meeting place in New Bedford was organized on 357 Kempton Street. Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s Daddy Grace traveled extensively across the country holding tent meetings, healing services, and mass baptisms which were attended by the thousands.

Many people became members of the House of Prayer after these spiritual services because of the “healing power of Christ” being demonstrated. He was able to build an organization of 350 “Houses of Prayer” with a national membership of over 3 million followers.

His ability to step off the boat onto the Port of New Bedford with absolutely nothing in his name, and become an extremely wealthy man building over 350 churches with over 3 million followers is absolutely remarkable.

But unfortunately there is an aspect to his story which many have a major issue with.

Photo by Steven Richard.

Many would flat out tell you that “Sweet Daddy Grace” really was a cult leader who would enrich himself from his followers of the “Houses of Prayer”. It is rumored that he built a large wealthy empire by selling things like “plots in heaven” and “drinks that would cure anything” to his followers.

He made so much money that he actually bought the largest apartment building in New York City.

According to reporting from Southcoast Today, he faced some legal battles regarding tax evasion, IRS investigations, and even human trafficking which all make sense in regards to how he built his wealth. Although I don’t believe it is necessary to dig into the details of his legal issues, I figured it is important to note as it gives credibility to the rumors and stories surrounding him.

The story of Marcelino Manuel da Graça is a fascinating one to say the least. A poor kid that sailed to New Bedford from Cape Verde and became a wildly rich and famous cult leader that bought the tallest apartment in New York City. His life story has “Netflix Documentary” written all over it.

Photo by Steven Richard.

During the month of September, the 48th Lights for Peace flag to fly at the Fort Taber – Fort Rodman Military Museum honors the memory of Tiago Reis of New Beford who was killed in action while serving with the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

Reis was born on February 15, 1947 in St. Michael, the Azores, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Luis Reis. He lived on Rivet Street in New Bedford, MA. Reis enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on December 15, 1965, at the age of 18, and began his active duty career on February 8, 1966.

Corporal Reis was killed in action on September 21, 1967, at the age of 20, while serving in the Vietnam War. According to a letter written by Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Assistant to Head, Casualty Section from the Department of the Navy, CPL Reis died “in the vicinity of Quang Tri, Republic of Vietnam as the result of fragmentation wounds sustained from a hostile mortar while participating in an operation against hostile forces.”

“The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States,” according to history.com. “The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. More than 3 million people (including over 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians.”

According to the website marines.mil, “As 1967 began, the 3d Marine Div. was fighting two wars: a conventional one along with DMZ, where division confronted division, and a counter guerrilla war in the rest of Quan Tri and Thua Thien province. Although committed to both campaigns, the situation forced the division to give priority to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone).”

Quang Tri province, where corporal Reis was killed, was part of the DMZ. According to Wikipedia, “The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was a demilitarized zone at the 17th parallel in Quang Tri province that was established as the dividing line between the two countries i.e. North Vietnam and South Vietnam from 22 July 1954 to 2 July 1976 when Vietnam was officially divided into the two military gathering areas, which was intended to be sustained in the short term after the First Indochina War.

Corporal Tiago Reis served honorably in the United States Marine Corps and paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country.

Linda Ferreira, of Empire Ford of New Bedford, researches the life histories of area residents. American flags are provided by Empire Ford of New Bedford. Flags are raised by the staff at Fort Taber – Fort Rodman Military Museum. Those who would like to honor a local veteran in the future can contact Ferreira at lferreira@buyempireautogroup.com.

Although it technically was founded in 1902, September 4th marks 100 years that the 18 hole course we see today of the Country Club of New Bedford has been in operation.

In 1902 the Country Club of New Bedford was incorporated. A short ride from the city by horse, the founders envisioned a true country club experience. A “state of the art” clubhouse was constructed and landscape designers from Boston were hired.

Postcard of CCNB from 1909.

By 1915 the new golf course already became overcrowded and members petitioned the Board of Governors to expand the facility to eighteen holes.

In February of 1922, across Slocum Road, an additional 38 acres were secured which allowed the desired expansion project to proceed.

The following month on March 28, 1922, the board proudly announced the official hiring of world renowned golf course architect, Willie Park Jr. This was a huge deal as Willie Park Jr. is the world’s first “golf course architect”, a two time Open Champion, and the first man ever to write a book on how to play the game of golf.

Willie Parker Jr. playing in the Open.

He has been labeled “the man who brought golf to the world”.

Construction of the eighteen hole layout that you can play today was completed on September 4th, 1923. The Country Club of New Bedford’s layout and greens have remained relatively untouched from their original forms for almost one hundred years and represent a wonderful example of a Willie Park Jr. design.

Country Club of New Bedford.

Country Club of New Bedford.

“Against a backdrop of downtown New Bedford’s historic architecture tour guide Bruce Barnes examines the role that New Bedford played in the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865.

A story of valor and sacrifice, Mr. Barnes expounds the devastating impact that the Civil War had on the residents of New Bedford and the nation. New Bedford was a city of 24,000 and 10% of its population, more than 3,300, were sent to fight the war.

Of those, almost 260 died during the war. New Bedford citizens participated in every theater of the conflict, on land and the sea, from the First Battle of Bull Run to Appomattox Court House.

Other Society projects include the Historic Marker Program, New Bedford Re-Leaf, the production of self-guided Architectural Historic District Walking tour brochures (available online at the society’s website), Historical Cemetery Tours, Annual Holiday House Tours, and lectures throughout the year on historic preservation. To learn more about the society call 508.997.6425 or visit nbpreservationsociety.org.

All photos by the New Bedford Preservation Society:

New Bedford may not be perfect and sometimes can get an unfair reputation, but it’s home to roughly 100,000 residents many of which quite enjoy the Whaling City. I decided to ask citizens a simple question, “What’s your favorite aspect of New Bedford?” and I received a ton of answers! There was a plethora of categories but I began to notice a common theme among them, so I present to you:

“The 5 best aspects of New Bedford according to residents”

New Bedford Whaling Museum photo.

5. The History
With the arrival of the railroad in 1840 and easier access to New York and Boston markets, New Bedford became the wealthiest city in the world. This is because New Bedford became “The city that lit the world” or to put it bluntly, we have a history of men that would jump onto wooden ships with spears and hunt massive whales to light the world. One could say that is a pretty interesting and unique history we have!

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Feast of the Blessed Sacrament photo.

4. Culture & Diversity

The diverse community makes New Bedford truly special. With a huge population of Portuguese it makes sense that we host the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament which is the largest Portuguese Feast in the world! New Bedford is also one of the largest Cape Verdean communities in America with roughly 8% of our population being of Cape Verdean descent. Many immigrated to New Bedford to contribute to our whaling history which has now given us a unique and diverse culture today!

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Aerial New England photo.
3. Waterfront

The Waterfront was an obvious answer for many. You can watch the sunrise at East Beach, the sunset at West Beach, take a walk along the ocean at Fort Taber or the Covewalk, and of course you can’t forget the fishing port which happens to be the largest in America!

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Zeiterion Theater photo.
2. Art & Entrepreneurship

The artistic and entrepreneurial spirit of New Bedford is really what sets it apart from similar cities. From the performing arts at the historic Zeiterion theater to the several art galleries and displays in downtown, we have become a destination for artists and creatives. Along with being a creative hub, many residents expressed their appreciation of how many locally owned businesses we get to enjoy in the area. Downtown as well as the Kilburn Mills host an insane amount of different local businesses, something you don’t see in every city!

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Facebook photo.

1. Food

What happens when you take a diverse, entrepreneurial city with rich history, and mix it with a huge fishing port? You get some crazy good restaurants! Easily the #1 answer I received from residents was the “food scene” and quite frankly, I have to agree. There are so many things I could say about the Food in New Bedford, from authentic Portuguese to the “fresh of the docks” seafood. I’ll leave you with this, you won’t find an Applebees in downtown New Bedford!

During the month of August, the 47th Lights for Peace flag to fly at the Fort Taber – Fort Rodman Military Museum honors the memory of Arthur R. Allain, or New Bedford, who passed away on April 19th at the age of 92.

Allain was born in New Bedford on March 7, 1931, the son of the late Thadde and Rosalie (LeBlanc) Allain. He was inducted into the United States Army on May 16, 1952 in Boston and served during the Korean War, spending one year, 3 months and 15 days overseas. He attained the rank of Corporal and was honorably discharged on May 4, 1954, spending nearly two years serving his country. Allain was awarded the Korean Service Medal with 2 bronze stars, the National Defense Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal.

“The armed conflict in Korea, which began in 1950, lasted three years and claimed the lives of millions of Korean soldiers and civilians on both sides, hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers, and more than 36,000 U.S. soldiers,” according to Brittanica.com. “However, the United States never formally declared war on North Korea, China, or the Soviet Union. And, although the U.S. military led the United Nations’ expeditionary force, its involvement was tied only to a UN Security Council resolution, because the UN itself cannot declare war. Consequently, the conflict in Korea did not technically constitute a war,” although the conflict is often referred to as the Korean War.

The Korean War was a conflict between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in which at least 2.5 million people lost their lives. “The war reached international proportions in June 1950 when North Korea, supplied and advised by the Soviet Union, invaded the South. The United Nations, with the United States as the principal participant, joined the war on the side of the South Koreans, and the People’s Republic of China came to North Korea’s aid. After more than a million combat casualties had been suffered on both sides, the fighting ended in July 1953 with Korea still divided into two hostile states. Negotiations in 1954 produced no further agreement, and the front line has been accepted ever since as the de facto boundary between North and South Korea.”

Upon completing his military service, Allain went to work for Sunbeam Bakery as a baker and then moved into the shipping and receiving department. Upon leaving Sunbeam Bakery, he went to work for Tweeve Manufacturing, where he would later retire from. Allain was a hard worker and at times worked 2-3 jobs, working part-time at Central Pharmacy and Central Liquors.

Bob Silveira, Allain’s nephew and godson, explains, “While serving in Korea, (Arthur) found out that my mother was pregnant with me. When he got to Japan on leave, he somehow got word to her that he wanted to be the godfather. So, she waited for him to return.”

Silveira went on to explain that his uncle was “a very quiet guy who was extremely proud of his country and his military service in Korea. He was instrumental in getting a monument to honor his friend PFC Rene G. Poitras, who was killed in action (KIA) in the Korean War.

Arthur marched in every Memorial Day parade he could and then drove in a vehicle when he was not able to walk in the parade. He also enjoyed word search puzzles and watching New England sports, especially the Red Sox. In his earlier years, he enjoyed fishing on the Cape Cod Canal.

He is survived by his nephews, Robert Silveira and his wife Barbara of Plymouth, William Silveira and his wife Debra of Lakeville, Bernard Allain and his wife Maureen of Dartmouth, Ronald Allain of Troy, NH, Bruce Allain of Warwick, RI and the late Rene Allain, Jr. of New Bedford; his nieces, Diane Gamache and her husband Paul of Freetown, Doreen Wotton and her husband Russell of Dartmouth; He was the brother of the late David, Francois, Cecile (Silveira), Zoel, Omer, Rene Sr. and Paul Allain.

Linda Ferreira, of Empire Ford of New Bedford, researches the life histories of area residents. American flags are provided by Empire Ford of New Bedford. Flags are raised by the staff at Fort Taber – Fort Rodman Military Museum. Those who would like to honor a local veteran in the future can contact Ferreira at lferreira@buyempireautogroup.com.

“I paid a visit to a long time family friend, Colonel Joe Martin, who turns 100 years old this week. Joe served for forty years in the Army National Guard in various field artillery units.

During WWII, he fought with distinction in Normandy and at the Battle of Bulge. Although they were in different units during the war, Joe and my maternal grandfather John Kinney served in the same battalion after the war, and were close friends (I learned today in fact that Joe still has my grandfather’s foot locker).

Joe looks and sounds great, and I was thrilled that his family invited me to be part of his birthday celebration.”-Jon Mitchell.

“We did some spring cleaning around the Ash Street Jail this week with some folks from the New Bedford Whaling Museum coming to box up and take away some of the old glass negatives and card records from the attic.

We’re happy these artifacts of New Bedford’s history will be in the care of the Whaling Museum, which will preserve, document, and one day, display them.

Thanks to Capt. Antonio Oliveira, Officer William Sellers and Correctional Officer of the Year Chris Bergeron for helping with the move. (Chris was named Officer of the Year a few years ago, and his pals at Ash Street bring it up as often as they can to joke with him, so we thought we’d join in the fun today).”-Bristol County Sheriff’s Office.

All photos by the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office:

By Bailey Bisson.

Taunton, Massachusetts, located in Bristol County, has a rich history dating back to the 17th century.

In 1637, Taunton was founded by settlers from the Plymouth Colony. The land was purchased from the Wampanoag Native American tribe and was named after Taunton, Somerset, in England.

As quoted from Samuel H. Emery’s book written in 1893, “The ‘natives’ were recognized by these first settlers as holding, by virtue of birth and possession, rights to the soil and streams which constituted their territory.”

Quilt donated to the Old Colony Historical Society to represent Taunton’s wool production. Bailey Bisson photo.

During the colonial period, Taunton was a major center for iron production. The town had several iron forges and mills, which produced a wide range of iron products, including tools, horseshoes, and cannons.

In 1774, Taunton played a key role in the American Revolution. The town hosted a large gathering of colonial leaders, who formed a committee of correspondence to communicate with other colonies about British actions. Taunton also had a militia company that fought in several battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill.

During the 19th century, Taunton became a major center for the production of textiles, including cotton and wool. The town was home to several large textile mills, which employed thousands of workers.

Famously known as “Silver City”, Taunton is known for Reed and Barton, a silver company which specialized in crafting silver kitchen utensils, and was established in 1830. In 2003, the silver company officially went out of business, however, the building still remains. There are also Reed & Barton Christmas ornaments still for sale at The Old Colony Historical Society.

Silver created by Reed & Barton at the Old Colony Historical Society. Bailey Bisson photo.

In the early 20th century, Taunton underwent significant economic changes. Many of the textile mills closed down, and the town became a center for manufacturing and commerce. Today, Taunton is known for its manufacturing, healthcare, and education industries.

Taunton has also played a significant role in the arts. The town is home to several museums and art galleries, including the Taunton Art Association and the Old Colony Historical Society.

Overall, Taunton has a long and diverse history, and its legacy continues to shape the town’s identity today.

National Register of Historic Places. Bailey Bisson photo.

Silver created by Reed & Barton at the Old Colony Historical Society. Bailey Bisson photo.

“Today, Troopers Giuseppe Ciampa and Michael Capotosto, of the State Police Mounted Unit, had the pleasure of escorting Paul Revere and William Dawes on their Midnight Ride from Boston to Lexington/Concord.

This is an annual Patriot’s Day event the Lancers host and the State Police Mounted Unit has the pleasure of escorting from start to finish.”-Massachusetts State Police.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.