The Beauty of New England's Often Forgotten Cities

For most tourists (and even some locals) New England consists of three things: Boston, quaint beach communities, and charming rural or suburban towns. This defines a large portion of New England, but not all of it. This tiny region is where the American Industrial Revolution began. We have a history of whaling, paper production, and textile factories, that extends to cities far beyond Boston.

TRAVEL

James Kirk

4/19/20263 min read

On my old Wix blog I made a post showing off some of my favorite cities in New England. While I have been reposting a lot of my old content onto this blog, this time I decided to make a similar post and leave my other one behind. I think part of the reason I have gotten more passionate about uplifting New England communities is my circumstances have changed. I now live in Hartford, Connecticut, and work in Springfield, Massachusetts. These are two cities that, to be blunt, have a horrible reputation among many New Englanders. While I would not deny that both communities face their fair share of problems, I have found myself enjoying my time in both places. It has got me thinking that you need to visit places yourself before you write them off due to their reputations. I think a lot of our New England cities could benefit from more people from the suburbs or tourists coming to visit. For example, it is a shame that when you walk around Downtown Springfield or Hartford there are more empty storefronts than occupied. Today I just hope to provide a different perspective and highlight places that usually do not get as much shine in New England travel itineraries.

Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts

I have decided to group these two Southeastern Massachusetts cities together not only for their geographic proximity, but also their shared characteristics. Both communities were made rich by textile factories and whaling, and then were defined by Portuguese immigration in 20th century. Today they continue to welcome immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Cape Verde, Guatemala, and beyond. I find both cities very charming, especially New Bedford's cobblestone streets. I actually spent my 25th birthday in New Bedford. I visited the Glass Museum, went shopping downtown, and tried Cape Verdean food for the first time.

Various pictures around downtown New Bedford, including Portuguese azulejos (the tiles) and my favorite item at the New Bedford Glass Museum (the glass chair).

Dominican food, a Portuguese arch, Battleship Cove, and Portugalia Marketplace in Fall River.

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

I have probably spent the least amount of time in Pawtucket of all the cities I will be mentioning in this blog. I usually pass through on my way to Providence. However, I wanted to highlight somewhere in Rhode Island, and I think Providence already gets its fair share of of publicity. Pawtucket is where the American Industrial Revolution began. The downtown has a scenic riverfront and, the despite the PawSocks leaving, has seen notable development in recent years, such as a professional soccer stadium.

The downtown Pawtucket riverfront, the Slater Mill, and my favorite plant store in New England (Jordan's Jungle)

Hartford, Connecticut

I will be honest, it is shame that downtown Hartford is not better. It truly does have the bones to be a great city. However, horrible city planning, problematic politicians, and car centric infrastructure have plagued downtown. Despite this, there is a lot to love about Hartford. We have the oldest continuously operating art museum in the country (the Wadsworth Atheneum), two beautiful city parks (Elizabeth and Bushnell), great restaurants, and diverse communities from around the world. The North End is known for great Jamaican food, Puerto Rican restaurants line Park Street in Frog Hollow, Parkville has a strong Brazilian community, and the South End is home to great Italian and Latin American spots. While I would never argue Hartford is my favorite city, I wish people in the area appreciated it more. You can really have a fun day exploring Downtown, maybe seeing a show, or eating your way around the world at Parkville Market.

Various skyline shots, inside the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Connecticut state house, bilingual Frog Hollow sign, and a pretty home in the South End.

Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts

While not as similar as Fall River and New Bedford, I decided to group Springfield and Holyoke together due to their geographic proximity and shared history. Springfield is the birthplace of basketball and Holyoke of volleyball. Both cities can also be characterized by their manufacturing history and deep-rooted Caribbean communities (notably Puerto Ricans, especially in Holyoke). Today both cities have their fair share of challenges, but also opportunities. Springfield boasts a new MGM resort, multiple museums, and my favorite city park in New England (Forest Park). Holyoke has beautiful canals, delicious food, and stunning hiking trails. Both cities also have wonderful murals scattered throughout downtowns and neighborhoods. Having lived across Central America and Mexico, the vibrant Latino communities of Holyoke and Springfield sometimes bring me back to my time away (even just for a few seconds). I love being able to practice my Spanish, eat traditional dishes, and hear Latin music in the street.