History
In 1620, the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. The ranks of the pilgrims were augmented by colonists landing from the "Fortune" in 1620, and the "Ann" in 1623, and several other ships of later date. In the meantime patents had been granted by the king for various colonies, called the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the land called New England became widely settled. These were the hard and stern times and stringent laws were made by the Plymouth colony as to the worship of God and the general conduct of the colonists. Gradually a certain group rebellion against the orthodox religion of the colony sought to break away from Plymouth, and swelled by the ranks of the members of the Society of Friends, commonly called the Quakers, settled in the present town of
Dartmouth.
Dartmouth was settled about November, 1652, but the purchase had evidently been made some six months before because on March 7, 1652, a meeting was held at Plymouth of the proprietors, thirty-four in number, each share comprising about 3,200 acres. This deed is signed by Wamsutta, and for the colonists by John Winslow and John Cooke.
The deed in part reads as follows:
"Massasoit and Wamsutta sold to William Bradford, Captain Myles
Standish, Thomas Southworth, John Winslow, John Cooke, and
their associates, for thirty yards of cloth, eight moose skins, fifteen
axes, fifteen hoes, fifteen pairs of breeches, eight blankets, two
kettles, one clock, two English Pounds in Wampum, eight pair of
shoes, one iron pot, and ten shillings, that land called Dartmouth"
The first settlements were in Russells Mills, Slocum Neck, and Smith Neck, called Nomquid by the Indians. Shortly after, however, the colonists ranged from the mother settlement and established in Smith Mills, Fairhaven and lastly New Bedford.
On March 20, 1661, John Russell purchased from Myles Standish his full share of Dartmouth. Standish seems to have made a reasonable profit on his holdings, as his share in the original purchase was about $5 to $10, which after holding for nine years, he sold for about $210. This share comprised what is now called Padanaram, that is from Bush Street northerly to Russell's Mills Road, and taking in Bliss Corner and vicinity. In all it comprised about 3,200 acres.
In 1664, King Philip, Sagamore of Pokannockett, often called Metacomet, who was the son of Massasoit, definitely fixed the bounds of the township and the charter reads as follows:
"Dartmouth made a towne"
At the General Court of Election holden at Plymouth
eighth of June, 1664.
"At this court, all that tracte of land commonly called and knowne
by the name Acushena, Ponagansett, Coaksett is allowed by the
court to bee a townshipe, and the inhabitants thereof haue libertie
to make such orders as may conduce to theire common goode in
towne concernments and that the said towne bee henceforth called
and knowne by the name of Dartmouth."
 Photos by Noemi Cardoso - 2006
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Photos by Noemi Cardoso - 2006
LLOYD CENTER FOR THE ENVIROMENT
The Lloyd Center’s 55-acres of estuary and maritime forest in South Dartmouth was donated to the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) in 1978 by Karen Lloyd as a living memorial to her mother, Katharine Nordell Lloyd. Originally a residence, our main building is a four-story modern structure which overlooks Buzzards Bay and the Slocums River estuary. Because of its unparalleled beauty, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs has identified the Lloyd Center’s property as one of the state’s 15 “Special Places.”
In 1980, the Lloyd Center first established its mission of environmental education and research, developed articles of operation, and hired a full-time Executive Director. The Lloyd Center was officially opened to the public in 1981 when it began offering its popular natural science programs and workshops to students, teachers and the community. By 1985, the Lloyd Center had received tax-exempt status as an independent entity. Full-time research and education coordinators were hired in 1986. That same year, the building which contains our research collections and wheelchair-accessible classrooms was donated and moved onto the Lloyd Center’s property.
Lloyd Center for the Environment
Photos by Noemi Cardoso - 2006
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