The Fairhaven Historical Society announces their new exhibit at the Academy Building “Get Your Kicks on Route Six.” This exhibit features images of Fairhaven businesses from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. Throughout the 20th century, Route Six has been a center of commercial activity. Stores, banks, restaurants and entertainment could all be found on this major artery in Fairhaven. This was where family, friends and neighbors met to go bowling, watch a drive-in movie or go out to eat. This is where young people would hang out at the A&W or the video arcade.
“This is an era which has been overlooked as historically important. So much attention is justifiably given to the rich heritage of Fairhaven’s history in the 18th and 19th centuries but it is also important to document and remember the community during the last half of the twentieth century,” says Tim Evans, president of the Fairhaven Historical Society.
Not every business featured in the exhibit was directly on Route Six, but all businesses in Fairhaven drew from the traffic generated from it. Before I-195, Route Six was the pathway from points west to Cape Cod, so many out-of-town travelers passed through Fairhaven on their vacations.
With the assistance of Spinner Publications’ photographic archives, visitors to the museum can stroll down memory lane and recall the days of Barbero’s, the Huttleston House and Rogers’ Dairy.
Additionally, the locations of the businesses are identified and current businesses at the same location are given for context. From the Spinner Inn to last call at the Cape-Way Cafe, from Newbury TV to Grimshaw’s Clambake, come relive the “good old days” of Fairhaven’s most recent century.
The Museum of Fairhaven History is located at 141 Main Street, and is open when the Office of Tourism is open at the Academy Building, as well as on Saturdays during Huttleston Marketplace from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. beginning June 18th.
For questions or inquiries please contact historicalsocietyfairhaven@gmail.com
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