Have you ever explored your town’s or city’s local film history? That’s exactly what I’m doing now! When I first lived in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, I was mad about the movies, but I was mainly consuming them. Sometimes I’d write the odd school paper review or later college papers for my UMass-Dartmouth film classes, but I wasn’t yet exploring my hometown’s film history. I knew next door New Bedford had film history, that it was the setting for movie location shoots. If crews filmed there, it was usually because New Bedford was the onscreen setting for the picture. In media coverage, New Bedford often overshadows Fairhaven, but I’ve discovered the town has its own rich, early film history. I want to share my findings, so I’m launching a new blog series on when motion pictures invaded Fairhaven. The series starts with this post!
Digging through the Media History Digital Library, I found this EXHIBITORS HERALD article:
Its title is a little misleading. Yes, motion pictures invaded Fairhaven at last, but the town’s film history predates 1920. I’ll elaborate more on that fact in another post later. Film exhibition started in Fairhaven in 1920. That was late nationally and for the greater region. New Bedford theatres were screening flickers by the 1910s. The city’s playhouses easily converted to showing this new mode of entertainment. Fairhaven wouldn’t get its own movie theatre until 1922, Whitfield’s Premier, so its town hall’s auditorium was the most appropriate venue.
Why did the Selectmen hesitate to allow motion pictures to come to Fairhaven? I’m not going to speculate on their religious or otherwise personal feelings about movies and their attendees. By 1920, it was clear the pictures weren’t a short-term fad. They were a diversion the middle class was embracing. The Selectman listened to the will of their townspeople, who no longer wanted to cross a bridge to be entertained, especially in winter.
Sources
- “Motion Pictures at Last Are to Invade Fairhaven.” Exhibitors Herald, 2 Oct. 1920, p. 78. https://lantern.mediahist.org/catalog/exhibitorsherald11exhi_1_0102
- “Thomas W. Whitfield.” Fairhaven Office of Tourism, fairhaventours.com/thomas-w-whitfield/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2024.
- “Town Hall.” Fairhaven Office of Tourism, fairhaventours.com/fairhaven-ma-town-hall/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2024.
Thomas Gladysz
Wonderful post. I look forward to reading more of ’em.
Beth Ann Gallagher
Thanks so much, Thomas!
Karen Hannsberry
Looking forward to this series, Beth Ann! Is your town still run by Selectmen, or do they call them something else now?
— Karen
Beth Ann Gallagher
That’s great, Karen! I know I’ll have a lot of fun researching and sharing what I find further, so I’m excited to learn this topic is of interest to people outside of this area. Yes, Fairhaven has a Select Board, and its members use the terms Selectman and Selectwoman.
Silver Screenings
Sounds like a rich history here. Looking forward to this series!
Beth Ann Gallagher
Thanks so much for your encouragement, Ruth! I have some new posts for the series in the works.