by Rhonda M. Fazio and Terry Vandewater
What is it about a city that appeals to people so much that they want to visit or live in it? When we think of Boston, there is Fenway Park, the Freedom Trail, foods from all over the world, a music scene, cityscapes, public parks and gardens, and that Corita Kent Rainbow Swash gas tank visible from the Southeast Expressway into or out of Boston and its harbor of history.
Pretty cool when you think of how much of our nation’s history began in Boston. The same can be said about Fall River. That is right, you read that correctly—Fall River. The city may not have a famed ballpark, or be named for a place in England, but it has its own harbor of history and its very own identity.
Fall River – The Origin Story
Originally inhabited by Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation, Fall River is a city with rolling hills and “falling water” that cascades from the Quequechan River (pronounced “Quick-a-shan” by locals), flowing into Mount Hope Bay. Even more distinctive, the Pocasset tribe once had a female ruler, Weetamoe. You may recognize the name and that of her brother-in-law, Metacomet, also known as King Philip, on street signs, land reserves, and mills, many of which originally were named after the tribal nations that existed at the time and still do today.
In 1659, 26 colonists from Plymouth Bay also recognized the abundant waterpower from the confluence of two rivers (including the Taunton River) that eventually would power a mighty textile industry. The colonists purchased 26 lots of land from the two Pocasset leaders, Wamsutta and Weetamoe. Unfortunately for the Pocasset, their tribal lands were soon to shrink substantially. Today what remains of their land is the oldest maintained reservation in the country. (In welcome news this year, the Boston Globe reported that “Brown University is transferring 255 acres of land in Bristol [RI] to a preservation trust set up by the Pokanoket Indian Tribe, marking one of the nation’s biggest victories in attempts by Indigenous people to reclaim ancestral lands. The transfer, finalized on November 15, 2024, represents the culmination of an agreement reached in 2017 when Pokanoket tribal members and their supporters occupied the property overlooking Mount Hope Bay for more than a month.
The land is the ancestral home of Metacom, the leader of the Pokanoket Wampanoag people who was also known as King Philip, and it’s the site of his death in 1676 during King Philip’s War. Metacom was a son of Massasoit, the chief who first welcomed the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony in 1621.”)
After its incorporation as a town in 1803, Fall River eventually became a city in 1854, and with that began a thriving economy, industrial wealth, jobs for immigrants, a regional train line, and a Fall River Line sailing from a New York harbor to Mount Hope Bay. With an economy in full speed, immigrants from Europe and beyond poured into the city, establishing homes and small businesses amid the mills and rapidly growing textile industry, bringing their tastes and culinary skills with them. By 1880, Fall River was the largest textile hub in the United States. After WWI, when southern textile operations could offer more diversified products and at a much lower price, the gleam of Fall River began to fade. In 2007, Quaker Fabric, at one time Fall River’s largest employer and the last of the mighty mills shut its doors with nothing to take its place. It was a brutal reality, one that has left its mark on the city to this day.
So, what does this have to do with food?
There is still a heartbeat here –the city’s character has taken a beating and a lot of work to clean up and restore–with a pulse that is getting stronger. A resurgence of economic development in the form of niche markets, restaurants, smaller textile industries, coffee shops, specialty markets, redesigned landscapes, parks, a music venue, murals, galleries, museums, and a trolley that threads through the living history that is Fall River. The Fall River Visitor Center is run by Viva Fall River and exhibits artwork and crafts created by over 40 makers, artists, and artisans from across the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island (as well as the trolley).
One of the small businesses that is putting community first is Christopher’s Café, located at 1816 South Main Street (they recently also opened a grab & go at the New Boston Medical Center on New Boston Road). Christopher’s has been operating a scratch kitchen since March 2023. The Main Street property had been neglected and lifelong Fall River residents Christopher and Nathan Silvia had a vision of opening a restaurant with more than mouth-watering eats in mind. In essence, Nate and Christopher wanted to give back to the community that was their childhood home. They transformed the property into a welcoming, inclusive eatery. While the establishment is famous for chocolate chip cookies and other pastries and savories, they have a revolving menu that changes every day and is enjoyed by a diverse group of patrons including neighbors, tradespeople, and tourists.
Christopher’s uses a robust social media network to get the word out about the neighborhood and Fall River and how to take care of one’s own neighborhood by simple acts that don’t require a lot of government intervention–bottle cleanup, clothing drives, toy drives. Christopher’s has become a neighborhood community hub in southeast Fall River. Throughout the year, they throw out challenges like creating and maintaining unique storefronts that draw patrons inside – at time of writing, they just kicked off their Holiday Windows & Storefront contest. They also have a donations jar so if someone in the neighborhood can’t afford a sandwich, they can eat for free with the collected funds. Last summer, the Silvias made free pizza available on a daily basis for children 16 and under to bridge the need for children’s lunches after the school year ended.
Pride is returning to the area. And while the made-from-scratch food at both their locations has many fans, perhaps the most compelling reason to go there is the positive vibes and energy around supporting small businesses, even when it’s yet another eatery. Recently, they challenged their customers to “stop by a small, local restaurant, café, or bakery, take a picture of your visit and what you ordered there and tag Christopher’s in a FB post about it.” Three winners were each given a $100 gift card to the restaurant of their choice, getting the community involved in a real way, with wins all around.
Talking with Patti Rego of Viva Fall River, I asked about the changes going on in the city, the rising cost of living, and who benefits from this transformative time. While understanding the frustrations of watching the city change, she says change must take place to bring people in to support the redevelopment. To retain the city’s identity, residents must voice their opinions, we agreed. Create community beyond their comfort zone. Stay informed of what is going on in this city that is changing quickly. Get involved and support local small businesses even if it’s through acts of kindness versus dollars– as you can see, it is these acts that bond a neighborhood, a community, a city.
So grab some food and embrace the falling rivers. Take a stroll along Heritage State Park, offering a unique view of an industrial sunset overlooking the waters flowing into the Mount Hope Bay. Or head to the Quequechan River Rail Trail and enjoy the place where Weetamoe camped for the winter. It can be hard to imagine that you can find such peace in the middle of the city, but it’s there. And if you are fortunate and the timing is right, you may hear some drums at the pond on any given day. Unexpectedly profound when it occurs, and a beautiful testament to the life of the “falling waters” of the “Riv.”
VivaFallRiver.com
FallRiverMA.gov
Rhonda M. Fazio is an artist, writer, and traveler. She divides her time between the South Coast and the rest of the world (including on tour with Springsteen!), researching and teaching her food and fabric curricula. RhondaMFazio.com
Terry Vandewater has driven over the Braga Bridge over 100 times with her now adult sons. Battleship Cove is still a fam favorite and she is looking forward to exploring the ‘Riv’ with her family.
