Hazelwood Park: New Bedford's South End Treasure on Clark's Point

If you've ever driven along Rodney French Boulevard on a summer evening and caught that first open-water view of Clark's Cove, you've felt the pull of Hazelwood Park. During the 19th century, the land on Clark's Point held three separate country estates, the most famous belonging to Joseph Congdon, who built a Gothic Revival house here in 1839-40 and named the property "Hazelwood."

The City of New Bedford purchased the property in 1902 and brought in landscape architect Warren Manning, who trained under Frederick Law Olmsted, to design the public park that exists today. Three historic structures still stand on the grounds, including the original Congdon House, and the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

Hazelwood Park offers wide-open lawns for kite flying and picnics, sweeping water views over Clark's Cove, a lawn bowling and croquet green, basketball courts, and the Rosemary S. Tierney Community Center. Just across Rodney French Boulevard, families swim and dig for quahogs at West Beach, and the Saulnier Memorial Bike Trail runs south along the water to Fort Taber Park.

The nonprofit Friends of Hazelwood Park continues to protect the park's historic and horticultural character, a good example of how a South Coast neighborhood holds onto its identity as the city grows.

Curious what it's like to live near Clark's Point, or weighing a move to New Bedford or beyond? I'm Sheri Francis with BOLD Real Estate, and I'd love to talk it through. Reach out anytime.