William Bradford
"Arctic Explorer and Renowned Artist"
(1823-1892)
William Bradford, noted romanticist artist and photographer, was born in a part of Fairhaven which eventually became Acushnet, and later divided his time, when not traveling, between a New York studio and homes and studios in Fairhaven.
Marine artist of the “luminist” school, Bradford achieved international fame and was sponsored by European nobility, including Queen Victoria. After failure in the business of dry goods, Bradford built an art studio at the south end of Main Street in 1851. He shared his studio for three years with Dutch painter Albert Van Beest, near the intersection of Main and Church streets and jutted out over the water. A later studio was on Union Wharf. He also maintained a studio in New York.
Bradford raised money for voyages to Labrador and Greenland where he painted and photographed Arctic scenes. After finding fame in Europe, he worked in studios both in New York and in Fairhaven.
His paintings, photographs and sketches are in many collections, Including the Royal Collection Trust in the United Kingdom.
He died in 1892 and is buried at Riverside Cemetery.
SITES ASSOCIATED WITH WILLIAM BRADFORD
William Bradford Burial Site
274 Main Street, Fairhaven, MA
Riverside Cemetery
Bradford's main grave marker is a large, natural boulder, weighing about four tons, which taken from the shore south of Fort Phoenix. Its face was polished and engraved by stone cutter Edward G. Spooner of Fairhaven. At the head of the grave is a marker engraved with Bradford’s signature. To the right of the maker is a smaller stone that had been brought by Bradford from Greenland during one of his northern voyages. Also buried in the plot are Bradford’s wife, Mary (Breed) Bradford and his daughter Mary E. Bradford.
John Greenleaf Whittier dedicated the poem “Amy Wentworth” to Bradford and lines from the poem are engraved on his grave stone. They read, “Something it has—a flavor of the sea—and the sea’s freedom—which reminds of thee.”
All historical information on this page was researched and written by Christopher Richard, who served as Fairhaven’s Tourism Director from 1996 to 2024.