New Bedford: America's Maritime City

New Bedford Fortnight will be on the BSU Summer schedule in 2019 under a new name: America's Maritime City (registration opens March 11). We realized that the theme of the course might make for a better title than the length of the course -- especially since "fortnight" is a term that has become rather too obscure. The idea remains the same, however: spend two weeks exploring the geography of a most remarkable city!

Azorean whaleboats were featured in
National Geographic

GEOG 296 is a local study tour that will meet every weekday afternoon for two weeks, June 3 to June 14, 2019. Class will begin and end at a local parking lot, so that I can take students by van to each day's destinations. Meeting for four hours each day, we will have time for guided tours and lectures at many of the city's leading institutions. We will also have time for walking tours in some of its most fascinating neighborhoods. 

Most classes will run 12:30 to 4:30 pm. The exception will be Thursday, June 13, when we meet 3:00 to 7:00 pm to participate in New Bedford's famous AHA! Night a monthly festival that is an important factor in the revitalization of the city.

GEOG 296 is a 3-credit course that is available to any BSU student. Credits transfer easily, so students from other universities -- including students who are back home for the summer from schools elsewhere. Because of the variety of perspectives that will be included in this course, it will have something to offer students from other places as well as lifelong New Bedford residents. 

The course is also available as GEOG 520 to students -- including in-service teachers -- seeking graduate credit. Extra research or lesson planning will be required, and will be tailored to individual students.

The central theme of the course is the way New Bedford has been able to harness its historic and cultural heritage to promote its economic and social development. We will learn about New Bedford from the point of view of languages, food, and music as well as whaling, fishing, and manufacturing. We will also explore its important place in African American history and the geography of immigration. We also have some excellent opportunities to explore New Bedford's physical and environmental geography, and to get out on the water.

Where's Hayes-Boh? Although your professor has sailed on the boat shown in this article, he is not in the photo. He is, however, in the photo used as the overall blog banner at the top of the screen. Can you spot him?