On the Old Fall River Line
After the great mills and textile industry, the old Fall River Line’s luxurious Floating Palaces should be the next thing Fall River should be remembered for (although many might say Lizzie Borden). The steamboats plied the south coast of New England from Fall River to New York with connecting rail service to Boston from 1847 to 1937.
The famous upbeat song, On the Old Fall River Line was written by prolific Tin Pan Alley Composer Harry Von Tilzer(1872- 1946) whose most well-know hit is probably She’s Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage, written in 1900.
No trip to Fall River would be complete without a trip to the Marine Museum at Battleship Cove, which houses an incredible display of luxury Fall River Line appointments,- from china to crew uniforms and parlor chairs, carved paneling, to newel posts from the grand staircases. The museum also boasts a 28 foot model of the Titanic from the movie of the same name starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck, and a fantastic display of artifacts from the sunken Italian liner, the Andrea Doria. Be sure to plan some time to visit Battleship Cove and see what’s left of the old Fall River Line pier.