Every little town in America has a claim to fame for something,  and so does Fairhaven, Massachusetts.  The Gold Bond Powder Company came to town in 1912 when the principals of the company were looking for a “clean and spotless” town to set up their manufacturing plant. They took the concept of a secret process very seriously and did not let anyone in the building during the mixing process which combined the secret ingredients. This company was big business in town until the early 1980s when they moved to a larger site in Rhode Island.  Gold Bond is still a popular brand and is easily found in New England supermarkets. And- it’s medicated! 

The Atlas Tack Company was another booming concern at one time in the Fairhaven area, also now gone, but samples of these products are living on in the great display at the Fairhaven Office of Tourism and Visitor’s Center at 43 Center Street near the beautiful Millicent Library and Town Hall.