Brooklawn Park

In an effort to remove himself from the bustle of the city’s center, the prominent New Bedford Quaker, Daniel Ricketson built a country estate in what is now Brooklawn Park. Literary greats, such as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, often visited Ricketson at his estate. Responding to the needs of a rapidly growing population due to the success of the textile industry, this land became a city park at the end of the 19th century. This 85 acre park is a multi-use complex which features 6-baseball and 2-softball fields, 2-basketball and 4-tennis courts, a skate park, playground, splash-pad, nature & cross country running trails. It is home to the Bay State Girls Softball League, the Whaling City Youth Baseball League and New Bedford Pony League Baseball.