Our Town

With the end of the revolution and a resurgence of the shipping industry, Bristol merchants ventured off the coast to extend trade to the Caribbean and Africa, thus fostering a boom in the shipping industry. Bristol became a pivotal point in the slave trade.

In 1825, with the slave trade illegal and the dependency of the town on a single economic base, Bristol fell into an economic depression and had to look for other means of support.

As shipping declined, Bristol grasped hold of the industrial revolution and the invention of the steam engine turbine. Bristol once again moved within the circles of prosperity. Textiles and sugar refineries sprung up. The largest employer became the National Rubber Company, producers of rubberized clothing, boots, and shoes. At its peak it employed over 4,000 people. The second largest industry became boat building. Steamships were being built on the wharf and the Herreshoff brothers began to design and build their famous America's Cup winning boats.

Today people stroll the tree-lined streets, capture the many beautiful seascapes or frequent the numerous shops. They can enjoy a meal in one of the many fine restaurants while surrounded by the history of a seafaring town.