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King Phillip's Cave
An archeological site the northern New Bedford Area |
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King Philip's Cave
There are more than one in Southeastern New England with that name. The other is a cave in Norton, Massachusetts near Lake Winnecunnett. It may be accessed from Stone Run Drive off Plain Street near Bay Road.
The King Phillip's Cave discussed here is located in the northern extreme of New Bedford in a wooded area.
There are no homes or buildings in the area, so it has managed to remain unviolated for the most part.
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In the late 1970's someone spray painted some graffiti in the cave. (Idiots)
There were some archeological digs done there in the early 1950's. I was taken there in 1957 and then again a few times over the next 10 years.
In the early 1950's, an archeologist friend of my father found broken medicine bottles and Indian artifacts there.
King Phillip was known to his people as Metacomet. Early settlers called him Phillip.
There is a body of water not too far away and the legend passed down to me has it that during the wars with the settlers he used this as a resting place on his travels through the area.
Read more about King Phillip in 1675 and onward.
In the early 1950's, the section of the wall that was added with loose rocks was more intact and enclosed the natural cave more, the better to shelter from the elements. It has been vandalized, or natures elements have somewhat broken it down. Inside there is an elevated slab of rock that long ago before the physical change to the outer wall could have been easily used as a bed.
In the late 1990's, I camped out there for an overnight with a friend. It felt like it was what people long ago or even neanderthals might have experienced.
 It is secluded and in keeping with a promise that I made when shown the site I will not divulge it's exact location. Click the picture for an enlargement
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| Below - looking out from the interior of King Phillip's Cave - click the picture for an enlargement. |
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