During British rule, Elihu Akin was one of the wealthiest men in town. By 1761, Akin started a shipbuilding business on the harbor, called Akin’s Wharf–later renamed Padanaram Harbor, still known to sailors and tourists alike. He was a coastal trader & a privateer whose ships sailed to England, France, the West Indies, & parts unknown. The Akins owned magnificent properties–mansions, a tavern, & other businesses in the village. Like his politician father John Akin, Elihu served as a selectman, was acquainted with Benjamin Franklin & John Adams. A leader with the Sons of Liberty, he expelled 3 BritishLoyalists from the Town. In September 1778, these Tories led the British to destroy Akin’s Wharf, the shipyard, other Akin properties, & most of the village.
As a direct result of the raid, Elihu Akin lost everything except his pared down 13-acre farm. Elihu moved his family there where he lived until his death in 1794. The property remained in Akin hands until 2003. One of a few houses surviving the invasion and destruction of much of Old Dartmouth during the American Revolution, its significance more important than ever today. In addition to the intrinsic value of the Akin House as a heritage site, its prominence on the busy intersection of Dartmouth & Rockland Streets attracts much interest. As a gateway between New Bedford & Padanaram Harbor, much as it was in the 18th C., a striking reminder that the past can co-exist with the present.
