Fort Taber Park at Clark's Point is New Bedford's least-visited and most underrated site. The 47-acre park occupies the southern tip of the peninsula overlooking Buzzards Bay, with the ruins of a 19th-century stone fortification at its centre. Fort Rodman — the official name of the fort — was designed to hold 72 cannons in three tiers, but construction halted before it was completed; the war came and went, and the technology moved on before the walls were finished.
What survives is a substantial shell of cut stone, a lighthouse perched on the fort's parapet, and various earthwork batteries from different eras up through World War II. The Fort Taber Historical Association runs a small museum within the site with uniforms, models, and photographs. The main reason to come is the view: the outer harbour, the barrier beaches, and the Elizabeth Islands spread out on three sides, and the New Bedford fishing fleet passes through the channel below. Interpretive signs explain the military history, and the park is quiet and well maintained. Drive or bike south on Rodney French Boulevard from the city centre; parking is free.