The Forgotten New Bedford Roots of Berkshire Hathaway

If you grew up in New Bedford, someone in your family likely caught fish, processed fish, or manufactured textiles or shoes. The city was awash with manufacturing before the exodus of industry to warmer southern climates and overseas in the mid-20th century.

New Bedford’s Manufacturing Legacy

New Bedford workers manufactured a wide range of products, including tires, cookware, beer, and golf balls, among other items. However, textiles were the city's most prominent industry during its manufacturing years.

The Rise of Hathaway Manufacturing Company

Among the many New Bedford textile mills was the Hathaway Manufacturing Company, founded in 1888 by Horatio Hathaway. The mill, located at 97 Cove Street, at Harbor Street, was adjacent to the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier in the city's South End.

The Hathaway Mill was a significant manufacturer of men's rayon suits.

Courtesy Spinner Publications

In 1955, the Hathaway Manufacturing Company merged with Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates of Adams, Massachusetts, to form Berkshire Hathaway.

Warren Buffett, now one of the world's richest people, purchased Berkshire Hathaway in 1965.

From Textile Mill to Berkshire Hathaway

Rhode Tour reported, "Buffett's investments, funded by Berkshire Hathaway's assets, thrived and grew into a multinational conglomerate that still carries the name of his original purchase."

When the textile industry slowed due to stiff international competition, Buffett closed his mills in 1985. Business Insider reported, "The original Berkshire Hathaway Mill was torn down and replaced by a parking lot."

According to Rhode Tour, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell attempted to find a buyer for the mill in 2014, but was unable to find an interested investor.

A Mill That Shaped Generations of Workers

The Hathaway Manufacturing Company, later Berkshire Hathaway, like Wamsutta Mills and Fairhaven Mills, employed our parents and grandparents for many years. Jobs in the area's mills attracted laborers from as far away as Canada, who settled in the city.

Buildings Featured in the New Bedford Pathways Historical Walking Tours

A series of new app-based walking tours called New Bedford Pathways will teach the unique architecture of New Bedford and stories of the people who have dwelled among it. Here, New Bedford Preservation Society Administrator Pat Daughton, who produced the tours, shares a photo of one stop from each of the tours along with information about the location.

Gallery Credit: Tim Weisberg