▁D art mouth . ▁It ▁was ▁founded ▁on ▁land ▁purchased ▁by ▁English ▁sett lers ▁at ▁the ▁P ly mouth ▁Col ony ▁from ▁the ▁W amp ano ag ▁s ach em ▁Mass aso it , ▁and ▁his ▁son , ▁W ams ut ta . ▁ ▁D art mouth , ▁divided ▁and ▁red iv ided ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 8 7 , ▁the ▁eastern ▁portion ▁of ▁D art mouth ▁se ced ed ▁and ▁formed ▁a ▁new ▁settlement ▁called ▁New ▁Bed ford . ▁ ▁This ▁new ▁town ▁included ▁areas ▁that ▁are ▁the ▁present - day ▁towns ▁of ▁Fair h aven , ▁Ac ush net , ▁and ▁New ▁Bed ford ▁itself . ▁ ▁Fair h aven ▁eventually ▁separated ▁from ▁New ▁Bed ford , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁officially ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 2 . ▁ ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁Fair h aven ▁included ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁Ac ush net ▁River . ▁ ▁The ▁northern ▁portion ▁of ▁Fair h aven , ▁up river ▁from ▁B uzz ards ▁Bay , ▁formed ▁another ▁independent ▁town , ▁called ▁Ac ush net , ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 . ▁ ▁Thus , ▁what ▁had ▁once ▁been ▁a ▁single ▁town , ▁D art mouth , ▁with ▁a ▁substantial ▁land ▁area , ▁became , ▁in ▁less ▁than ▁ 7 5 ▁years , ▁four ▁separate ▁municipal ities . ▁( The ▁western ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁D art mouth ▁land - p urchase ▁eventually ▁became ▁a ▁fifth ▁town , ▁West port .) ▁ ▁Fort ▁Phoenix