National Register of Historic Places

Merrill's Wharf Historic District

New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts
Listed
November 11, 1977
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
77000167

About this property

The Merrill's Wharf Historic District is a historic district encompassing a portion of the waterfront area of New Bedford, Massachusetts. It encompasses two wharves just to the south of State Pier: the Steamboat Pier and the adjacent Coal Packet Pier. Also included is the stone counting house (also known as the Durant Sail Loft) built by Edward Merrill, the last surviving stone waterfront structure from New Bedford's heyday as a whaling center. (It does not include the long pier built by Merrill that is now called Homer's Wharf, which no longer retains historic integrity.) The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It is now part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, with interpretive signs. The schooner Ernestina, a National Historic Landmark ship owned by the state, is berthed at Steamship Wharf.

Location

New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts
41.63311, -70.92035

Categories

COMMERCEENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Merrill's Wharf Historic District

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Warren, Dr. Samuel, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
ERNESTINA (schooner)
Industrial
0.1 mi
Lightship No. 114
Industrial
0.2 mi
New Bedford Gas and Edison Light Complex
Early Republic
0.2 mi
Griffin Street Cemetery
Early Republic
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

British Raid on New Bedford and Fairhaven
1778Revolutionary War
0.8 mi
British Raid on Bedford and Fairhaven
1778Revolutionary War
1.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Merrill's Wharf Historic District listed on the National Register?

Merrill's Wharf Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Merrill's Wharf Historic District?

Merrill's Wharf Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Merrill's Wharf Historic District?

The period of significance for Merrill's Wharf Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Merrill's Wharf Historic District?

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