National Register of Historic Places

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts
Listed
November 12, 1996
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
03000283

About this property

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Partially owned by several entities and maintained by the National Park Service (NPS), the park commemorates the heritage of the world's preeminent whaling port during the nineteenth century. Established in 1996, the park encompasses 34 acres (fourteen hectares) dispersed over 13 city blocks. It includes a visitor center, the New Bedford National Historic Landmark District, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the Seamen's Bethel, the schooner Ernestina, and the Rotch–Jones–Duff House and Garden Museum. The only parts owned by the NPS are the Visitor Center and the Corson Maritime Learning Center. The park is a historic district administered under a partnership between the NPS, the City of New Bedford, and private building owners to preserve the historic landscapes, structures, and collections and promote research and educational programming associated with the history of whaling. The enabling legislation also established a formal affiliation with the Iñupiat Heritage Center in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, to commemorate the 2,000-plus whaling voyages from New Bedford to the Western Arctic. The city markets the park as "New England's real seaport", drawing a distinction with Connecticut's Mystic Seaport Museum, which is a collection of historic buildings and vessels moved from various other locations throughout the region. A monument to whalers, called The Whaleman, stands two blocks west of the park, at the corner of William and Pleasant Streets in front of the New Bedford Public Library.

Location

33 William St.
New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts
41.63558, -70.92429
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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Nearby Historic Sites

U.S. Customhouse
Industrial
0 mi
Old Third District Courthouse
Industrial
0 mi
New Bedford Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Times and Olympia Buildings
Industrial
0.1 mi
Central New Bedford Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

British Raid on New Bedford and Fairhaven
1778Revolutionary War
0.5 mi
British Raid on Bedford and Fairhaven
1778Revolutionary War
1.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park listed on the National Register?

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 12, 1996.

What type of historic resource is New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park?

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park?

The period of significance for New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park is recorded as the industrial era.

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