National Historic Landmark

Rotch, William Jr., House

New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts
Listed
April 4, 2005
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
05000456

About this property

The Rotch–Jones–Duff House and Garden Museum, formerly the William Rotch Jr. House, is a National Historic Landmark at 396 County Street in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in the United States. The three families whose names are attached to it were all closely tied to the city's nineteenth-century dominance of the whaling industry. Because of this, the house is part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Richard Upjohn built the house in the Greek Revival architectural style for William Rotch Jr. in 1834, on a New Bedford plot Rotch had inherited from his father. It was Upjohn's first house, near the beginning of a long career. Rotch also commissioned a garden in the rear, which later owners would significantly expand. The property remained private until 1981, when it was bought by local preservationists and reopened as a historic house museum. It was declared a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Today the museum educates visitors not only about whaling but, through its gardens and associated programs for local schools, about the environment as well.

Location

396 County Street
New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts
41.63040, -70.92850
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

County Street Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Fire Station No. 4
Industrial
0.2 mi
Rotch, William J., Gothic Cottage
Industrial
0.2 mi
Johnson, Nathan and Mary (Polly), Properties
Industrial
0.2 mi
Central New Bedford Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

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

Questions about this property

When was Rotch, William Jr., House listed on the National Register?

Rotch, William Jr., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 4, 2005.

What type of historic resource is Rotch, William Jr., House?

Rotch, William Jr., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Rotch, William Jr., House a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Rotch, William Jr., House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Rotch, William Jr., House?

The period of significance for Rotch, William Jr., House is recorded as the industrial era.

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