New Bedford, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County
, Massachusetts
, United States, located 51 miles (82.1 km) south of Boston, 28 miles (45.1 km) southeast of Providence
, Rhode Island
, and about 12 miles (19.3 km) east of Fall River
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts. New Bedford is nicknamed "The Whaling City" because it was, during the 19th century, one of the most important whaling
ports in the world. The city, along with Fall River
and Taunton
, is one of three cities on the south coast
of Massachusetts.
and Nantucket
, were the only inhabitants of the lands along the Acushnet River
. Their population is believed to have been about 12,000. While exploring New England
, Bartholomew Gosnold
landed on Cuttyhunk
island on May 15, 1602. From there, he explored Cape Cod
and the neighboring areas, including present-day New Bedford. However, rather than settle the area, he returned to England at the request of his crew.
Europeans first settled New Bedford in 1652. Plymouth Colony
settlers purchased the land from chief Massasoit
of the Wampanoag tribe. Whether the transfer of the land was legitimately done has been the subject of intense controversy. Like other native tribes, the Wampanoags did not share the settlers' concepts of private property. The tribe believed they were granting usage rights to the land, not giving it up permanently.
The settlers used the land to build the colonial town of Old Dartmouth (which encompassed not only present-day Dartmouth
, but also present-day New Bedford, Acushnet
, Fairhaven
, and Westport
). A section of Old Dartmouth near the west bank of the Acushnet River, originally called Bedford Village, was officially incorporated as the town
of New Bedford in 1787. The name was suggested by the Russell family who were prominent citizens of the community. It comes from the fact that the Dukes of Bedford, a leading English aristocratic house, also bore the surname Russell. (Bedford, Massachusetts
had already been incorporated by 1787; hence "New" Bedford.)
The late-18th century was a time of growth for the town. New Bedford's first newspaper, The Medley (also known as New Bedford Marine Journal), came into being in 1792. On June 12, 1792, the town set up its first post office with William Tobey as its first postmaster. The construction of a bridge (originally a toll bridge) between New Bedford and present-day Fairhaven in 1796 also spurred growth. (Fairhaven separated from New Bedford in 1812, forming an independent town that included both present-day Fairhaven and present-day Acushnet.) The town of New Bedford officially became a city in 1847; Abraham Hathaway Howland was elected its first mayor. At approximately the same time, New Bedford began to supplant Nantucket as the nation's preeminent whaling
port, thanks to its deeper harbor and location on the mainland. Whaling dominated the economy of the city for much of the century.
In 1818, Irish immigrants established the Catholic mission that built St. Mary's Church. Later in that century, immigrants from Portugal
and its dependent territories of the Azores, Cape Verde and Madeira began arriving in New Bedford and the surrounding area, largely because of the whaling industry. As the Portuguese community began to increase, they established the first Portuguese parish in the city, St. John the Baptist (1871). The French (chiefly French-Canadian) also secured a foothold in New Bedford at about the same time, and they built the Church of the Sacred Heart in 1877.
Similarly, Polish-Americans established the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1903. A number of Jewish families, arriving in the late 19th century, were active in the whaling industry, selling provisions and outfitting ships. During the years leading up to the First World War, a sizable eastern-European Jewish community joined them in New Bedford, many of whom became prominent merchants and businessmen, mainly in textiles and manufacturing.
Lewis Temple
was an African-American blacksmith who invented the toggle iron, a type of toggling harpoon
, which revolutionized the whaling industry and enabled the capture of more whales. There is a monument to Temple in downtown New Bedford.
In 1838, Frederick Douglass
, the runaway slave who became a famous abolitionist, settled in New Bedford. He writes in detail about the life and times of New Bedford in the late 1840s in his celebrated Autobiography. A historic building and monument dedicated to Douglass can be found today at the Nathan and Polly Johnson properties
.
Frederick Douglass was not the only fugitive slave or freedman to see New Bedford as a welcoming place to settle. New Bedford had a small but thriving African-American community during the ante-bellum period. It was the home of a number of members of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, an American Civil War
regiment which fought, with considerable distinction, to preserve the Union. The 54th Massachusetts was the first regiment in the country's history formed entirely by African-American troops (who served with white officers). The most famous of these soldiers was William Harvey Carney
, who made sure that the American flag never touched the ground during the Union assault on Fort Wagner
, South Carolina, near Charleston. There is an elementary school in New Bedford named in his honor.
Bishop "Sweet Daddy" Grace, a native of Brava
, Cape Verde
, was a New Bedford resident who founded the United House of Prayer for All People
, one of the largest African-American sects in America. He is buried in New Bedford.
, the city has a total area of 62.2 square kilometres (24 sq mi). Of the total area, 20.1 square miles (52.1 km²) is land, and 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²)(16.23%) is water. New Bedford is a coastal city, a seaport, bordered on the west by Dartmouth
, on the north by Freetown
, on the east by Acushnet
and Fairhaven
, and on the south by Buzzards Bay
.
New Bedford Harbor, a body of water shared with Fairhaven, is actually the estuary of the Acushnet River
where it empties into Buzzards Bay
. The river empties into the bay beyond Clark's Point, the southernmost point of the city. To the west of Clark's Point is Clark's Cove, which extends landward approximately one and a half mile from the bay. Just south of Palmers Island, beginning near Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven, lies a two-mile-long hurricane barrier, constructed in the 1960s to protect the inner harbor where the fishing fleet anchors. Along with Palmers Island, the city also lays claim to Fish Island
and Pope's Island. Between these two islands lies one of the three sections, the central section, of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge. The central span, a swing bridge, connects the two islands as well as allowing boats and ships passage to the upper harbor. Two conventional bridges connect each of the islands to the nearest mainland, Fish Island to New Bedford and Pope's Island to Fairhaven. In addition to the harbor, there are several small brooks and ponds within the city limits.
There are several parks and playgrounds located throughout the city, the largest being Brooklawn Park in the north end, Fort Taber Park (also referred to as Fort Rodman, the name of another fort built there) at Clark's Point, and Buttonwood Park, directly west of the downtown area near the Dartmouth town line. Buttonwood Park is also the site of a lagoon which feeds into Buttonwood Brook, and the Buttonwood Zoo. In the northwest part of the town, extending into Dartmouth, lies the Acushnet Cedar Swamp State Reservation.
At least three private ferry
services originate at New Bedford. As of 2010, Seastreak offers fast catamaran
ferry service between New Bedford and Martha's Vineyard
; and the Cuttyhunk Ferry Company runs scheduled ferry services to Cuttyhunk Island. Ferry service from New Bedford dates back to May 15, 1818, when the steamboat The Eagle carried 600 passengers across the Nantucket Sound
.
EWB, a towered Class D airport offering two 5000 feet (1,524 m) runways and a precision instrument landing system, is located in the central portion of the city with easy access to highways. Frequent scheduled passenger service is provided to Nantucket
and Martha's Vineyard
by Cape Air
. Charter services, including seaplane charters, are available for destinations throughout the southern New England/New York region. In addition, the airport provides a range of general aviation and corporate jet services including aircraft maintenance facilities and flight instruction.
, a swing truss bridge, and the Popes Island Bridge. New Bedford is the southern terminus of MA 140, which is a freeway from MA 24. MA 18
, also known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, is a freeway for the short stretch connecting I-195 to US 6 and the port area.
(SRTA) provides bus service between the city, Fall River
, and the surrounding regions.
Peter Pan Bus Lines
makes a New Bedford stop on a New York City
to Hyannis
(Cape Cod) route. As of October, 2006, private carrier DATTCO provides daily commuter bus service to Boston
via Taunton
. Private carrier Peter Pan Bus Lines no longer offers bus service to Boston.
has proposed providing commuter rail
service to the city. As of May 14, 2006, total capital costs for commuter rail service to New Bedford were projected to be $800 million, and the project has not yet been funded by the state; which is still reeling financially from the financial excesses of the Big Dig project in Boston. CSX Transportation
(formerly Conrail) provides freight rail service to New Bedford, terminating at the New Bedford Rail Yard in the port
area. Until 1959 the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
provided train service to New Bedford from Boston and from Providence via Taunton.
As of April 6, 2007, Governor Deval Patrick has proposed a 1.6 billion dollar plan called South Coast Rail to bring commuter rail service to New Bedford and Fall River
.
The New Bedford Police Department patrols the city from four stations. The main station is located on Rockdale Avenue in a converted supermarket plaza and replaces the former headquarters located downtown). There are also branches in the North End (at the intersection of Tarkiln Hill Road and Ashley Boulevard), South End (along Cove Street near the end of Route 18), and Downtown (on Pleasant Street near City Hall).
The Chief of Police is Currently Ron Teachman
The ranking of the police is
Chief of Police
Deputy Chief of Police
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Police Officer
The Fire Department is full-time, and has seven firehouses distributed around the city. The Fire Department headquarters (sta. #2) is located on Purchase Street in the downtown district which houses administrative offices of the department as well as personnel.
There are four post offices, the Central (a scaled replica of New York's Penn Station Post Office) located downtown, one located in the South End, and two more located in the North End.
The city formerly operated a trash dump located in the Mount Pleasant area of town between the regional airport and the Whaling City Golf Course. However, owing to pollution concerns, the dump was closed in the 1990s. The city now provides weekly trash and recycling pickup.
, representing the Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth districts. The Ninth includes Dartmouth
, as well as parts of Freetown
and Lakeville
; the Thirteenth includes parts of Freetown, Lakeville and Middleborough
; and the Eleventh and Twelfth are both entirely within New Bedford. The city is represented in the state senate
, by Senator Mark C.W. Montigny, in the Second Bristol
and Plymouth district, which includes the towns of Acushnet, Massachusetts
, Dartmouth, Fairhaven
, and Mattapoisett
.
The Third Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
, located nearby in Dartmouth, patrol New Bedford.
The city is part of Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
, represented by U.S. Representative Barney Frank
. The state's senior (Class I) U.S. Senator, re-elected in 2008
, is John F. Kerry. The state's junior senator is Scott Brown
, elected in a special election in 2010.
guidelines. The school system, like that of nearby Fall River, is also in the process of major school upgrades and consolidations, having rebuilt several of its schools in recent years. The most recent, Keith Middle School, made headlines for the problems involved in the cleanup of the polluted soil on the site.
The school district, headquartered in the former high school building on County Street, is made up of twenty-eight schools, including:
Elementary Schools
Middle Schools
High School
New Bedford High School
is one of the largest high schools in the state.
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
New Bedford is also the home to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School
, a large vocational high school serving New Bedford, Dartmouth and Fairhaven. Its teams are called the "Bears," and wear green and gold.
Other Public Schools
In addition, the city operates two alternative junior-senior high schools, Whaling City Alternative School, out of the original New Bedford Vocational High School building, and Trinity Day Academy. There are also two charter school
s, the Global Learning Charter Public School http://www.glcps.org, which serves grades 5-12 and the Alma del Mar Charter School which currently serves grades K-2.
Other Schools
There are seven Catholic school
s within the city. Many of the students who attend these schools go on to attend Bishop Stang High School
in neighboring Dartmouth. There are also two preschools and the Nazarene Christian Academy, a school operated by the Church of the Nazarene
. The city also is the site of the marine campus of University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
(located at Fort Rodman) as well as its satellite visual art campus located in the former Star Store building downtown.
Higher Education
New Bedford is also home to one of Fisher College
's neighborhood campuses. Located on Church Street in the north end of the city, they serve adult learners from the greater New Bedford region and the surrounding communities of Taunton
, Wareham
, and Fall River
. Bristol Community College
has a satellite campus in Downtown New Bedford. Nearby Dartmouth is home to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
campus, as well as the UMass Dartmouth Law School, the first public law school in the state.
Closed Schools
Two Catholic high schools closed recently: Saint Anthony High in 1978, and Holy Family High School, which closed in 1984. Both schools were small in registrations but were considered by some to be influential in New Bedford's 20th century culture. As of the end of the 2006/2007 school year, Our Lady Of Mt. Carmel, located on Crapo St in the city's South End, had closed down because of financial difficulties.
.
At the 2000 census
, there were 93,768 people, 38,178 households and 24,090 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,660 per square mile (1,799/km2). There were 41,511 housing units at an average density of 2,063/sq mi (797/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.86% White, 4.39% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 9.51% from other races
, and 5.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.21% of the population. The ethnic makeup of the city is estimated to be 38.6% Portuguese
, 9.1% French
, 8.0% Cape Verde
an, 7.9% Irish, 7.3% English
, and 7.1% Puerto Rican.
There were 38,178 households, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples
living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01.
Age distribution was 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median household income
was $27,569, and the median family income was $35,708. Males had a median income of $31,388 versus $22,278 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,602. About 17.3% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over.
was gang raped at Big Dan's Bar in New Bedford. The film The Accused was based on this incident.
In 2000, crime
had dropped to a 20-year low with 3,166 total crimes tracked by the Crime Reporting Unit of the Massachusetts State Police, of which 789 were violent crimes (the lowest violent crime rate since 1975), and 2,377 were property crimes.
On February 2, 2000, drug dealer Matthew C. Cleary was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon after he fired a sawed-off shotgun
into a door of a house, allegedly following a drug deal gone bad. After his arrest, police found approximately 13 bags of cocaine
in his apartment residence. In March 2002, while incarcerated for an unrelated crime, he pled guilty to two felony counts relating to his arrest.
On December 8, 2001, New Bedford was the site of the biggest cocaine drug arrest in Massachusetts history with a total of 260 kilograms. The leader was Rafael Yeje Cabrera.
According to witnesses and police, on February 1, 2006, Jacob D. Robida
attacked and seriously wounded three patrons of Puzzles Lounge, a New Bedford gay bar. He fled to Arkansas
where he murdered a female companion and a police officer and later died from wounds (seemingly self-inflicted) received in a shootout.
New Bedford appeared on America's Most Wanted
on February 11, 2006, for three unsolved murders: that of Marcus Cruz in 2001, Cecil Lopes III in 2004 and Dana Haywood in 2005, run as part of a report on the Stop Snitching phenomenon
that has hindered police investigations nationwide. New Bedford is called "The Secret City" because of the Stop Snitching phenomenon. The show, broadcast on February 11, received good ratings, but "almost no" calls, being one of the first episodes, the first for such to happen. New Bedford has thirty unsolved homicides since 2000. Most stem from the ongoing feuds between the United Front and Monte Park neighborhoods. The gangs are located in the south and west ends of the city.
On December 12, 2006, gunman Scott Medeiros shot and killed a doorman and a manager at the Foxy Lady strip club, shot a patron and two police officers and then killed himself.
On March 7, 2007, Michael Bianco, Inc., a leather products factory, was raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. 361 illegal immigrants were arrested by approximately 300 federal, state and local law enforcement officers. About 90 were transported to Texas in preparation for deportation, some without being contacted by the Department of Social Services regarding infants and toddlers without care. About 20 DSS case workers were sent to Texas.
In recent years over 80 gang members from UFP, Monte Park and Latin King/MS-13 members have been detained, indicted and imprisoned curbing violence in 2007 and 2008. In May, 2010, it was reported that " Not a single person arrested in the roundups since 2007 has yet been acquitted in the state superior or federal courts" and "gang-related shootings and homicides are down from the violent levels seen before 2007."
The Ash Street Jail
, which houses inmates from Bristol County, is located in New Bedford and is currently the oldest continuously operating jail in the United States.
and foreign trade port. In the early 18th century, the Russell family purchased this area and developed it into a larger village (Joseph Russell III having made the most significant contributions). Age of Sail ships built in New Bedford include the schooner Caroline
and whaleship Charles W. Morgan
. By the 18th century, entrepreneurs in the area, such as whaling merchants from Nantucket, were attracted to the village and helped make it into one of the top whaling cities in the country. The most significant of these merchants was Joseph Rotch, who bought 10 acres (four hectares) of land in 1765 from Joseph Russell III on which he and his sons ran the family business. Rotch moved his business to New Bedford since it would be better for refining whale oil and manufacturing candles made from whales. As these parts of the whaling industry had been monopolized by a merchant cartel in Boston, Newport, Rhode Island
, and Providence, Rhode Island
, Rotch felt that it would be better for business to handle these himself by moving to the mainland.
The relationship between New Bedford and Nantucket allowed the two cities to dominate the whaling industry. In 1848 New Bedford resident Lewis Temple
invented the toggling harpoon
, an invention that would revolutionize the whaling industry. This helped make New Bedford more powerful than Nantucket, thus making it the most powerful city in the whaling industry. Another factor was the increased draft of whaling ships, in part the result of greater use of steel in their construction, which made them too deep for Nantucket harbor. Syren
, the longest lived of the clipper ships, spent over a decade transporting whale oil
and whaling products to New Bedford, principally from Honolulu, and was owned for several years by William H. Besse of New Bedford. As a result of its control over whaling products that were used widely throughout the world (most importantly whale oil), New Bedford became one of the richest per capita cities in the world.
Many whalers would quit their jobs in 1849, though, as the Gold Rush
attracted many of them to leave New Bedford for California
. During this time Herman Melville
, who worked in New Bedford as a whaler, wrote the novel Moby-Dick
and published it in 1851; the city would be the initial setting of the book, including a scene set in the Seaman's Bethel, which still stands today. Despite the power it gave to New Bedford, the whaling industry began to decline starting in 1859 when petroleum
, which would become a popular alternative to whale oil
, was discovered. Another blow came with the Whaling Disaster of 1871
, in which twenty-two New Bedford whalers were lost in the ice off the coast of Alaska. The New Bedford firm J. & W. R. Wing Company
, the largest whaling company in the United States, sent out its last whaleship in 1914, and whaling in New Bedford came to its final end in 1925, with the last whaling expedition being made by the schooner John R. Manta.
In the mid-1840s, New Bedford was the site of the first petroleum fuel refinery in the United States, as newly discovered Pennsylvania crude oil was shipped to New Bedford to be refined for lamp oil and other oil. Standard Oil would ultimately buy this refinery, located on Fish Island. Fish Island was also the site of an early experiment in coal gasification, leading to an explosion of a building.
New Bedford was able to remain wealthy because of its textile industry
. Starting in 1881, the textile industry grew large enough to sustain the city's economy. The creation of the New Bedford Textile School in 1895–1899 ushered in an era of textile prosperity that began to decline in the great depression and ended with the end of the textile period in the 1940s.
At its height, though, over 30,000 people were employed by the 32 cotton-manufacturing companies that owned the textile factories of New Bedford (which were worth one hundred million dollars in total).
Tool and die operations also left the area steadily, starting in the 1970s.
Until the mid-1990s New Bedford was home to a thriving commercial fishing community that fished Georges Bank
, but in 1996 action was taken to reduce over-fishing, which devastated commercial fishing in the area.
Fishing and manufacturing continue to be two of the largest businesses in the area, and healthcare has become a major employer. The three largest single employers based in New Bedford are Southcoast Hospitals Group, one of the top ten employers in Massachusetts (healthcare), Titleist (golf clubs, balls, apparel, manufacturing), and Riverside Manufacturing (apparel manufacturing).
While accurate figures are hard to come by, tourism
appears to be a growing industry. New Bedford tourism centers on fairs and festivals including the Summerfest Folk Music and Arts Festival, the traditional Blessing of the Fleet, and the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament
(the largest Portuguese cultural celebration in the nation). Tourism also focuses on the historic whaling industry, and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
is the only national park unit that focuses on the whaling industry's impact on the history of the United States
.
Driven in part by increased tourism, a Fairfield Inn and Suites hotel opened in New Bedford in late May 2010. This became the first hotel in the city to open in over 40 years, though it is well-supplied with bed and breakfast establishments, and its neighbors to the east and west also offer hotel accommodations.
According to a 2001 study by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Policy Analysis, the three largest employment sectors in the Greater New Bedford area (the area includes New Bedford and Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and Wareham) were as follows: services (26% of total employment); wholesale trade (22%); manufacturing (19%). The largest industries by employment in the area were as follows: health services, eating and drinking places, wholesale trade, food stores, and social services.
In 2002, the city received $61,194,358 in taxation revenue, $44,536,201 in local receipts, and $12,044,152 classified as other available.
In 2005 the unemployment rate was 7.3%, having dropped throughout the 1990s from 12.5% to 5.3% in 2000, and then having risen to 10.4% in 2003.
In 2005, the city received $104,925,772 for education, and $22,755,439 for general government from the State of Massachusetts
.
TV market but is the city of license for two TV stations. WLNE-TV
Channel 6 is the ABC
affiliate for the market, and WLWC
Channel 28 is The CW
affiliate. The city is also home to several radio stations the most notable of which are WBSM
at 1420 AM and WNBH
at 1340 AM, both of which have been serving the residents of New Bedford for many decades.
group made up of five brothers from New Bedford, became a chart topping success with such songs as "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" and "More Than a Woman". In 1999, the pop group LFO (Lyte Funky Ones
), whose group member Harold "Devin" Lima is from New Bedford, had a hit single with their song "Summer Girls". Have Heart
, a Straight-edge hardcore
band, were formed in New Bedford in 2002, before breaking up in 2009. Most recently, the hardcore punk band A Wilhelm Scream
has gained some success, having been added to the 2005 Warped Tour
lineup. New Bedford natives Hector Barros and Scott Ross were members of the hip-hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
, led by actor Mark Wahlberg
. They achieved success with their 1991 single, Good Vibrations, which reached number one in the U.S., Sweden, and Switzerland. Josh Newton
from the band Every Time I Die
was born in New Bedford.
In 2002, the movie Passionada
was filmed in New Bedford, making it the first film to be shot in the city in 45 years. Previously, film director John Huston
shot a scene for the movie adaptation of Moby-Dick in front of Seamen's Bethel
in 1956. However, all other exterior shots for New Bedford in the film were shot in Youghal
instead.
The 2011 movie Whaling City, about the fight of an independent fisherman to save his boat and his way of life, is set in New Bedford and was filmed there.
New Bedford was the town where 100 brides in the 1968-70 TV series Here Come the Brides
came from prior to their arrival in 1860's Seattle, Washington
. The television series only lasted 2 seasons and all the locations in the series were shot in Burbank, California
.
A character named New Bedford appeared on a Family Guy
episode (in 2006) as a friend of another girl named Dakota
. The fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island is "situated" near New Bedford. Family Guy episode "Lottery Fever" Peter mentions New Bedford while looking at a whale painting
baseball
franchise of the New England Collegiate Baseball League
, a collegiate summer baseball league operating in New England
. The team, which reached the league playoffs in their inaugural season
, plays home games at Paul Walsh Field
in New Bedford.
, the centerpiece of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. It is the country's largest museum on the subject of whaling and the history of interaction between humans and whales. The Museum has the skeletons of a 66 feet (20.1 m)-long baby blue whale (obtained in 2000), a 35 feet (10.7 m)-long adult humpback whale (obtained in 1900), and a 45 feet (13.7 m)-long sperm whale (obtained in 2004) on display. All whales died in New England waters and were cleaned and assembled for display.
The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum
, is a 28-room Greek Revival mansion that was built for the whaling merchant, William Rotch, Jr., in 1834. Between 1834 and 1981, three prominent families owned the house and chronicles 150 years of economic, social, and domestic life in New Bedford. The house was restored by the Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE (WHALE) in the early 1980s and converted into the house museum it is today. Tours of the house and grounds are available; the facilities can also be rented for private events. Weddings in the rose garden are popular. The Rotch-Jones-Duff House also has a summer concert series, and it hosts an annual "cookie contest."
The New Bedford Art Museum is located in the heart of New Bedford's historic downtown
. The museum offers engaging exhibitions of artwork, both local and international in origin. Not far away is Gallery X, a community art gallery.
The New Bedford Fire Museum
is housed in a handsome red-brick building, formerly Fire Station No. 4, which opened in 1867. The fire station was one of the oldest continuously operating fire stations in the state when it was closed in 1979. The museum has a collection of old firefighting equipment and some old fire engines. Visitors can try on old uniforms and slide down the pole. Old city fire records dating to 1890 are available for research and review. Retired and active city firefighters act as docents.
The New Bedford Museum of Glass
reflects the city's history as home of the Mount Washington and Pairpoint glass companies. The museum's collection ranges from ancient to contemporary glass with a large focus on the glass of New England. A research library boasts over eight thousand volumes on glass. The museum is located in one of the historic Wamsutta Mills textile factory buildings.
s on the National Register of Historic Places
. They are:
of these municipalities:
Bristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States, located 51 miles (82.1 km) south of Boston, 28 miles (45.1 km) southeast of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and about 12 miles (19.3 km) east of Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts. New Bedford is nicknamed "The Whaling City" because it was, during the 19th century, one of the most important whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
ports in the world. The city, along with Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
and Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
, is one of three cities on the south coast
South Coast (Massachusetts)
The South Coast of Massachusetts is the region of southeastern Massachusetts consisting of southern Bristol and Plymouth counties bordering Buzzards Bay, and includes the cities of Fall River, New Bedford, the southeastern tip of East Taunton and nearby towns...
of Massachusetts.
Early history
Before the 17th century, the Wampanoags, who had settlements throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including Martha's VineyardMartha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
and Nantucket
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
, were the only inhabitants of the lands along the Acushnet River
Acushnet River
The Acushnet River is the largest river, long, flowing into Buzzards Bay in southeastern Massachusetts, in the United States. The name "Acushnet" comes from the Wampanoag or Algonquian word, "Cushnea", meaning "as far as the waters", a word that was used by the original owners of the land in...
. Their population is believed to have been about 12,000. While exploring New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, Bartholomew Gosnold
Bartholomew Gosnold
Bartholomew Gosnold was an English lawyer, explorer, and privateer, instrumental in founding the Virginia Company of London, and Jamestown, Virginia, United States...
landed on Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk Island is the outermost of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. It was the first site of English settlement in New England. It is located between Buzzards Bay to the north and Vineyard Sound to the south...
island on May 15, 1602. From there, he explored Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
and the neighboring areas, including present-day New Bedford. However, rather than settle the area, he returned to England at the request of his crew.
Europeans first settled New Bedford in 1652. Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
settlers purchased the land from chief Massasoit
Massasoit
Massasoit Sachem or Ousamequin ,was the sachem, or leader, of the Pokanoket, and "Massasoit" of the Wampanoag Confederacy. The term Massasoit means Great Sachem.-Early years:...
of the Wampanoag tribe. Whether the transfer of the land was legitimately done has been the subject of intense controversy. Like other native tribes, the Wampanoags did not share the settlers' concepts of private property. The tribe believed they were granting usage rights to the land, not giving it up permanently.
The settlers used the land to build the colonial town of Old Dartmouth (which encompassed not only present-day Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Dartmouth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States established in 1664. The population was 30,665 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth....
, but also present-day New Bedford, Acushnet
Acushnet, Massachusetts
Acushnet is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,303 at the 2010 census.- History :Acushnet was first settled in 1659. It has been included as a part of three separate towns throughout its history. It was formerly the northeastern section of the town of...
, Fairhaven
Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Fairhaven is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located on the south coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean...
, and Westport
Westport, Massachusetts
Westport is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,532 at the 2010 census.The village of North Westport lies in the town.- History :...
). A section of Old Dartmouth near the west bank of the Acushnet River, originally called Bedford Village, was officially incorporated as the town
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
of New Bedford in 1787. The name was suggested by the Russell family who were prominent citizens of the community. It comes from the fact that the Dukes of Bedford, a leading English aristocratic house, also bore the surname Russell. (Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
had already been incorporated by 1787; hence "New" Bedford.)
The late-18th century was a time of growth for the town. New Bedford's first newspaper, The Medley (also known as New Bedford Marine Journal), came into being in 1792. On June 12, 1792, the town set up its first post office with William Tobey as its first postmaster. The construction of a bridge (originally a toll bridge) between New Bedford and present-day Fairhaven in 1796 also spurred growth. (Fairhaven separated from New Bedford in 1812, forming an independent town that included both present-day Fairhaven and present-day Acushnet.) The town of New Bedford officially became a city in 1847; Abraham Hathaway Howland was elected its first mayor. At approximately the same time, New Bedford began to supplant Nantucket as the nation's preeminent whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
port, thanks to its deeper harbor and location on the mainland. Whaling dominated the economy of the city for much of the century.
Immigration to New Bedford
Until 1800, New Bedford and its surrounding communities were, by and large, populated by Protestants of English, Scottish, and Welsh origin. During the first half of the 19th century, however, a large wave of Irish people came to Massachusetts.In 1818, Irish immigrants established the Catholic mission that built St. Mary's Church. Later in that century, immigrants from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and its dependent territories of the Azores, Cape Verde and Madeira began arriving in New Bedford and the surrounding area, largely because of the whaling industry. As the Portuguese community began to increase, they established the first Portuguese parish in the city, St. John the Baptist (1871). The French (chiefly French-Canadian) also secured a foothold in New Bedford at about the same time, and they built the Church of the Sacred Heart in 1877.
Similarly, Polish-Americans established the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1903. A number of Jewish families, arriving in the late 19th century, were active in the whaling industry, selling provisions and outfitting ships. During the years leading up to the First World War, a sizable eastern-European Jewish community joined them in New Bedford, many of whom became prominent merchants and businessmen, mainly in textiles and manufacturing.
African-American history in New Bedford
Paul Cuffee, a whaling captain active in the New Bedford whaling industry, was born in nearby Cuttyhunk and settled in Westport, Massachusetts. Many of his ships sailed out of New Bedford.Lewis Temple
Lewis Temple
Lewis Temple was an American blacksmith, abolitionist, and inventor. Born in slavery in Richmond, Virginia, he moved to the whaling village of New Bedford, Massachusetts during the 1820s...
was an African-American blacksmith who invented the toggle iron, a type of toggling harpoon
Toggling harpoon
The toggling harpoon is an ancient weapon and tool used in whaling to impale a whale when thrown. Unlike earlier harpoon versions which had only one point, a toggling harpoon has a two-part point...
, which revolutionized the whaling industry and enabled the capture of more whales. There is a monument to Temple in downtown New Bedford.
In 1838, Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
, the runaway slave who became a famous abolitionist, settled in New Bedford. He writes in detail about the life and times of New Bedford in the late 1840s in his celebrated Autobiography. A historic building and monument dedicated to Douglass can be found today at the Nathan and Polly Johnson properties
Nathan and Mary (Polly) Johnson properties
The Nathan and Mary Johnson properties are a National Historic Landmark at 17-19 and 21 Seventh Street in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Originally two structures, one dating to the 1820s and an 1857 house joined with the older one shortly after construction...
.
Frederick Douglass was not the only fugitive slave or freedman to see New Bedford as a welcoming place to settle. New Bedford had a small but thriving African-American community during the ante-bellum period. It was the home of a number of members of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, an American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
regiment which fought, with considerable distinction, to preserve the Union. The 54th Massachusetts was the first regiment in the country's history formed entirely by African-American troops (who served with white officers). The most famous of these soldiers was William Harvey Carney
William Harvey Carney
William Harvey Carney was an African American soldier during the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Fort Wagner....
, who made sure that the American flag never touched the ground during the Union assault on Fort Wagner
Fort Wagner
Fort Wagner was a beachhead fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston harbor...
, South Carolina, near Charleston. There is an elementary school in New Bedford named in his honor.
Bishop "Sweet Daddy" Grace, a native of Brava
Brava
Brava may refer to:*Brava, Cape Verde, a volcanic island*Brava, Costa Rica, an island of Costa Rica *Vauxhall Brava, a pickup truck*Fiat Brava, a car*Barawa, a town in Somalia commonly known as Brava...
, Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
, was a New Bedford resident who founded the United House of Prayer for All People
United House of Prayer For All People
The United House of Prayer for All People is a Christian denomination founded by Marcelino Manuel da Graca . Marcelino Manuel da Graça was born in Brava in the Cape Verde Islands...
, one of the largest African-American sects in America. He is buried in New Bedford.
Other historical instances
In 1847, the New Bedford Horticultural Society was begun by James Arnold.Geography
New Bedford is located at 41.651803°N 70.933705°W (41.651803, -70.933705). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 62.2 square kilometres (24 sq mi). Of the total area, 20.1 square miles (52.1 km²) is land, and 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²)(16.23%) is water. New Bedford is a coastal city, a seaport, bordered on the west by Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Dartmouth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States established in 1664. The population was 30,665 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth....
, on the north by Freetown
Freetown, Massachusetts
Freetown is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included...
, on the east by Acushnet
Acushnet, Massachusetts
Acushnet is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,303 at the 2010 census.- History :Acushnet was first settled in 1659. It has been included as a part of three separate towns throughout its history. It was formerly the northeastern section of the town of...
and Fairhaven
Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Fairhaven is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located on the south coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean...
, and on the south by Buzzards Bay
Buzzards Bay (bay)
Buzzards Bay is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is approximately 28 miles long by 8 miles wide. It is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and tourism. Since 1914, Buzzards Bay has been connected to Cape Cod Bay by the Cape Cod Canal...
.
New Bedford Harbor, a body of water shared with Fairhaven, is actually the estuary of the Acushnet River
Acushnet River
The Acushnet River is the largest river, long, flowing into Buzzards Bay in southeastern Massachusetts, in the United States. The name "Acushnet" comes from the Wampanoag or Algonquian word, "Cushnea", meaning "as far as the waters", a word that was used by the original owners of the land in...
where it empties into Buzzards Bay
Buzzards Bay (bay)
Buzzards Bay is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is approximately 28 miles long by 8 miles wide. It is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and tourism. Since 1914, Buzzards Bay has been connected to Cape Cod Bay by the Cape Cod Canal...
. The river empties into the bay beyond Clark's Point, the southernmost point of the city. To the west of Clark's Point is Clark's Cove, which extends landward approximately one and a half mile from the bay. Just south of Palmers Island, beginning near Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven, lies a two-mile-long hurricane barrier, constructed in the 1960s to protect the inner harbor where the fishing fleet anchors. Along with Palmers Island, the city also lays claim to Fish Island
Fish Island, Massachusetts
Fish Island is an island in Massachusetts, United States of America. The island is located by New Bedford.The USRC Salmon P. Chase was at one time moored here, where she served as a berthing area for the cadets.-See also:...
and Pope's Island. Between these two islands lies one of the three sections, the central section, of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge. The central span, a swing bridge, connects the two islands as well as allowing boats and ships passage to the upper harbor. Two conventional bridges connect each of the islands to the nearest mainland, Fish Island to New Bedford and Pope's Island to Fairhaven. In addition to the harbor, there are several small brooks and ponds within the city limits.
There are several parks and playgrounds located throughout the city, the largest being Brooklawn Park in the north end, Fort Taber Park (also referred to as Fort Rodman, the name of another fort built there) at Clark's Point, and Buttonwood Park, directly west of the downtown area near the Dartmouth town line. Buttonwood Park is also the site of a lagoon which feeds into Buttonwood Brook, and the Buttonwood Zoo. In the northwest part of the town, extending into Dartmouth, lies the Acushnet Cedar Swamp State Reservation.
Water
The Port of New Bedford serves as a break-bulk handler of perishable items, including fruit and fish; the port also handles other cargo. For 2006, the port expected upwards of 30 cruise ship calls. One public and several private marinas offer limited transient dockage for recreational boats. As of November, 2005, the port is the top U.S. fishing port in terms of dollar value of catch.At least three private ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
services originate at New Bedford. As of 2010, Seastreak offers fast catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
ferry service between New Bedford and Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
; and the Cuttyhunk Ferry Company runs scheduled ferry services to Cuttyhunk Island. Ferry service from New Bedford dates back to May 15, 1818, when the steamboat The Eagle carried 600 passengers across the Nantucket Sound
Nantucket Sound
Nantucket Sound is a roughly triangular area of the Atlantic Ocean offshore from the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is long and wide, and is enclosed by Cape Cod on the north, Nantucket on the south, and Martha's Vineyard on the west. Between Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard it is connected to the...
.
Air
New Bedford Regional AirportNew Bedford Regional Airport
New Bedford Regional Airport is a public airport located two miles northwest of the central business district of New Bedford, a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States...
EWB, a towered Class D airport offering two 5000 feet (1,524 m) runways and a precision instrument landing system, is located in the central portion of the city with easy access to highways. Frequent scheduled passenger service is provided to Nantucket
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
and Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
by Cape Air
Cape Air
Hyannis Air Service, Inc., operating as Cape Air, is an airline headquartered at Barnstable Municipal Airport in Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. It operates scheduled passenger services in the Northeast, Florida, the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic States, Midwest, and Micronesia...
. Charter services, including seaplane charters, are available for destinations throughout the southern New England/New York region. In addition, the airport provides a range of general aviation and corporate jet services including aircraft maintenance facilities and flight instruction.
Roads
Highways I-195 and US 6 run from east to west through the city. US 6 leaves the city toward Cape Cod over the New Bedford-Fairhaven BridgeNew Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge
The New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge is a swing truss bridge which connects New Bedford, Massachusetts with Fairhaven, Massachusetts.-Between New Bedford and Fairhaven:...
, a swing truss bridge, and the Popes Island Bridge. New Bedford is the southern terminus of MA 140, which is a freeway from MA 24. MA 18
Route 18 (Massachusetts)
Route 18 is a south–north state highway in southeastern Massachusetts.-Route description:Route 18 starts as a four-lane freeway, a continuation of John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway in downtown New Bedford, at U.S. Route 6. After the intersection with I-195, Route 18 runs via surface streets...
, also known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, is a freeway for the short stretch connecting I-195 to US 6 and the port area.
Bus
The city bus terminal offers local and long distance bus connections. A free shuttle bus connects the bus terminal and the ferries. The Southeastern Regional Transit AuthoritySoutheastern Regional Transit Authority
Southeastern Regional Transit Authority is a public transport authority in Bristol County, Massachusetts. A variety of bus services are offered to serve the cities of New Bedford, Massachusetts and Fall River, Massachusetts.-New Bedford Services:...
(SRTA) provides bus service between the city, Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, and the surrounding regions.
Peter Pan Bus Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines is a long-distance bus carrier headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts. It operates in the northeastern United States. Over four million passengers per year travel on Peter Pan's bus routes....
makes a New Bedford stop on a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Hyannis
Hyannis
Hyannis may refer to a location in the United States:* Hyannis, Massachusetts* Hyannisport, Massachusetts* Hyannis, Nebraska...
(Cape Cod) route. As of October, 2006, private carrier DATTCO provides daily commuter bus service to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
via Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
. Private carrier Peter Pan Bus Lines no longer offers bus service to Boston.
Rail
The MBTAMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
has proposed providing commuter rail
Commuter rail in North America
Commuter rail services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis primarily for short-distance travel between a central business district and adjacent suburbs and...
service to the city. As of May 14, 2006, total capital costs for commuter rail service to New Bedford were projected to be $800 million, and the project has not yet been funded by the state; which is still reeling financially from the financial excesses of the Big Dig project in Boston. CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
(formerly Conrail) provides freight rail service to New Bedford, terminating at the New Bedford Rail Yard in the port
area. Until 1959 the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
provided train service to New Bedford from Boston and from Providence via Taunton.
As of April 6, 2007, Governor Deval Patrick has proposed a 1.6 billion dollar plan called South Coast Rail to bring commuter rail service to New Bedford and Fall River
Fall River
-Cities and towns:In Canada:*Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:*Fall River, Kansas*Fall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this name*Fall River, Tennessee*Fall River, Wisconsin*Fall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...
.
City Government and Services
New Bedford is governed by a Mayor-Council form of government. The mayor is currently Attorney Scott Lang, a Democrat, who defeated incumbent Frederick Kalisz for the mayorship in 2005. Lang subsequently won reelection in 2007 and 2009. He chose not to seek reelection to a fourth term, and former federal prosecutor Jon F. Mitchell defeated State Representative Antonio F.D. Cabral in the 2011 mayoral election.The New Bedford Police Department patrols the city from four stations. The main station is located on Rockdale Avenue in a converted supermarket plaza and replaces the former headquarters located downtown). There are also branches in the North End (at the intersection of Tarkiln Hill Road and Ashley Boulevard), South End (along Cove Street near the end of Route 18), and Downtown (on Pleasant Street near City Hall).
The Chief of Police is Currently Ron Teachman
The ranking of the police is
Chief of Police
Deputy Chief of Police
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Police Officer
The Fire Department is full-time, and has seven firehouses distributed around the city. The Fire Department headquarters (sta. #2) is located on Purchase Street in the downtown district which houses administrative offices of the department as well as personnel.
There are four post offices, the Central (a scaled replica of New York's Penn Station Post Office) located downtown, one located in the South End, and two more located in the North End.
The city formerly operated a trash dump located in the Mount Pleasant area of town between the regional airport and the Whaling City Golf Course. However, owing to pollution concerns, the dump was closed in the 1990s. The city now provides weekly trash and recycling pickup.
State and National Government
New Bedford is represented by four state representativesMassachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
, representing the Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth districts. The Ninth includes Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Dartmouth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States established in 1664. The population was 30,665 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth....
, as well as parts of Freetown
Freetown, Massachusetts
Freetown is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included...
and Lakeville
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
; the Thirteenth includes parts of Freetown, Lakeville and Middleborough
Middleborough, Massachusetts
Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,117 as of 2008.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts....
; and the Eleventh and Twelfth are both entirely within New Bedford. The city is represented in the state senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
, by Senator Mark C.W. Montigny, in the Second Bristol
Bristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
and Plymouth district, which includes the towns of Acushnet, Massachusetts
Acushnet, Massachusetts
Acushnet is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,303 at the 2010 census.- History :Acushnet was first settled in 1659. It has been included as a part of three separate towns throughout its history. It was formerly the northeastern section of the town of...
, Dartmouth, Fairhaven
Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Fairhaven is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located on the south coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean...
, and Mattapoisett
Mattapoisett, Massachusetts
Mattapoisett is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,463 at the 2008 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Mattapoisett Center, please see the article Mattapoisett Center, Massachusetts....
.
The Third Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
, located nearby in Dartmouth, patrol New Bedford.
The city is part of Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
Massachusetts's 4th congressional district is mostly in southern Massachusetts and includes the South Coast region. It is represented by Barney Frank, who has served the district since January 1981....
, represented by U.S. Representative Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
. The state's senior (Class I) U.S. Senator, re-elected in 2008
United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Kerry won re-election to a fifth term.-Candidates:* John Kerry, incumbent U.S...
, is John F. Kerry. The state's junior senator is Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
, elected in a special election in 2010.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
28,625 | 51.81% |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
3,482 | 6.30% |
Unaffiliated | 22,640 | 40.98% |
Minor Parties | 499 | 0.90% | |
| Total | 55,246 | 100% | |||||||||||||
Education
During the 2006-07 academic year, the New Bedford school district (then under the direction of Superintendent Michael Longo) was one of several in Massachusetts labeled as "underperforming" under the state's MCASMassachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, commonly shortened to MCAS , is the Commonwealth's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in 1993, in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of the same year...
guidelines. The school system, like that of nearby Fall River, is also in the process of major school upgrades and consolidations, having rebuilt several of its schools in recent years. The most recent, Keith Middle School, made headlines for the problems involved in the cleanup of the polluted soil on the site.
The school district, headquartered in the former high school building on County Street, is made up of twenty-eight schools, including:
Elementary Schools
- Charles S. AshleyCharles S. AshleyCharles S. Ashley, Sr., was the Mayor of New Bedford, Massachusetts various times from 1890 to 1936. He served for over 25 terms.-Biography:...
Elementary - Elizabeth Carter Brooks Elementary
- Elwyn G. Campbell Elementary
- Sgt. William H. CarneyWilliam Harvey CarneyWilliam Harvey Carney was an African American soldier during the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Fort Wagner....
Academy - James B. Congdon Elementary
- John B. DeValles Elementary
- George H. Dunbar Elementary
- Hookah Pillah Elementary
- Ellen R. Hathaway Elementary
- John Hannigan Elementary
- Hayden-McFadden Elementary
- Horatio A. Kempton Elementary
- Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
Elementary - Mucho Grande Elementary
- Carlos Pacheco Elementary
- John Avery Parker Elementary
- Phillips Avenue Elementary
- Casimir Pulaski Elementary
- Thomas R. Rodman Elementary
- Jireh Swift Elementary
- William H. Taylor Elementary
- Betsey B. Winslow Elementary
- Alfred J. Gomes Elementary
Middle Schools
- Keith Middle School - serving the central part of the city.
- Normandin Middle School - serving the North End, named for a French doctor from the school's area
- Nativity Prep.- serving the New Bedford area - Nativity Prep is an independent, tuition-free, all boys middle school run by volunteer teachers.
- Our Sisters School - serving girls from the Greater New Bedford area
- Roosevelt Middle School - serving the South End
High School
New Bedford High School
New Bedford High School
New Bedford High School is a public high school located at 230 Hathaway Boulevard in the West End of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The school has approximately 3,200 students, and is one of the largest schools in the state...
is one of the largest high schools in the state.
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
New Bedford is also the home to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School is a vocational high school located in New Bedford, Massachusetts for students in grades 9-12. The school draws its student body from the towns and cities of New Bedford, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven...
, a large vocational high school serving New Bedford, Dartmouth and Fairhaven. Its teams are called the "Bears," and wear green and gold.
Other Public Schools
In addition, the city operates two alternative junior-senior high schools, Whaling City Alternative School, out of the original New Bedford Vocational High School building, and Trinity Day Academy. There are also two charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s, the Global Learning Charter Public School http://www.glcps.org, which serves grades 5-12 and the Alma del Mar Charter School which currently serves grades K-2.
Other Schools
There are seven Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
s within the city. Many of the students who attend these schools go on to attend Bishop Stang High School
Bishop Stang High School
Mission Statement: Bishop Stang High School is a private Catholic secondary school located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, in the New England region of the United States. It was the first diocesan secondary school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River, which includes most of Southeastern...
in neighboring Dartmouth. There are also two preschools and the Nazarene Christian Academy, a school operated by the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
. The city also is the site of the marine campus of University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is one of five campuses and operating subdivisions of the University of Massachusetts . It is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States, in the center of the South Coast region, between the cities of New Bedford to the east and Fall River...
(located at Fort Rodman) as well as its satellite visual art campus located in the former Star Store building downtown.
Higher Education
New Bedford is also home to one of Fisher College
Fisher College
Fisher CollegeFisher College is a private institution that grants both baccalaureate and associate degrees. The College is located on Beacon Street in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. The College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges .-History:The College was...
's neighborhood campuses. Located on Church Street in the north end of the city, they serve adult learners from the greater New Bedford region and the surrounding communities of Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
, Wareham
Wareham, Massachusetts
Wareham is a town located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 20,335, with an estimated 2008 population of 21,221....
, and Fall River
Fall River
-Cities and towns:In Canada:*Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:*Fall River, Kansas*Fall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this name*Fall River, Tennessee*Fall River, Wisconsin*Fall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...
. Bristol Community College
Bristol Community College
Bristol Community College is a two-year community college located in Fall River, Massachusetts.-History:The college was originally established in December 1965 when it was instituted by the Massachusetts Board of Regional Community Colleges. Former President John F...
has a satellite campus in Downtown New Bedford. Nearby Dartmouth is home to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is one of five campuses and operating subdivisions of the University of Massachusetts . It is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States, in the center of the South Coast region, between the cities of New Bedford to the east and Fall River...
campus, as well as the UMass Dartmouth Law School, the first public law school in the state.
Closed Schools
Two Catholic high schools closed recently: Saint Anthony High in 1978, and Holy Family High School, which closed in 1984. Both schools were small in registrations but were considered by some to be influential in New Bedford's 20th century culture. As of the end of the 2006/2007 school year, Our Lady Of Mt. Carmel, located on Crapo St in the city's South End, had closed down because of financial difficulties.
Demographics
New Bedford and surrounding communities are a part of the Providence metropolitan areaProvidence metropolitan area
The Providence metropolitan area is a region covering six counties in two states, and is the 37th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Anchored by the city of Providence, Rhode Island, it has an estimated population of 1,622,520, exceeding that of Rhode Island by slightly over 60%. The...
.
At the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 93,768 people, 38,178 households and 24,090 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,660 per square mile (1,799/km2). There were 41,511 housing units at an average density of 2,063/sq mi (797/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.86% White, 4.39% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 9.51% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 5.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.21% of the population. The ethnic makeup of the city is estimated to be 38.6% Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, 9.1% French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 8.0% Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
an, 7.9% Irish, 7.3% English
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant or WASP is an informal term, often derogatory or disparaging, for a closed group of high-status Americans mostly of British Protestant ancestry. The group supposedly wields disproportionate financial and social power. When it appears in writing, it is usually used to...
, and 7.1% Puerto Rican.
There were 38,178 households, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01.
Age distribution was 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $27,569, and the median family income was $35,708. Males had a median income of $31,388 versus $22,278 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,602. About 17.3% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
The north end of the city closest to Rt. 18 is notorious for drug activity and also infamous for the 1983 gang rape at Big Dan's Bar on Belleville Ave. On March 6, 1983, Cheryl AraujoCheryl Araujo
Cheryl Ann Araujo was an American rape survivor whose case became national news, and was the basis of the 1988 film The Accused. Araujo was gang-raped in 1983 at age 21 by four men on a pool table in a tavern while other patrons watched but did not interfere...
was gang raped at Big Dan's Bar in New Bedford. The film The Accused was based on this incident.
In 2000, crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
had dropped to a 20-year low with 3,166 total crimes tracked by the Crime Reporting Unit of the Massachusetts State Police, of which 789 were violent crimes (the lowest violent crime rate since 1975), and 2,377 were property crimes.
On February 2, 2000, drug dealer Matthew C. Cleary was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon after he fired a sawed-off shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
into a door of a house, allegedly following a drug deal gone bad. After his arrest, police found approximately 13 bags of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
in his apartment residence. In March 2002, while incarcerated for an unrelated crime, he pled guilty to two felony counts relating to his arrest.
On December 8, 2001, New Bedford was the site of the biggest cocaine drug arrest in Massachusetts history with a total of 260 kilograms. The leader was Rafael Yeje Cabrera.
According to witnesses and police, on February 1, 2006, Jacob D. Robida
Jacob D. Robida
Jacob D. Robida was a Massachusetts teenager who attacked three patrons at a New Bedford gay bar on February 2, 2006. He fled the state and drove to Charleston, West Virginia, where he allegedly kidnapped a female companion and drove southwest. He was stopped by Gassville, Arkansas Police Officer...
attacked and seriously wounded three patrons of Puzzles Lounge, a New Bedford gay bar. He fled to Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
where he murdered a female companion and a police officer and later died from wounds (seemingly self-inflicted) received in a shootout.
New Bedford appeared on America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted is an American television program produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode...
on February 11, 2006, for three unsolved murders: that of Marcus Cruz in 2001, Cecil Lopes III in 2004 and Dana Haywood in 2005, run as part of a report on the Stop Snitching phenomenon
Stop Snitchin'
Stop Snitchin' refers to a controversial 2004 campaign launched in Baltimore, United States to persuade criminal informants to stop "snitching," or informing, to law enforcement...
that has hindered police investigations nationwide. New Bedford is called "The Secret City" because of the Stop Snitching phenomenon. The show, broadcast on February 11, received good ratings, but "almost no" calls, being one of the first episodes, the first for such to happen. New Bedford has thirty unsolved homicides since 2000. Most stem from the ongoing feuds between the United Front and Monte Park neighborhoods. The gangs are located in the south and west ends of the city.
On December 12, 2006, gunman Scott Medeiros shot and killed a doorman and a manager at the Foxy Lady strip club, shot a patron and two police officers and then killed himself.
On March 7, 2007, Michael Bianco, Inc., a leather products factory, was raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. 361 illegal immigrants were arrested by approximately 300 federal, state and local law enforcement officers. About 90 were transported to Texas in preparation for deportation, some without being contacted by the Department of Social Services regarding infants and toddlers without care. About 20 DSS case workers were sent to Texas.
In recent years over 80 gang members from UFP, Monte Park and Latin King/MS-13 members have been detained, indicted and imprisoned curbing violence in 2007 and 2008. In May, 2010, it was reported that " Not a single person arrested in the roundups since 2007 has yet been acquitted in the state superior or federal courts" and "gang-related shootings and homicides are down from the violent levels seen before 2007."
The Ash Street Jail
Ash Street Jail
The Bristol County Jail & House of Correction , located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is a jail for inmates who are awaiting trial from Bristol County, MA. Built in 1829, it is the oldest operating jail in America. It is currently overseen by Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M...
, which houses inmates from Bristol County, is located in New Bedford and is currently the oldest continuously operating jail in the United States.
Economic history
The economy of the Pilgrim settlement in the New Bedford area was initially based around a few farming and fishing villages. The early Bedford Village quickly became a commercial zone and from there became a major whalingWhaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
and foreign trade port. In the early 18th century, the Russell family purchased this area and developed it into a larger village (Joseph Russell III having made the most significant contributions). Age of Sail ships built in New Bedford include the schooner Caroline
Caroline (ship)
The Caroline was a schooner constructed in New Bedford, USA. It disappeared without trace in 1802.Built and registered in New Bedford, it was owned by Swain and Co a New Bedford firm. It was 103 tons weight. It reached Sydney on 22 December 1801 under the command of St Tuckerman...
and whaleship Charles W. Morgan
Charles W. Morgan (ship)
Charles W. Morgan was a U.S. whaleship during the 19th and early 20th century. Ships of this type usually harvested the blubber of whales for whale oil, which was commonly used in lamps...
. By the 18th century, entrepreneurs in the area, such as whaling merchants from Nantucket, were attracted to the village and helped make it into one of the top whaling cities in the country. The most significant of these merchants was Joseph Rotch, who bought 10 acres (four hectares) of land in 1765 from Joseph Russell III on which he and his sons ran the family business. Rotch moved his business to New Bedford since it would be better for refining whale oil and manufacturing candles made from whales. As these parts of the whaling industry had been monopolized by a merchant cartel in Boston, Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, and Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rotch felt that it would be better for business to handle these himself by moving to the mainland.
The relationship between New Bedford and Nantucket allowed the two cities to dominate the whaling industry. In 1848 New Bedford resident Lewis Temple
Lewis Temple
Lewis Temple was an American blacksmith, abolitionist, and inventor. Born in slavery in Richmond, Virginia, he moved to the whaling village of New Bedford, Massachusetts during the 1820s...
invented the toggling harpoon
Toggling harpoon
The toggling harpoon is an ancient weapon and tool used in whaling to impale a whale when thrown. Unlike earlier harpoon versions which had only one point, a toggling harpoon has a two-part point...
, an invention that would revolutionize the whaling industry. This helped make New Bedford more powerful than Nantucket, thus making it the most powerful city in the whaling industry. Another factor was the increased draft of whaling ships, in part the result of greater use of steel in their construction, which made them too deep for Nantucket harbor. Syren
Syren (clipper)
The Syren was the longest lived of all the clipper ships, with a sailing life of 68 years 7 months. She sailed in the San Francisco trade, in the Far East, and transported whaling products from Hawaii and the Arctic to New Bedford....
, the longest lived of the clipper ships, spent over a decade transporting whale oil
Whale oil
Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales, particularly the three species of right whale and the bowhead whale prior to the modern era, as well as several other species of baleen whale...
and whaling products to New Bedford, principally from Honolulu, and was owned for several years by William H. Besse of New Bedford. As a result of its control over whaling products that were used widely throughout the world (most importantly whale oil), New Bedford became one of the richest per capita cities in the world.
Many whalers would quit their jobs in 1849, though, as the Gold Rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
attracted many of them to leave New Bedford for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. During this time Herman Melville
Herman Melville
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
, who worked in New Bedford as a whaler, wrote the novel Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
and published it in 1851; the city would be the initial setting of the book, including a scene set in the Seaman's Bethel, which still stands today. Despite the power it gave to New Bedford, the whaling industry began to decline starting in 1859 when petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, which would become a popular alternative to whale oil
Whale oil
Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales, particularly the three species of right whale and the bowhead whale prior to the modern era, as well as several other species of baleen whale...
, was discovered. Another blow came with the Whaling Disaster of 1871
Whaling Disaster of 1871
The Whaling Disaster of 1871 was an incident off the northern Alaskan coast in which a fleet of 33 American whaling ships were trapped in the Arctic ice in late 1871 and subsequently abandoned...
, in which twenty-two New Bedford whalers were lost in the ice off the coast of Alaska. The New Bedford firm J. & W. R. Wing Company
J. & W. R. Wing Company
The Joseph & William R. Wing Company was the largest whaling firm in the United States. Based in New Bedford, Massachusetts during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the J. & W. R. Wing Co...
, the largest whaling company in the United States, sent out its last whaleship in 1914, and whaling in New Bedford came to its final end in 1925, with the last whaling expedition being made by the schooner John R. Manta.
New Bedford was able to remain wealthy because of its textile industry
Textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
. Starting in 1881, the textile industry grew large enough to sustain the city's economy. The creation of the New Bedford Textile School in 1895–1899 ushered in an era of textile prosperity that began to decline in the great depression and ended with the end of the textile period in the 1940s.
At its height, though, over 30,000 people were employed by the 32 cotton-manufacturing companies that owned the textile factories of New Bedford (which were worth one hundred million dollars in total).
Tool and die operations also left the area steadily, starting in the 1970s.
Until the mid-1990s New Bedford was home to a thriving commercial fishing community that fished Georges Bank
Georges Bank
Georges Bank is a large elevated area of the sea floor which separates the Gulf of Maine from the Atlantic Ocean and is situated between Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia ....
, but in 1996 action was taken to reduce over-fishing, which devastated commercial fishing in the area.
The modern economy
While accurate figures are hard to come by, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
appears to be a growing industry. New Bedford tourism centers on fairs and festivals including the Summerfest Folk Music and Arts Festival, the traditional Blessing of the Fleet, and the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...
(the largest Portuguese cultural celebration in the nation). Tourism also focuses on the historic whaling industry, and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and is maintained by the National Park Service. The park commemorates the heritage of the world's preeminent whaling port during the nineteenth century.Established in 1996, the...
is the only national park unit that focuses on the whaling industry's impact on the history of the United States
History of the United States
The history of the United States traditionally starts with the Declaration of Independence in the year 1776, although its territory was inhabited by Native Americans since prehistoric times and then by European colonists who followed the voyages of Christopher Columbus starting in 1492. The...
.
Driven in part by increased tourism, a Fairfield Inn and Suites hotel opened in New Bedford in late May 2010. This became the first hotel in the city to open in over 40 years, though it is well-supplied with bed and breakfast establishments, and its neighbors to the east and west also offer hotel accommodations.
According to a 2001 study by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Policy Analysis, the three largest employment sectors in the Greater New Bedford area (the area includes New Bedford and Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and Wareham) were as follows: services (26% of total employment); wholesale trade (22%); manufacturing (19%). The largest industries by employment in the area were as follows: health services, eating and drinking places, wholesale trade, food stores, and social services.
In 2002, the city received $61,194,358 in taxation revenue, $44,536,201 in local receipts, and $12,044,152 classified as other available.
In 2005 the unemployment rate was 7.3%, having dropped throughout the 1990s from 12.5% to 5.3% in 2000, and then having risen to 10.4% in 2003.
In 2005, the city received $104,925,772 for education, and $22,755,439 for general government from the State of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Library
The New Bedford public library was established in 1852. In fiscal year 2008, the city of New Bedford spent 0.82% ($1,841,038) of its budget on its public library—some $20 per person.Media
New Bedford is part of the ProvidenceProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
TV market but is the city of license for two TV stations. WLNE-TV
WLNE-TV
WLNE-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Rhode Island and the South Coast of Massachusetts. It is licensed to New Bedford, Massachusetts, but is headquartered in and operates from studios at 10 Orms Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It is one of two major Rhode Island...
Channel 6 is the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate for the market, and WLWC
WLWC
WLWC is the CW-affiliated television station licensed to New Bedford but which operates out of Providence and acts largely as a Rhode Island station despite its licensing. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 22 from a transmitter in the Ashley Heights section of East...
Channel 28 is The CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliate. The city is also home to several radio stations the most notable of which are WBSM
WBSM
WBSM is an AM radio station broadcasting in the New Bedford/Fall River market area with a News/Talk format. It broadcasts on 1420 kilocycles and is under ownership of Cumulus Media, with studios in Fairhaven shared with fellow Cumulus station WFHN/Fun 107...
at 1420 AM and WNBH
WNBH
WNBH is one of the oldest broadcast radio stations in America , dating back to 1921. At one time WNBH had its studios at the New Bedford Hotel where it derived its callsign. In 1948 WNBH added FM service with WNBH-FM on 98.1 megahertz /Channel 251...
at 1340 AM, both of which have been serving the residents of New Bedford for many decades.
Entertainment
New Bedford has had a sporadic history of successful musicians. During the 1970s, the Tavares, a soul musicSoul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
group made up of five brothers from New Bedford, became a chart topping success with such songs as "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" and "More Than a Woman". In 1999, the pop group LFO (Lyte Funky Ones
Lyte Funky Ones
Lyte Funky Ones was an American three-man pop/rap group consisting of Rich Cronin , Devin Lima , and Brad Fischetti . Before Lima joined the group in 1999, the third member was Brian Gillis , who was with the group from its start in 1995...
), whose group member Harold "Devin" Lima is from New Bedford, had a hit single with their song "Summer Girls". Have Heart
Have Heart
Have Heart was a straight-edge hardcore band, formed in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 2002. The band recorded a demo that was released in 2003. In 2004, they released the What Counts EP , with their debut full-length, The Things We Carry arriving in 2006...
, a Straight-edge hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band, were formed in New Bedford in 2002, before breaking up in 2009. Most recently, the hardcore punk band A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream is a melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Many people have referenced Strung Out, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi, and Strike Anywhere as the band's similar artists. Their name is a reference to the Wilhelm Scream, a famous stock sound effect which mainly is used in...
has gained some success, having been added to the 2005 Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
lineup. New Bedford natives Hector Barros and Scott Ross were members of the hip-hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch was a hip-hop group led by Mark Wahlberg. The Funky Bunch consisted of Wahlberg , Scott Ross , Hector Barros , Terry Yancey and Anthony Thomas...
, led by actor Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
. They achieved success with their 1991 single, Good Vibrations, which reached number one in the U.S., Sweden, and Switzerland. Josh Newton
Josh Newton
Josh Newton was the bass player for Every Time I Die until the 12th October 2011. He is also the singer and guitarist of The Great Fire of Sixteen Sixty Six...
from the band Every Time I Die
Every Time I Die
Every Time I Die is a metalcore band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1998. Their musical style is rooted in technical hardcore with strong southern metal and mathcore elements, and is also characterised by their cryptic, bitingly sarcastic lyrics. The band announced on July 14, 2008 that they had...
was born in New Bedford.
In 2002, the movie Passionada
Passionada
Passionada is a 2002 romantic comedy film. It is directed by Dan Ireland and stars Jason Isaacs, Sofia Milos and Emmy Rossum, co-starring Seymour Cassel and Theresa Russell. The story is by David Bakalar, and the screenplay is by Jim Jermanok and Steve Jermanok...
was filmed in New Bedford, making it the first film to be shot in the city in 45 years. Previously, film director John Huston
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
shot a scene for the movie adaptation of Moby-Dick in front of Seamen's Bethel
Seamen's Bethel
The Seamen's Bethel is a chapel in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, located at 15 Johnny Cake Hill.-History of building:Built by the New Bedford Port Society, it was completed on May 2, 1832...
in 1956. However, all other exterior shots for New Bedford in the film were shot in Youghal
Youghal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
instead.
The 2011 movie Whaling City, about the fight of an independent fisherman to save his boat and his way of life, is set in New Bedford and was filmed there.
New Bedford was the town where 100 brides in the 1968-70 TV series Here Come the Brides
Here Come the Brides
Here Come the Brides is an American comedy Western series from Screen Gems that aired on the ABC television network from September 25, 1968 to April 3, 1970...
came from prior to their arrival in 1860's Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. The television series only lasted 2 seasons and all the locations in the series were shot in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
.
A character named New Bedford appeared on a Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode (in 2006) as a friend of another girl named Dakota
Dakota (given name)
Dakota is a given name derived from the name of two states in the United States: North Dakota or South Dakota, or from the name of an indigenous Native American tribe. The name is translated to mean "friend", "friendly" or "allies" in the Yankton-Yanktonai and Santee dialects of the Lakota Sioux...
. The fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island is "situated" near New Bedford. Family Guy episode "Lottery Fever" Peter mentions New Bedford while looking at a whale painting
Sports
Since 2009, the city has been home to the New Bedford Bay SoxNew Bedford Bay Sox
The New Bedford Bay Sox are a baseball team that plays in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a collegiate summer baseball league located in the northeastern United States region of New England. The team is located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. New Bedford's Paul Walsh Field serves as...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
franchise of the New England Collegiate Baseball League
New England Collegiate Baseball League
The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 42-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August...
, a collegiate summer baseball league operating in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. The team, which reached the league playoffs in their inaugural season
2009 NECBL season
The 2009 NECBL season is the sixteenth season of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league. The league's Torrington, Connecticut franchise, the Torrington Twisters, moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts and became the New Bedford Bay Sox...
, plays home games at Paul Walsh Field
Paul Walsh Field
Paul Walsh Field is a multi-purpose sports facility located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA. The field is part of the athletic faciities of nearby New Bedford High School. Its primary use is for baseball. Specifically, it serves as the home of the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England...
in New Bedford.
Museums
New Bedford is the home of the New Bedford Whaling MuseumNew Bedford Whaling Museum
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA. The museum, through its collections and exhibitions, tells the story of the international whaling industry and the history more generally of the "Old Dartmouth" area, the Southcoast of Massachusetts...
, the centerpiece of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. It is the country's largest museum on the subject of whaling and the history of interaction between humans and whales. The Museum has the skeletons of a 66 feet (20.1 m)-long baby blue whale (obtained in 2000), a 35 feet (10.7 m)-long adult humpback whale (obtained in 1900), and a 45 feet (13.7 m)-long sperm whale (obtained in 2004) on display. All whales died in New England waters and were cleaned and assembled for display.
The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum
Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum
The William Rotch, Jr. House, now the Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum, 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...
, is a 28-room Greek Revival mansion that was built for the whaling merchant, William Rotch, Jr., in 1834. Between 1834 and 1981, three prominent families owned the house and chronicles 150 years of economic, social, and domestic life in New Bedford. The house was restored by the Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE (WHALE) in the early 1980s and converted into the house museum it is today. Tours of the house and grounds are available; the facilities can also be rented for private events. Weddings in the rose garden are popular. The Rotch-Jones-Duff House also has a summer concert series, and it hosts an annual "cookie contest."
The New Bedford Art Museum is located in the heart of New Bedford's historic downtown
Central New Bedford Historic District
The Central New Bedford Historic District is one of nine historic districts in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States. It is a rectangular area bounded by Acushnet Avenue and the older New Bedford Historic District on the east, School Street to the south, Middle Street on the north and 6th...
. The museum offers engaging exhibitions of artwork, both local and international in origin. Not far away is Gallery X, a community art gallery.
The New Bedford Fire Museum
New Bedford Fire Museum
The New Bedford Fire Museum is located in the former Fire Station No. 4 at the corner of Sixth and Bedford streets in that city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The red brick building, opened in 1867, was one of the oldest continuously operating fire stations in the state when it was closed in...
is housed in a handsome red-brick building, formerly Fire Station No. 4, which opened in 1867. The fire station was one of the oldest continuously operating fire stations in the state when it was closed in 1979. The museum has a collection of old firefighting equipment and some old fire engines. Visitors can try on old uniforms and slide down the pole. Old city fire records dating to 1890 are available for research and review. Retired and active city firefighters act as docents.
The New Bedford Museum of Glass
New Bedford Museum of Glass
The New Bedford Museum of Glass, located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is home to a wide collection of glass ranging from ancient Mediterranean unguent bottles to designs by contemporary artists such as Dale Chihuly. It was first established in 1993 as the Glass Art Center at the former Bradford...
reflects the city's history as home of the Mount Washington and Pairpoint glass companies. The museum's collection ranges from ancient to contemporary glass with a large focus on the glass of New England. A research library boasts over eight thousand volumes on glass. The museum is located in one of the historic Wamsutta Mills textile factory buildings.
Historic districts
New Bedford has nine historic districtHistoric district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
s on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. They are:
- Acushnet Heights Historic DistrictAcushnet Heights Historic DistrictAcushnet Heights Historic District is a historic district roughly bounded by Summer, Weld, Purchase, Pope, County, and Robeson Street in New Bedford, Massachusetts.The district was added to the National Historic Register in 1989....
- Buttonwood Park Historic DistrictButtonwood Park Historic DistrictButtonwood Park Historic District is a historic district on Kempton Street, Rockdale Avenue, Hawthorne Street and Brownell Avenue in New Bedford, Massachusetts.The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000....
- Central New Bedford Historic DistrictCentral New Bedford Historic DistrictThe Central New Bedford Historic District is one of nine historic districts in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States. It is a rectangular area bounded by Acushnet Avenue and the older New Bedford Historic District on the east, School Street to the south, Middle Street on the north and 6th...
- County Street Historic DistrictCounty Street Historic DistrictCounty Street Historic District is a historic district roughly bounded by Acushnet, Page, Middle, and Bedford streets in New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976....
- Howland Mill Village Historic DistrictHowland Mill Village Historic DistrictHowland Mill Village Historic District is a historic district roughly bounded by Michael Bolton, Winsper, Hemlock Sts., and Rockdale Avenue in New Bedford, Massachusetts.The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996....
- Merrill's Wharf Historic DistrictMerrill's Wharf Historic DistrictMerrill's Wharf Historic District is a historic district on MacArthur Drive in New Bedford, Massachusetts.The district was built in 1837 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977....
- Moreland Terrace Historic DistrictMoreland Terrace Historic DistrictMoreland Terrace Historic District is a historic district roughly bounded by Moreland Terrace, Ash, Bedford, and Page Streets in New Bedford, Massachusetts.The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996....
- New Bedford Historic DistrictNew Bedford Historic DistrictThe New Bedford Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, west of the community's waterfront. During the 19th century, when the city was the center of the American whaling industry, this was its downtown...
- North New Bedford Historic DistrictNorth Bedford Historic DistrictNorth Bedford Historic District is a historic district roughly bounded by Summer, Park, Pleasant and Kempton Streets in New Bedford, Massachusetts.The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979....
Notable residents
- James Arnold, whaling merchant, whose estate is now known as the Wamsutta Club in New Bedford. Donated his fortune to create the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.
- Clifford Warren Ashley, author, sailor, and artist, most famous for "The Ashley Book of Knots", an encyclopedic reference manual, copiously illustrated, on the tying of thousands of knots. He invented Ashley's stopper knot.
- Joseph "The Animal" Barboza, Mob hitman.
- André Bernier, first meteorologist to appear on The Weather Channel's debut on May 2, 1982.
- Albert BierstadtAlbert BierstadtAlbert Bierstadt was a German-American painter best known for his lavish, sweeping landscapes of the American West. In obtaining the subject matter for these works, Bierstadt joined several journeys of the Westward Expansion...
, 19th century German-born artist whose depictions of the American West were well known throughout the country. - Mike CejkaMike CejkaMike Cejka has been a broadcast meteorologist for WIVB since January 1983 making him the longest standing on-air meteorologist in the Buffalo television market.-Career:...
, meteorologist at WIVB-TVWIVB-TVWIVB-TV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Western New York that is licensed to Buffalo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter on Center Street in Colden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to CW...
in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the... - Paul Clayton, American folksinger and folksong collector.
- Nick DompierreNick DompierreNick Dompierre is a goofy-stanced professional skateboarder for Real Skateboards. He is known for his performance of backside noseblunt slides and 360 flips.-Biography:...
, American professional skateboarder. - Frederick DouglassFrederick DouglassFrederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
, 19th century abolitionist and editor. - Nelson EddyNelson EddyNelson Ackerman Eddy was an American singer and actor who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. A classically trained baritone, he is best remembered for the eight films in which he costarred...
, American singer and movie star who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, spent part of his boyhood in New Bedford. - William Greenleaf EliotWilliam Greenleaf EliotWilliam Greenleaf Eliot was an American educator, Unitarian minister, and civic leader in Missouri. He is most notable for founding Washington University in St. Louis, but also contributed to the founding of numerous other civic institutions, such as the St...
, co-founder and benefactor of Washington University of St. Louis. Grandfather of T. S. EliotT. S. EliotThomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
. - Marie EquiMarie EquiMarie Diana Equi was an American medical doctor and anarchist. Her father was Italian and her mother of Irish parentage.-Biography:...
, 19th century doctor, labor activist, anarchist and Wobbly. - Bishop Charles Manuel "Sweet Daddy" Grace, founder of United House of Prayer For All People.
- Hetty GreenHetty GreenHetty Green , nicknamed "The Witch of Wall Street" , was an American businesswoman, remarkable for her frugality during the Gilded Age, as well as for being the first American woman to make a substantial impact on Wall Street.-Birth and early years:She was born Henrietta Howland Robinson in New...
, businesswoman, one of the wealthiest women in America. Amassed a significant fortune from the stock market in the late 19th century. - Henry GrinnellHenry GrinnellHenry Grinnell was an American merchant and philanthropist.-Career:In 1818, Grinnell moved to New York City where he became a clerk in the commission house of H.D. & E.B. Sewell. He married Sarah Minturn in 1822. In 1825, Henry joined his brother Joseph Grinnell in Fish, Grinnell & Company...
, businessman who financed the outfitting of two vessels, the "Advance" and the "Rescue", to search the Arctic for the lost Franklin Expedition. - Carol HaneyCarol HaneyCarol Haney was an American dancer and actress. After assisting Gene Kelly in choreographing films, Haney won a Tony Award for her role in The Pajama Game...
, Choreographer, principal assistant to Gene KellyGene KellyEugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
, and worked on Singin' in the RainSingin' in the RainSingin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
. - Brian HelgelandBrian HelgelandBrian Thomas Helgeland is an American screenwriter, film producer and director. He is most known for writing the screenplays for L.A...
, Screenplay writer of Mystic RiverMystic RiverThe Mystic River is a river in Massachusetts, in the United States. Its name derives from the Wampanoag word "muhs-uhtuq", which translates to "big river." In an Algonquian language, "Missi-Tuk" means "a great river whose waters are driven by waves", alluding to the natural tidal nature of the...
, Conspiracy TheoryConspiracy Theory (film)Conspiracy Theory is a 1997 American action thriller film directed by Richard Donner.The original screenplay by Brian Helgeland centers on an eccentric taxi driver who believes many world events are triggered by government conspiracies, and the U.S...
, and L.A. ConfidentialL.A. Confidential (film)L.A. Confidential is a 1997 American film based on James Ellroy's 1990 novel of the same title, the third book in his L.A. Quartet. Both the book and the film tell the story of a group of LAPD officers in the 1950s, and the intersection of police corruption and Hollywood celebrity...
fame - Irwin M. JacobsIrwin M. JacobsIrwin Mark Jacobs , is an electrical engineer and the co-founder and former chairman of Qualcomm, and chair of the board of trustees of the Salk Institute. In 2010, Jacobs was listed as number 828 on Forbes's annual list of the World's Top Billionaires.-Education:Jacobs earned his B.S...
, co-founder of Qualcomm. - Tynisha KeliTynisha KeliTynisha Keli Soares , known by her stage name Tynisha Keli, is an American R&B and pop singer-songwriter, who has seen her greatest success in Japan....
, Singer - William Foster NyeWilliam Foster NyeWilliam Foster Nye was the businessman that started Nye Lubricants in 1844.-Biography:He was born in 1824....
(1824–1910) - Paul PoirierPaul PoirierPaul Poirier is a Canadian ice dancer. He skated with Vanessa Crone from 2001 to 2011. They are the 2010–2011 Grand Prix Final bronze medalists, 2011 Four Continents bronze medalists, 2011 Canadian champions, 2009 & 2010 Canadian silver medalists and 2008 World Junior silver medalists...
, Former New England Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Fought former World Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes in 1993. - Brian PothierBrian PothierBrian Pothier is an American professional ice hockey player. Pothier played in the National Hockey League from 2000 until 2010. He is currently playing in the Swiss National League for Geneve Servette.-Playing career:...
, Professional ice hockey player currently playing in the NHL for the Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
. - Benjamin RussellBenjamin Russell (artist)Benjamin Russell was an American artist best-known for his accurate watercolors of whaling ships working in New England...
, Artist best known for his accurate watercolors of whaling ships. - Albert Pinkham RyderAlbert Pinkham RyderAlbert Pinkham Ryder was an American painter best known for his poetic and moody allegorical works and seascapes, as well as his eccentric personality...
, 19th century painter best known for his poetic and moody allegorical works and seascapes, as well as his eccentric personality. - Harry StoveyHarry StoveyHarry Duffield Stovey, born Harry Duffield Stowe was a 19th century Major League Baseball player and the first player in major league history to hit 100 home runs...
, 19th-century professional-baseball player. A strong home run hitter and one of the first to slide feet-first. Born in Philadelphia, he became a police officer in New Bedford after his playing days were over. - The TavaresTavares (band)Tavares are a successful American R&B, funk and soul music group, composed of five Cape Verdean-American brothers from New Bedford, Massachusetts.-Band members:...
, A soul-disco group - John TukeyJohn TukeyJohn Wilder Tukey ForMemRS was an American statistician.- Biography :Tukey was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1915, and obtained a B.A. in 1936 and M.Sc. in 1937, in chemistry, from Brown University, before moving to Princeton University where he received a Ph.D...
, Statistician whose usage of the term "software" and "bit" are believed to be the first in written history. - Bobby Watkins, Professional football player who played for the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cardinals in the 1950s.
- Benjamin F. WhiteBenjamin F. White (Montana politician)Benjamin Franklin White was an American lawyer, banker, and politician. He lived in California and Idaho Territory before moving to Montana Territory and founding the city of Dillon...
, last governor of Montana TerritoryMontana TerritoryThe Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 28, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Montana.-History:... - Taeler HendrixTaeler HendrixTaeler Conrad is an American professional wrestler and model better known by her ring name of Taeler Hendrix.-Other promotions :...
Professional Wrestler - A Wilhelm Scream (band) Band
- Have HeartHave HeartHave Heart was a straight-edge hardcore band, formed in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 2002. The band recorded a demo that was released in 2003. In 2004, they released the What Counts EP , with their debut full-length, The Things We Carry arriving in 2006...
Band - Every Time I DieEvery Time I DieEvery Time I Die is a metalcore band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1998. Their musical style is rooted in technical hardcore with strong southern metal and mathcore elements, and is also characterised by their cryptic, bitingly sarcastic lyrics. The band announced on July 14, 2008 that they had...
Band
Sister cities
New Bedford is a sister cityTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
of these municipalities:
-
BarrowBarrow, AlaskaBarrow is the largest city of the North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is one of the northernmost cities in the world and is the northernmost city in the United States of America, with nearby Point Barrow being the nation's northernmost point. Barrow's population was 4,212 at the...
, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait... -
FunchalFunchalFunchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
, MadeiraMadeiraMadeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union... - Horta, Azores
AzoresThe Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the... -
MindeloMindeloFor the parish in Portugal, see Mindelo, PortugalMindelo , is a port city in the northern part of the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde. Mindelo is also the seat of the parish of Nossa Senhora da Luz, and this island's municipality...
, Cape VerdeCape VerdeThe Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa... - Tosashimizu
Tosashimizu, Kochiis a city located in Kōchi, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 17,232 and a density of 64.7 persons per km². The total area is 266.54 km².The city was founded on August 1, 1954....
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... -
Figueira da FozFigueira da FozFigueira da Foz , also known as Figueira for short, is a municipality in the Coimbra District, in Portugal. It is located at the mouth of the Mondego River, 40 km west of Coimbra, and sheltered by hills ....
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
See also
- Nathan and Mary (Polly) Johnson House, 21 Seventh Street, New Bedford. It was in this house that Frederick and Anna DouglassFrederick DouglassFrederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
received their new last name. This house was also used as a safe haven as part of the "Underground RailroadUnderground RailroadThe Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
". - The Catalpa rescueCatalpa rescueThe Catalpa rescue was the escape, in 1876, of six Irish Fenian prisoners from what was then the British penal colony of Western Australia.-Fenians and plans to escape:...
- List of historic houses in Massachusetts
Further reading
- "From Old Dartmouth to New Bedford". WhalingMuseum.org. Retrieved May 21, 2005.
- Wall & Gray. 1871 Atlas of Massachusetts. Map of Massachusetts. USA. New England. Counties - Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex and Norfolk, Boston - Suffolk,Plymouth, Bristol, Barnstable and Dukes (Cape Cod). Cities - Springfield, Worcester, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Newburyport, Salem, Lynn, Taunton, Fall River. New Bedford. These 1871 maps of the Counties and Cities are useful to see the roads and rail lines.
- Beers,D.G. 1872 Atlas of Essex County Map of Massachusetts Plate 5. Click on the map for a very large image. Also see detailed map of 1872 Essex County Plate 7.
