Old Third District Courthouse
Encyclopedia
The Old Third District Courthouse in New Bedford
, Massachusetts
, United States
, is located at the corner of Second and William streets. It was built in 1853 by Russell Warren
in the Greek Revival
architectural style
, as the home of the New Bedford Institute for Savings, a local bank. After the bank moved, the Bristol County
courts came in. They, too, eventually outgrew it and moved elsewhere in the city. Since the creation of New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park in 1996, it has been used by the National Park Service
(NPS) as the park's visitor center.
structure of brick with a raised basement and sandstone
facade
. A small bracketed cornice
tops the windows and main entrance on William Street, which is fronted by a granite balustraded porch. The roofline is marked by a pediment
. "THIRD DISTRICT COVRT OF BRISTOL" is carved into the second story in prominent letters.
It began life as the NBIS's building. When whaling declined in New Bedford, to be replaced by textiles, the bank moved to larger quarters downtown
where it has remained ever since. The courts moved in in 1896, but later needed more space themselves, and moved out. During the mid-20th century it became a store, selling antiques at one time and auto parts at another. It had come back around to being used as a branch by Fleet Bank in 1995 when New Bedford's Waterfront Historic Preservation LEague (WHALE) bought it and turned it over to the NPS.
In 1971 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. It is one of 20 contributing properties
to the New Bedford Historic District
, a National Historic Landmark
, and diagonally opposite the U.S. Customhouse, also a National Historic Landmark.
s offer brochures and guided walking tours of the historical park, which covers much of the waterfront area of New Bedford. The park's gift shop
is also located on the premises. According to a 1999 study conducted for the Park Service, it is the most frequent start of a visitor's journey through the park.
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about 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...
, 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is located at the corner of Second and William streets. It was built in 1853 by Russell Warren
Russell Warren (architect)
Russell Warren was an American architect, best known for his Greek Revival style, and notably the design of the Weybosset Arcade, now known as the Westminster Arcade in Providence, Rhode Island.Warren was born in Tiverton, Rhode Island...
in the Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
architectural style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
, as the home of the New Bedford Institute for Savings, a local bank. After the bank moved, the Bristol County
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...
courts came in. They, too, eventually outgrew it and moved elsewhere in the city. Since the creation of New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park in 1996, it has been used by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
(NPS) as the park's visitor center.
History
The building itself is a small two-story three-by-three-bayBay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
structure of brick with a raised basement and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. A small bracketed cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
tops the windows and main entrance on William Street, which is fronted by a granite balustraded porch. The roofline is marked by a pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
. "THIRD DISTRICT COVRT OF BRISTOL" is carved into the second story in prominent letters.
It began life as the NBIS's building. When whaling declined in New Bedford, to be replaced by textiles, the bank moved to larger quarters 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...
where it has remained ever since. The courts moved in in 1896, but later needed more space themselves, and moved out. During the mid-20th century it became a store, selling antiques at one time and auto parts at another. It had come back around to being used as a branch by Fleet Bank in 1995 when New Bedford's Waterfront Historic Preservation LEague (WHALE) bought it and turned it over to the NPS.
In 1971 it was listed 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...
. It is one of 20 contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
to the New Bedford Historic District
New Bedford Historic District
The 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...
, a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
, and diagonally opposite the U.S. Customhouse, also a National Historic Landmark.
Visitor Center
Inside the building, during its hours of operation, park rangerPark ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
s offer brochures and guided walking tours of the historical park, which covers much of the waterfront area of New Bedford. The park's gift shop
Gift shop
A gift shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collections and other souvenirs....
is also located on the premises. According to a 1999 study conducted for the Park Service, it is the most frequent start of a visitor's journey through the park.