National Park Service New Bedford U.S. Department of the Interior National Historical Park “ sea.” from thebottomof and dragged uphither the oceans. Oneandall, P ca gardensand flowery All these brave houses inallNew England. in, the dearest place tolive The townitself isperhaps COURTESY OFRICHARDELLIS©NEW BEDFORDWHALINGMUSEUM Close-up of RichardEllismural ofwhitewhale famous by thatvoyagewastheworld- literature. Thebookinspired tant seavoyagesinAmerican ship ononeofthemostimpor- ville setsailaboardawhaling seaman namedHermanMel- In January1841,a21-year-old ports combined. than fromallof theworld’s ages sailedfrom NewBedford 1850smore whalingvoy- In the for anotherdecadeandahalf. fore andcontinuedgrowing had beenbornmanyyearsbe- ished inMelville’s NewBedford The whalingindustrythatflour- the wealthywhalingfamilies. sparkled withthemansionsof and itswideresidentialstreets industry’s promiseofprosperity, over theglobebywhaling tradespeople drawnfromall front teemedwithsailorsand capital oftheworld.Itswater- Bedford—it wasthewhaling chose toembarkfromNew It isnotsurprisingthatMelville Bedford, Massachusetts. that coldwinterdaywasNew place Melvillesailedfromon hln aia fteWrdParkPartners Whaling CapitaloftheWorld cfc andIndian acific, me from theAtlantic, y were harpooned Moby-Dick —Herman Melville, , andthe Moby-Dick heart andsoul. on thewaterfront,city’s preservation efforts focused neighborhoods. Innovative save thecity’s historyand citizens workedtogetherto renewal projects,determined down tomakewayforurban buildings werebeingtorn 1 not comeeasily. Inthelate Preserving thecity’s legacydid portunity. both portofentryandop- for whomNewBedfordwas workers, andthemanypeople whaling merchants,maritime the storiesofearlysettlers, buildings, andharborpreserve scalloping fleets.Thestreets, America’s leadingfishingand front, homeporttooneof and visittheworkingwater- tures, gardens,andmuseums the world.Tour historicstruc- ford wasthewhalingcapitalof from thedayswhenNewBed- ings, banks,andstorehouses lined streetsbystatelybuild- admired. Walk itscobblestone- ments thatHermanMelville districts stillretainembellish- 100,000,butitshistoric nearly T oday, NewBedfordisacityof 6sadery1970s, when 960s andearly New Bedford WhalingMuseum their properties.Theroleofthe continue toownandoperate that individualsandgroups is unlikemostnationalparksin Wa park consistsofthe13-block ing andmaritimehistory. The and interpretAmerica’s whal- torical Parktohelppreserve Bedford WhalingNationalHis- when CongresscreatedNew 1996 joined thispartnershipin The NationalParkService terfront HistoricDistrictbut

NPS/©SUSAN COLE KELLY um, schooner New BedfordWhalingMuse- ing theCityofNewBedford, range oflocalpartners,includ- collaboratively withawide National ParkServiceistowork in partnershipwiththeInupiat tional ParkServicealsoworks Area League(WHALE).TheNa- Society, andWaterfront Historic ciety, NewBedfordHistorical Museum, NewBedfordPortSo- Jones-Duff HouseandGarden COLLECTION, NEWBEDFORDWHALINGMUSEUM SCHOONER oc-oe-ufHueSae’ ehlWhaleboatbeing‘stove’byawhale Seamen’s Bethel Rotch-Jones-Duff House ERNESTINA Ernestina , Rotch-

ROTCH-JONES-DUFF HOUSE fluences. is ablendofmanyculturalin- story ofNewBedfordwhaling America toHudson’s Bay, the Seas totheArctic,fromSouth United States.FromtheSouth to thehistoryofwhalingin contributions ofAlaskaNatives Alaska, tohelprecognizethe Heritage CenterinBarrow, under sail. Schooner Eunice H.Adams Sternboard fromthebrig Ernestina , 1845.

JOHN ROBSON Cultural Effects competition forwhale whales dwindledand the numberofAtlantic as ern coastline.Then, whales alongtheeast- sailing shipstochase industry usedsmall century thewhaling 18th Beginning inthe Wo Pursuing Whales and buggywhips. corset stays,skirthoops, was usedinmaking Commercially, of ivoryandbaleen. and otherobjectsout shakers, piecrimpers, tles, saltandpepper sils, mortarsandpes- also madeeatinguten- home. Thewhalemen tures orscenesof picted whalingadven- scrimshaw, oftende- folk art,knownas bone, andbaleen.This whale teeth,whale- decorations onsperm carving andscratching their leisurehours years, whalemenspent last aslongfour On voyagesthatmight Scrimshaw rldwide ofthetime. boats andhand-held for the30-footwhale- whales weretoomuch Both finbackandblue California graywhales. head, humpback,and sperm, right,bow- most ofthegrounds 1850s andfound the the Western Arcticby from theSouthSeasto had pliedeveryocean gathered. Americans wide, whereverwhales years atatimeworld- riggers traveledfor oil increased,square MUSEUM NEW BEDFORDWHALING jagging wheel. Scrimshaw basketand Frederick Douglass Douglass, who lived who Douglass, fugitives wa Canada. Amongthese South upNorthandto moving slavesfromthe Underground Railroad major however. Itwasalsoa whaling, not limitedto American historywas role in19th-century today. NewBedford’s ish inNewBedford communities stillflour- Cape Verdeans, whose cans, Azoreans,and bers ofAfrican-Ameri- employed largenum- The whalingindustry Port ofEntry and author. ing anti-slaveryorator was tobecomealead- for threeyearsand and workedinthecity station onthe s Frederick

COLLECTION, NEW BEDFORD WHALING MUSEUM FREDERICK DOUGLASS NHS Lighting theWorld COLLECTION, NEWBEDFORDWHALING MUSEUM oil,usedtomake prized fortheirhigher-grade ing out.”Spermwhaleswere process whalemencalled“try- temperatures aboardship—a rendered intooilathigh lamps. Whaleblubberwas primarily forblubbertofuel Americans pursuedwhales Starting intheColonialera, placed itinthe1860s. tives likekeroseneandgasre- 1 much oftheworldfrom from NewBedfordshipslit lubricating oils.Whale-oil processed intofineindustrial candles. Whale-oilwasalso the finestsmokeless,odorless 830s untilpetroleumalterna- Visiting the Park Park Guide Park Map

One of the pleasures of visiting New Seamen were known Clocks and chronometers were made Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden M To Fairhaven a Mill St c to set their instruments in the Sundial Building, but this 1820 Museum, a Greek Revival mansion at A Bedford is to walk its streets and look r t by this sundial. h brick-and-stone structure is named 396 County Street, was built in 1834 u at its buildings. Most sites described r JOHN ROBSON Kempton St D here are within the national historical for the vertical sundial on its Union for whaling merchant William Rotch, r M Street exterior. Seamen were known Jr. Furnished period rooms and col- ill 6

park. Some are open to the public K St to set their instruments by the dial’s lections chronicle the city’s history em pt year-round; others are open seasonal- time, known as “New Bedford time.” through the three families who lived on Pleasant St ELM STREET St ly. Most are managed by nonprofit or- Check its accuracy. The building was here over a span of 150 years. Set on Middle St PARKING 18 ganizations that charge an admission restored after a devastating gas ex- a city block of urban gardens, the Post GARAGE Office fee. Stop first at the park visitor center plosion and fire in 1977. Now owned property includes a historic wooden Elm St 54th Mass Park to get oriented. Then, using the map by the New Bedford Whaling Muse- pergola, formal boxwood rose par- Bus Regiment Visitor Rodman Station Memorial Center Candleworks at the far right as your guide, tour the um, the building houses its adminis- terre garden, and wildflower walk. Mechanics Lane Waterfront Visitor Center NPS/©SUSAN COLE KELLY Plaza U.S. Park Visitor Center trative offices. Fee. New Bedford Whaleman Custom St N Water (Wharfinger Building) park sites, including the waterfront. City Hall Statue House Rodman St PIER 3 FISHERMAN’S WHARF

County St Double Bank William St New Bedford Building Park Visitor Center, at 33 William New Bedford Art Museum Hamilton St Ferry Alert (to Cuttyhunk) Free Public Library For more information contact: Street, offers information about sites, Mariners’ Home Schooner Ernestina Lewis Centre St

facilities, and community activities. Temple Seamen’s Bethel Johnny Cake Hill/Bethel St. New Bedford Whaling To Buttonwood Tonnessen Kendall Front St Park and Zoo Statue New Bedford Rose Alley Park National Historical Park NPS/©SUSAN COLE KELLY This Greek Revival structure built in Institute N Sixth St

Eighth St Whaling Museum Sundial Building Centre Street A 1853 served as a bank, courthouse, Union St Union St 33 William Street STATE PIER C

auto parts store, antique mart, and U By car New Bedford is t r New Bedford, MA 02740 Spring Street S 95 S D

a bank again before it became the r Quaker Meetinghouse H approximately one hour r e 508-996-4095 u 495 t N 91 Spring St h a national historical park visitor center. t Coast Guard Mass. Boston south of Boston and 45 r www.nps.gov/nebe Nathan and Polly W E Zeiterion A Park Park rangers and volunteers are on S T Johnson Properties Theatre c Worcester minutes east of Provi- a Cape Cod

90 3 JOHN ROBSON

NPS/©SUSAN COLE KELLY National Historical 95 hand to answer your questions. M 24 Landmark dence. From I-195 take Seamen’s Bethel Seamen’s Bethel (left) and Mariners’ Home School St

495 Arnold St exit 15 and travel one Providence R Seamen’s Bethel, across from the t

S 25 6 Bourne I V RI 195 mile south on Route 18 r Hartford Whaling Museum, has served mari- e Counting House

t E

Conn. New Bedford a

to the first set of lights. ners since 1832 as a house of wor- Clinton St R W Pleasant St Seventh St S Sixth St Acushnet Ave Purchase St

140 N Second St 91 Follow the brown and ship. Before he shipped out on the Walnut St S New London Martha’s Nantucket

95 Vineyard Island white signs to the visi- Acushnet in 1841, Herman r

ATLANTIC OCEAN tor center and parking. Melville attended services there. Ten D

County St r

0 50 Km years later, in Moby-Dick, he wrote Madison St u Madison St h

t North Long Island Rotch-Jones- 18 r New York 0 50 Mi about the chapel’s marble memorials A 0 100 Meters

Duff House and c New Bedford, Massachusetts to seamen lost at sea. A pulpit in the Garden Museum a M 0 500 Feet Cherry St To New Bedford shape of a ship’s bow based on Mel- Fire Museum JOHN ROBSON NPS/©SUSAN COLE KELLY Arctic For information on the ville’s imaginary description was in- ROTCH-JONES-DUFF HOUSE Barrow Ocean U.S. Custom House Rodman Candleworks Rotch-Jones-Duff House Interior RUSSIA park’s affiliated site in stalled in 1959. Barrow, Alaska, contact: New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Mariners’ Home, 15 Johnny Cake Hill, As its name implies, the Double Bank The schooner Ernestina has had a Historical park Park site ALASKA CANADA boundary B (U.S.) Inupiat Heritage Center The oldest continuously operating Johnny Cake Hill, holds the world’s was built in 1787 as the mansion of Building once housed two banks on multifaceted career since it was e r i Traffic Light Other n P.O. Box 749 U.S. Custom House still stands at the largest and most outstanding Ameri- William Rotch, Jr. It has offered lodg- Water Street, the “Wall Street of launched as the Effie Morrissey in g site S e corner of William and North Second can whaling and maritime history ing to visiting mariners for more than New Bedford.” Now the building Essex, Mass., in 1894. Originally a a Barrow, AK 99723 Gulf of Parking area Alaska 907-852-4594 streets. Here seafarers from around collections. Highlights include the 100 years. It was donated to the New serves as the headquarters of the Grand Banks fishing vessel, it has Barrow, Alaska the world register their papers, cap- Lagoda, an 89-foot, half-scale replica Bedford Port Society in 1851. Not Waterfront Historic Area League served as an Arctic explorer, World www.nps.gov/inup tains pay duties and tariffs, and other of a square-rigged whaling bark, and open to the public. (WHALE). War II supply ship, and trans-Atlantic transactions take place. This 1836 rare whale skeletons. The museum packet carrying Cape Verdean immi- building features a granite façade has extensive collections of whaling Rodman Candleworks, Water Street, From the Bourne Counting House, grants to the United States. Now it NPS/©SUSAN COLE KELLY and four Doric columns. It was de- NPS/©SUSAN COLE KELLY implements, scrimshaw, photographs, produced some of the first sperma- Jonathan Bourne, Jr. could look out sails with an educational mission. The signed by Robert Mills, architect of Wharfinger Building Double Bank Building logbooks, and paintings of the re- ceti candles, known for being drip- at his whaleships in the harbor and schooner was given to the people of the Washington Monument. gion and whaling industry by major less, smokeless, and long-lasting. The keep records of his outfitting costs, the United States by the people of

American artists like Albert Bierstadt structure was built in 1810 of granite the number of whale-oil barrels the the Republic of Cape Verde in 1982. ERNESTINA Bricks from a demolished textile mill and William Bradford. Also on dis- rubble covered with stucco and then ships brought back, wages paid, and When in port this national historic were used to build the Wharfinger play are decorative art objects and scored to look like blocks of granite. other transactions. This building later landmark and official vessel of the Com-

Building as a Works Progress Admin- art glass made in New Bedford. Fee. The candleworks closed in 1890. The housed the Durant Sail Loft, which monwealth of Massachusetts can be SCHOONER istration project in 1934. For many building was used for various purpos- made its last set of sails for New Bed- viewed from State Pier near the Ernestina years scallop and fish auctions were es before being rehabilitated. Com- ford whaler Charles W. Morgan, now Wharfinger Building visitor center. held here each morning. Now the mercial establishment. docked at Mystic Seaport Museum. ✫GPO:2002 491-282/40364 Reprint 2002 Printed on recycled paper building serves as the city’s water- Commercial establishment. front visitor center. JOHN ROBSON JOHN ROBSON New Bedford Whaling Museum Bourne Counting House New Bedford New Bedford Whaling COLLECTION, NEW BEDFORD WHALING MUSEUM