New Bedford was the world capital of the whaling industry during the decades leading up to the Civil War. The whaling merchants of New Bedford operated a complex business network of finance, shipbuilding, barrel making, insurance, ship supply, and rope and sail making. The sponsors and agents of the ships earned huge profits and for a time and New Bedford was considered to be the "richest city in the world."

The crew members of the ships were a very diverse group and by the 1890's whaling crews were almost entirely Cape Verdean, West Indian,Portuguese and Azorean. This cosmopolitan city - the largest whaling port in the world in the mid 1800's - represented the spirit of the country's ingenuity and industriousness.

The Park and the adjacent National Register Districts embody the historical and cultural resources associated with New Bedford's role as the whaling capital of the world during the early to mid-19th century. The Park includes a broad array of business, residential and institutional structures exemplifying the Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate and Victorian styles of architecture; museums, historical exhibits, and records. which convey the importance, diversity, and financial power of the whaling era.

The Park is located in an area of the city of New Bedford which still serves the material (ships chandleries and supply houses) and social needs (restaurants, clubs, and taverns) of those who make their living from the sea as well as the businesses and civic institutions that serve the contemporary needs of the broader community.

Below is a link to the Fiscal Year 2004 End of Year Report for the park. It was presented at a "Partners in the Park" meeting and we are happy to share it with the public. To view the presentation as a PDF click on the first slide (below) of the presentation.

View Presentation