1850 ladies in period attire aboard a historic ship.

Malassada Connection

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

Special Event
  • Jul 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM
  • Free

The deep fried, sugary delight known as the malassada is a treat from the Arctic to the Equator. Hear stories and make crafts from all the places that enjoy the Malassada.

 

Ruth and Abby, the 1850s ladies, is a living history program of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.  It is a program used to educate the public and convey a sense of the everyday life of women in New Bedford during the prosperous whaling era.

 

During the 1850s, the building at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford was the New Bedford Institution for Savings.  Ruth Bly had a safe deposit box in the vault of that bank.  Ruth and her friend and neighbor, Abby Almy, discovered that if they remained in the vault for exactly 22 minutes, they would be transported through time to the present day.  Disconcerting at first, the two ladies have come to enjoy visits to the 21st century.  They happily share stories of their life in New Bedford during the prosperous whaling era.  Seeing history through the eyes of people who lived it brings life to facts and dates and helps people get a real feel for the time period.  The ladies encourage people to interact, ask questions, and have fun learning about the people and events of 19th century New Bedford.

Fees

Free

Location

This living history program will take place at the visitor center on 33 William St, downtown New Bedford, MA

Schedule

Date:

Jul 19, 2025

Time:

1:00 PM

Duration:

3 hours

This living history program by the 1850 ladies will start at the park's visitor center at 1 pm and ends at 4 pm

Contact Information

Denise Delucia
508 996 4095
Contact Us

Event Type

  • Living History
Tags: new bedford whaling national historical park, downtown new bedford