New Bedford Historic District

This 19.6-acre district in downtown New Bedford, Massachusetts, preserves part of the commercial core of a leading whaling port. It covers eleven blocks and part of a twelfth, with about 20 notable buildings, most built between 1810 and 1855. They include the granite Custom House designed by Robert Mills, the Greek Revival Mechanics and Merchants Banks and the Institution for Savings, both by Russell Warren, the Samuel Rodman House and Candlehouse, the Seamen's Bethel, the Mariner's Home, and brick or stone warehouses. New Bedford grew as a whaling port from the 1760s, passed Nantucket by 1840, and peaked in 1857, when it owned half the nation's whaling ships. Whaling then declined as petroleum rose, and the last voyage ended in 1925. Modern intrusions, including a gas station and a large parking facility, and altered storefronts affect the area. A local historic district ordinance adopted in 1971 aims to protect its character and encourage rehabilitation.