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81-578: The Taunton Branch Railroad opened for business in 1836. The overall length of the railroad was about 11.5 miles. Thomas B. Wales served as the company's first president. In 1840 the Taunton Branch Railroad was extended to New Bedford, Massachusetts by the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad , providing Taunton with a direct link to the whaling port city. The railroad opened up new markets for Taunton's notable ironmaking industry, and would lead to

162-541: A 2001 study by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Policy Analysis, the three largest employment sectors in the Greater New Bedford area (the area includes New Bedford and Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and Wareham) were as follows: services (26% of total employment); wholesale trade (22%); manufacturing (19%). The largest industries by employment in

243-507: A commercial zone and from there became a major whaling and foreign trade port. In the early 18th century, the Russell family purchased this area and developed it into a larger village (Joseph Russell III having made the most significant contributions). Age of Sail ships built in New Bedford include the schooner Caroline and whaleship Charles W. Morgan . By the 18th century, entrepreneurs in

324-570: A community of Kʼicheʼ people who originated from Guatemala and had traveled to the United States to avoid the Guatemalan Civil War . Starting in the end part of the 1980s, Kʼicheʼ adult men in Providence, Rhode Island moved to New Bedford, and other demographics of Kʼicheʼ came afterwards. Many, by 2010, were in low socioeconomic conditions and did not have documentation to be legally in

405-589: A huge turnover in crew members and African-Americans added to the labor pool. By 1848, one in six crew members on whaling ships were black, according to Michael Dyer of the New Bedford Whaling Museum . Crew members shared cramped quarters in the bunk room on the ship, sleeping on bunks or in hammocks. Initially, black people generally lived in houses of their white employers. By 1830, only 12% of African-Americans lived in their employer's homes. The remaining 88% were able to live more independently. By 1850,

486-507: A manner as could be, to discover the whereabouts of the fugitives." Yet, they were ultimately unsuccessful. Some shipowning-merchants, like Rodney French , who traded along the east coast were boycotted for their role in saving slaves. Whale oil, a product of the whaling industry, from New Bedford were also boycotted. As a misinformation strategy, newspaper articles in the South claimed that people from New Bedford were crazy and treacherous. Given

567-464: A prosperity greater than that of the whaling industry. New Bedford, funded by industrial fortunes, developed a thriving art scene. The Mount Washington Glass Company (which later became Pairpoint ) crafted works of glass and silver for the newly affluent class, and examples of these works can be seen today on the second floor of the New Bedford Whaling Museum . In the 1920s, local employers came under competitive pressure from new textile factories in

648-505: A radical abolitionist, spoke at a Bristol County Anti-Slavery Society meeting on August 9, 1841. Frederick Douglass also spoke that day about his experiences as a slave, which led to his being a lecturer for the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society . Women of New Bedford set specific fundraising goals for their anti-slavery efforts, one of which was to purchase women who were going to be sold into sexual slavery. After

729-530: A reputation for being able to take in and safely hide slaves, many who came from Norfolk, Virginia , from slaveholders. Their success continued even after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 . One slave owner, Major Hodsdon, said that he and his fellow slaveholders had done all that they could think of to procure the "negro thieves" from the "fugitive protectors", including having "disguised themselves, went in different directions and used every endeavor in as silent

810-402: A safe house for fugitive slaves. New Bedford, a port town, received ships from all over the world, bringing crew members of different cultures and languages. As a result, it was very easy for someone who escaped slavery and stowed away on ships to get "lost in the crowd." They arrived in New Bedford having traveled along the eastern seaboard on ships headed for New Bedford. New Bedford gained

891-819: A setting in Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby-Dick . From 1876 to 1900, New Bedford served as the initial home port for the Revenue Cutter School of Instruction, the precursor of the United States Coast Guard Academy . At the 2020 U.S. census , New Bedford had a population of 101,079, making it the state's ninth-largest city and the largest of the South Coast region. The city is also known for its high concentration of Portuguese Americans . New Bedford remains known for its fishing fleet and accompanying seafood industry, which as of 2019 generated

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972-618: A sizable eastern-European Jewish community joined them in New Bedford. Some became prominent merchants and businessmen, mainly in textiles and manufacturing. Fishing and manufacturing continue to be two of the largest businesses in the area, and healthcare has become a major employer. The three largest single employers based in New Bedford are Southcoast Hospitals Group , one of the top ten employers in Massachusetts (healthcare), Titleist (golf clubs, balls, apparel, manufacturing), and Riverside Manufacturing (apparel manufacturing). According to

1053-625: A skilled and comprehensive maritime community. New Bedford's first newspaper, The Medley (also known as the New Bedford Marine Journal ), was founded in 1792. On June 12, 1792, the town set up its first post office. William Tobey was its first postmaster. The construction of a bridge (originally a toll bridge) between New Bedford and present-day Fairhaven in 1796 also spurred growth. (Fairhaven separated from New Bedford in 1812, forming an independent town that included both present-day Fairhaven and present-day Acushnet.) Nantucket had been

1134-465: A steady job working among white men at a whale oil refinery. He became a moving orator, informing his audience about the horrors of slavery. Business owners Nathan and Polly Johnson were African Americans who regularly sheltered people seeking freedom from slavery at their home . Douglass and his family stayed with the Johnsons from 1838 to 1839, it was their first residence after escaping slavery. At

1215-552: A third garrison on Palmer Island . A section of Old Dartmouth near the west bank of the Acushnet River, originally called Bedford Village, was officially incorporated as the town of New Bedford on February 23, 1787, after the American Revolutionary War . The name was suggested by the Russell family, who were prominent citizens of the community. The Dukes of Bedford , a leading English aristocratic house, also bore

1296-503: A violent crime rate in New Bedford, Massachusetts, of 640 per 100,000 residents in 2019, compared to a national average of 366.7 per 100,000 residents. An FBI report in 2020 showed burglary and breaking and entering dropped about 52% from 969 crimes in 2011 to 465 crimes in 2019. The economy of the Pilgrim settlement in the New Bedford area was initially based around a few farming and fishing villages. The early Bedford Village quickly became

1377-410: A welcoming community, there were some people who exhibited racial prejudice. For instance, there were white men who were caulking and coppering a whaling ship who said that all white men would leave the ship if a qualified black man, Frederick Douglass , hired by the owner Rodney French , boarded the ship. This uncivil, inhuman and selfish treatment was not so shocking and scandalous in my eyes at

1458-469: Is a coastal city, a seaport, bordered on the west by Dartmouth, on the north by Freetown , on the east by Acushnet and Fairhaven, and on the south by Buzzards Bay . From New Bedford's northern border with Freetown to the Buzzards Bay coast at Clark's Point the distance is approximately 14 miles (23 km). Across New Bedford east to west is a distance of about 2 miles (3.2 km). The highest point in

1539-514: Is believed to have been about 12,000. On May 15, 1602, English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold in the ship Concord landed on Cuttyhunk Island while exploring New England . From there, he explored Cape Cod and the neighboring areas, including the site of present-day New Bedford. Gosnold left and settled in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia . In 1652, English colonists purchased Old Dartmouth —a region of 115,000 acres (470 km ) that

1620-546: Is high precipitation year-round, with winter being split between rainfall and snowfall. New Bedford and surrounding communities are a part of the Providence metropolitan area . The Greater Providence-Fall River-New Bedford area is home to the largest Portuguese-American community in the United States. At the 2020 census , there were 101,079 people. The population density was 4,760 inhabitants per square mile (1,840/km ). There were 42,781 housing units at an average density of 2,063 per square mile (797/km ). The racial makeup of

1701-478: Is located at 41°39′06″N 70°56′01″W  /  41.651803°N 70.933705°W  / 41.651803; -70.933705 (41.651803, −70.933705). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 24.1 square miles (62.5 km ). Of the total area, 20.0 square miles (51.8 km ) is land, and 4.1 square miles (10.7 km ), or 17.13%, is water. New Bedford

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1782-762: Is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. It is the largest city in the region and second largest city in the Providence-Warwick-New Bedford Metropolitan Region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Indians. English colonists bought the land on which New Bedford would later be built from the Wampanoag in 1652, and the original colonial settlement that would later become

1863-464: Is now Dartmouth , Acushnet , New Bedford, Fairhaven , and Westport —in a treaty between the Wampanoag, represented by Chief Ousamequin ( Massasoit ) and his son Wamsutta , and John Winslow , William Bradford , Myles Standish , Thomas Southworth, and John Cooke. While the Europeans considered themselves full owners of the land through the transaction, the Wampanoag have disputed this claim because

1944-605: Is that the inhabitants enjoyed their independence from the Plymouth Colony and they did not want the Plymouth court to appoint them a minister. At this time, the economy primarily ran on agriculture and fishing. The availability of land attracted many Quakers and Baptists from Newport and Portsmouth in Rhode Island , as well as more waves of Puritan migration. The rising European population and increasing demand for land led

2025-486: The Acushnet River . In 1875 alone, the Wamsutta Mills processed 19,000 bales of cotton into 20 million yards of cloth, which had a wholesale value comparable to that of the entire whaling catch, and continued to produce over 20 million yards of cloth yearly after 1883. The Wamsutta Mills remained the world's largest weaving plant until 1892. The textile mills redefined wealth in New Bedford, and gave birth to

2106-562: The Dartmouth of the Boston Tea Party ) and Samuel Rodman were important Quaker businessmen in the whaling industry. After the War of 1812 's embargo was lifted, New Bedford started amassing a number of colossal, sturdy, square-rigged whaling ships, many of them built at the shipyard of Mattapoisett . The invention of on-board tryworks , a system of massive iron pots over a brick furnace, allowed

2187-487: The Northeastern United States . Abolitionists brought in lecturers, including former slaves, to speak about the horrors of slavery. Frederick Douglass , a former slave and resident of the town, became an eloquent and moving orator on the lecture circuit. Slave narratives , produced by former slaves who lived in New Bedford, also provided insight about the experiences of slaves. At times, abolitionists paid for

2268-668: The Old Colony Railroad at South Braintree . In 1856, the Middleboro and Taunton Railroad was opened between Weir Village and the Cape Cod Railroad at Middleborough. In 1870, an extension of the original Taunton Branch Railroad was opened between Mansfield and Framingham, Massachusetts , known as the Mansfield and Framingham Railroad , and leased by the adjoining Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad (BC&F). In 1871,

2349-553: The Stone Fleet in an unsuccessful attempt to blockade the Confederate bay. Along with the poor business and low whale populations, this dealt a potent blow to a failing industry. In the midst of this decline, greater New Bedford's economy became more dependent on the textile industry , which began to eclipse the whaling industry in the late 19th century. The mills grew and expanded constantly, eventually comprising multiple sites along

2430-559: The Underground Railroad . Many people were attracted by New Bedford's relatively open-minded atmosphere. For example, Paul Cuffe —an Ashanti - Wampanoag Quaker and self-made tycoon —among several other remarkable achievements earned black property owners in New Bedford the right to vote decades before Abraham Lincoln even signed the Emancipation Proclamation . Lewis Temple , an African-American blacksmith , invented

2511-504: The 1847 National Convention of Colored People, Nathan was elected president. He was a delegate to the annual convention of free people of color from 1832 to 1835. Within New Bedford, there are ways to learn more about the anti-slavery history. Underground Railroad tours are conducted regularly. The Black History Trail has 24 stops, including the Paul Cuffe Park, Sgt. William Carney Memorial Homestead , and Lewis Temple Statue. Annually,

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2592-638: The Atlantic— Cape Verde , the Azores , and Madeira —began arriving in New Bedford and the surrounding area, attracted by jobs in the whaling industry; many had family members who had worked on whaling ships. As the Portuguese community began to increase in population, it established the first Portuguese parish in the city, St. John the Baptist (1871). French Canadians also secured a foothold in New Bedford at about

2673-826: The Civil War, the Confederacy engaged in commerce raiding with ships such as the Alabama , the Florida , and the Shenandoah , trying to attack the Yankee whaling industry and sabotage the US economy. Additionally, the US federal government bought several inactive whalers , filled them with stones, sand, and dirt, and towed them to Charleston , South Carolina, where the Union Navy sank what became known as

2754-625: The Civil War, women raised money to purchase books for schools in the South. By December 1838, African-Americans R C and E R Johnson established a free-produce store in which sugar, molasses, coffee, rice and other produce was sold that was not produced through the use of enslaved people. African-Americans who fled their masters were pursued with the goal of returning them to slavery. New Bedford business people would not let that happen, partly because it would have affected their labor pool. Some wealthy employers helped their black employees purchase homes by loaning them money. New Bedford became one of

2835-738: The Massachusetts Bay Colony annexed the Plymouth Colony in 1691, Quakers already represented a majority of the population of Old Dartmouth. In 1699, with the support of Peleg Slocum , the Quakers built their first meeting house in Old Dartmouth, where the Apponegansett Meeting House is now located. At first, the Old Dartmouth territory was devoid of major town centers, and instead had isolated farms and small, decentralized villages, such as Russells' Mills . One reason for this

2916-683: The New Bedford Anti-Slavery Society was established as an integrated organization. Its first president, Rev. John Choules of the First Baptist Church , was a white English immigrant. There was also the Bristol County Anti-Slavery Society. Separate groups were formed for young men and for women. The Quaker meetinghouse was the site of the anti-slavery address by Benjamin Lund in 1828 and is believed to have been

2997-457: The North relied on cotton from the South. All that said, New Bedford was "a unique place, a cosmopolitan place, with much to offer." And, after passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 , opposition to the law was said to be the "ruling sentiment of the town." Anti-slavery organizations established in New Bedford generally started out as integrated organizations, but later became segregated. In 1834

3078-528: The Revolution) and set businesses on fire. Nantucket was even more exposed, and the physical destruction, frozen economy, and import taxes imposed after the war obliterated previous fortunes. New Bedford also had a deeper harbor and was located on the mainland. As a result, New Bedford supplanted Nantucket as the nation's preeminent whaling port, and so began the Golden Age of Whaling. William Rotch (owner of

3159-676: The Taunton Railroad built a new connection to Attleboro , providing a shortcut to Providence. On February 2, 1874, the Taunton Branch Railroad was merged into the New Bedford Railroad . The following year, the BC&;F began leasing the New Beford's line. The two companies merged in 1876 to become the Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad . In 1879 the Old Colony Railroad leased

3240-503: The Temple toggle iron, which was the most successful harpoon design. Frederick Douglass , the famous social reformer and orator, also found amnesty in New Bedford and worked at the wharf for three years. The whaling industry went into decline after the 1859 discovery of petroleum in Pennsylvania. Each decade thenceforth saw a gradual decrease in whaling work, activity, and revenue. During

3321-624: The United States. In 2019 an advocacy group for the Maya people complained to the courts that the New Bedford School District was not providing adequate Kʼicheʼ language services. The U.S. Department of Justice and the school district came to resolution so the school district could provide appropriate Kʼicheʼ language services. The city's crime rate, including violent and property crime decreased by 38% from 2011 to 2020 with 4456 incidents in 2011 and 2171 incidents in 2020. The FBI reported

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3402-530: The age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 20.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01. Age distribution was 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

3483-806: The antislavery group New Bedford Union Society in 1833, and an integrated group of abolitionists forming the New Bedford Anti-Slavery Society a year later. During the era New Bedford, Massachusetts , gained a reputation as a safe haven for fugitive slaves seeking freedom. Located on the East Coast of the United States , the town was becoming the " whaling capital of the world", where ships frequently returned to port, operated by crews of diverse backgrounds, languages, and ethnicity. This made it easy for fugitive slaves to "mix in" with crew members. The whaling and shipping industries were also uniquely open to people of color. Although only about 15% of

3564-422: The area were as follows: health services, eating and drinking places, wholesale trade, food stores, and social services. In 2002, the city received $ 61,194,358 in taxation revenue, $ 44,536,201 in local receipts, and $ 12,044,152 classified as other available . In 2005 the unemployment rate was 7.3%, having dropped throughout the 1990s from 12.5% to 5.3% in 2000, and then having risen to 10.4% in 2003. By 2009, in

3645-488: The area, such as whaling merchants from Nantucket, were attracted to the village and helped make it into one of the top whaling cities in the country. The most significant of these merchants was Joseph Rotch , who bought ten acres (four hectares) of land in 1765 from Joseph Russell III on which he and his sons ran the family business. Rotch moved his business to New Bedford since it would be better for refining whale oil and manufacturing candles made from whales. As these parts of

3726-401: The city is an unnamed hill crossed by Interstate 195 and Hathaway Road west of downtown, with an elevation greater than 180 feet (55 m) above sea level. The Port of New Bedford , also known as New Bedford Harbor, a body of water shared with Fairhaven, is actually the estuary of the Acushnet River where it empties into Buzzards Bay. The river empties into the bay beyond Clark's Point,

3807-494: The city limits. There are several parks and playgrounds, some with splash pads, scattered throughout the city, with the first four being primary parks: New Bedford has a cooler than normal version of a humid subtropical climate that in many aspects resembles a humid continental one, but with slightly milder winters. In spite of being influenced by continental winds with large differences between seasons, temperatures are somewhat moderated compared to areas farther inland. There

3888-542: The city was 72.17% (66.1% Non-Hispanic) White , 9.69% African American , 0.1% Native American , 1.00% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 13.51% from other races , and 3.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 16.11% of the population. The city is very multi-cultural and diverse. The ethnic makeup of the city is estimated to be 33.8% Portuguese , 10.1% Puerto Rican , 9.1% French , 8.8% Cape Verdean , 6.9% Irish , 5.3% English . There were 39,208 households, of which 31.2% had children under

3969-635: The city was founded by English Quakers in the late 17th century. The town of New Bedford itself was officially incorporated in 1787. During the first half of the 19th century, New Bedford was one of the world's most important whaling ports. At its economic height during this period, New Bedford was the wealthiest city in North America per capita. New Bedford was also a center of abolitionism at this time. The city attracted many freed or escaped African-American slaves, including Frederick Douglass , who lived there from 1838 until 1841. The city also served as

4050-716: The colonists' relationship with the indigenous inhabitants of New England to deteriorate. European encroachment and disregard for the terms of the Old Dartmouth Purchase led to King Philip's War in 1675. In this conflict, Wampanoag tribesmen, allied with the Narragansett and the Nipmuc , raided Old Dartmouth and other European settlements in the area. Europeans in Old Dartmouth garrisoned in sturdier homes—John Russell's home at Russells Mills , John Cooke's home in Fairhaven , and

4131-475: The combined company, merging it into itself in 1883. The southern portion of the original Taunton Branch Railroad northeast of downtown Taunton is part of the CSX Transportation freight network, along with the original extensions to New Bedford and Fall River. The CSX lines connect to an extension with Attleboro that was built in 1871 as a shortcut between Taunton and Providence, Rhode Island . Much of

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4212-520: The concept of land ownership —in contrast with hunting, fishing, and farming rights—was a foreign concept to them. Members of the Religious Society of Friends , also known as Quakers , were among the early European settlers on the South Coast . They had faced persecution in the Puritan communities of Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony ; the latter banned the Quakers in 1656–1657. When

4293-577: The dominant whaling port, though the industry was controlled by a cartel of merchants in Boston, Newport, and Providence. In the 1760s, Nantucket's most prominent whaling families moved to New Bedford, refining their own oil and making their own premium candles. The American Revolutionary War completely paralyzed the whaling industry. British forces blockaded American ports and captured or destroyed American commercial ships; they even marched down King's Street in New Bedford (defiantly renamed Union Street after

4374-542: The freedom of former slaves who were about to be returned to slavery and women that were going to be forced into sexual slavery. They had a store for goods that were not produced by slaves, as part of the free-produce movement . The town was full of contradictions. The cotton mills relied on cotton from the Southern United States , that was picked by slaves. There were people in the town who were unaccommodating to former slaves, due to racial prejudice. New Bedford

4455-501: The highest annual value of any fishing port in the United States. The city is also home to the New Bedford Whaling Museum and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park . Before the 17th century, the lands along the Acushnet River were inhabited by the Wampanoag Native Americans, who had settlements throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket . Their population

4536-519: The long-term competitive decline of the local textile industry. Until 1800, New Bedford and its surrounding communities were, by and large, populated by Protestants of English, Scottish, Welsh, and Dutch origin. During the first half of the 19th century many Irish people came to Massachusetts. In 1818, Irish immigrants established the Catholic mission that built St. Mary's Church. Later in that century, immigrants from Portugal and its colonial possessions in

4617-636: The low-wage South. In April 1928 their demand for a 10 percent across the board cut in wages was met with strike action . After considerable controversy control of the large-scale work stoppage passed from the Communist-led Textile Mill Committee (TMC) to sundry craft unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor who, agreeing to a five percent wage cut, ended the strike in October. Wage reductions were not enough to arrest

4698-542: The lucrative whaling industry that supplied markets around the world with sperm whale oil. It was a superior form of oil for lanterns and New Bedford became known as "the city that lit the world". Abolitionists, though, were probably no more than 15% of the community's population, and they realized that they could be subject to violence or being killed because of their anti-slavery efforts. There were varying and opposing beliefs among abolitionists about intermarriage, equal opportunity, and full integration. While it could be

4779-658: The mid-1800s, the only known black person to be admitted to a Quaker church in southeastern Massachusetts was Paul Cuffe . Frederick Douglass felt uncomfortable in white churches and joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church . While African-Americans had an opportunity to advance in New Bedford, it was difficult for many because they generally lived in the "sketchy" part of town, removed from downtown New Bedford, and had low-paying jobs—laundering clothing, driving carriages, or performing jobs of handymen. Some, though, who were successful business owners lived in

4860-547: The midst of the economic crisis of the era, the unemployment rate got as high as 12.4%. In 2005, the city received $ 104,925,772 for education, and $ 22,755,439 for general government from the State of Massachusetts . In 2016, the city hopes its proximity to Massachusetts' southern coastline will allow it to become a center for the growing wind energy market. Three companies, OffshoreMW, Deepwater Wind , and DONG Energy , have leased portions of New Bedford's Marine Commerce Terminal for

4941-414: The nicer parts of town. Frederick Douglass arrived in New Bedford in 1838 as a fugitive slave, who found that his ability to earn money was limited based upon the color of his skin. Initially, although qualified to do jobs requiring special skills, he was only able to obtain work of common laborers—digging, cleaning, chopping wood, and loading and unloading ships—at half the rate of pay. He then obtained

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5022-439: The opportunity to flee to Canada, Thomas Bayne (aka Sam Nixon) , wished to stay in New Bedford, called by former slaves the "Fugitive's Gibraltar". From my earliest recollection, I date the entertainment of a deep conviction that slavery would not always be able to hold me within its foul embrace. Well-known abolitionist speakers were paid by people in New Bedford to come speak to the town's residents. William Lloyd Garrison ,

5103-410: The optimal environments for fugitive slaves between 1790 and the American Civil War . Henry Box Brown and Frederick Douglass were among about 700 former slaves who found sanctuary in New Bedford. Accounts of their experiences, slave narratives , were published and circulated by abolitionists. New Bedford was a small town of 3,000 until the growth of the whaling industry there, and became known as

5184-449: The original northern portion of the Taunton Branch Railroad has been abandoned, with the northernmost section between Mansfield Center and the Mansfield Municipal Airport having been converted to a bike path . In 2019 the state awarded $ 265,000 for construction of an extension of the trail. New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford ( Massachusett : Accushnet ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts , United States. It

5265-420: The rapid development of new businesses in the coming decades. In 1845 another branch, known as the Fall River Branch Railroad , was built between Myricks and the emerging textile town of Fall River . However, in 1846, Fall River trains bypassed Taunton and the Boston & Providence main line with the opening of their own connection, renamed the Fall River Railroad through Middleborough and Bridgewater to

5346-406: The same time, and they built the Church of the Sacred Heart in 1877. Similarly, Polish immigrants began arriving in the late 19th century and established the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1903. A number of Jewish families, arriving in the late 19th century, were active in the whaling industry, selling provisions and outfitting ships. During the years leading up to the First World War ,

5427-487: The southernmost point of the city. To the west of Clark's Point is Clark's Cove, which extends landward approximately one and one-half miles from the bay. Just south of Palmer's Island, beginning near Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven, lies a two-mile-long hurricane barrier, constructed in the 1960s to protect the inner harbor where the fishing fleet anchors. Along with Palmer's Island, the city also lays claim to Fish Island and Pope's Island . Between these two islands lies one of

5508-529: The staging of turbines and platforms. In 1847, the New Bedford Horticultural Society was begun by James Arnold. The Ash Street Jail , which houses inmates from Bristol County, is located in New Bedford. It opened in 1829 and is the oldest continuously operating jail in the United States. Fort Taber and Fort Rodman (also called the "Fort at Clark's Point") were built during the American Civil War and are now in Fort Taber Park. Both forts are often called Fort Taber, including in some references. New Bedford

5589-404: The surname Russell. ( Bedford, Massachusetts , had been incorporated in 1729; hence "New" Bedford.) The late 18th century was a time of growth for the town. A small whale fishery developed, as well as modest international trade. In the 1760s, between the Seven Years' War and the American Revolution , shipwrights, carpenters, mechanics, and blacksmiths, settled around New Bedford harbor, creating

5670-416: The three sections, the central section, of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge. The central span, a swing bridge, connects the two islands as well as allowing boats and ships passage to the upper harbor. Two conventional bridges connect each of the islands to the nearest mainland, Fish Island to New Bedford and Pope's Island to Fairhaven. In addition to the harbor, there are several small brooks and ponds within

5751-413: The time as it now appears to me. Slavery had inured me to hardships that made ordinary trouble sit lightly upon me. Could I have worked at my trade I could have earned two dollars a day, but as a common laborer I received but one dollar. In the years before the American Civil War , slavery was illegal in Massachusetts, but the economy of the country still relied upon slavery. For instance, cotton mills of

5832-496: The town had 9.3% of African-Americans worked in skilled trades, which was higher than other northern cities that were studied in 1981 by author Leonard Curry. At the end of 1853, New Bedford had the highest percentage of African Americans than any other city in the Northeast. African-Americans were active in social, anti-slavery, and political organizations. Schools were integrated. Churches were generally segregated. For instance, by

5913-424: The town supported abolition—and the town's abolitionists had different viewpoints about intermarriage, equal opportunity, and full integration—it provided opportunities for home ownership, education, attainment of a stable income, and the ability of African-Americans to help others escape slavery on the Underground Railroad . At the end of 1853, New Bedford had the highest percentage of African Americans of any city in

5994-502: The whalers to render high quality oil from the blubber. This allowed the whaling ships to go out to sea for as long as four years, processing their catch while at sea. Ships from New Bedford came back to port with barrels of oil , spermaceti , and occasionally ambergris . Whaling dominated New Bedford's economy for much of the century, and many families of the city were involved with it as crew and officers of ships. The Quakers remained prominent and influential in New Bedford throughout

6075-413: The whaling capital of the world. Between 1830 and 1840, the town grew 60% to about 12,000 people in 1840. The population of black people was 767, a higher percentage of the population than any other community in Massachusetts. Working on ships, including whaling ships, was desirable for free blacks and fugitive slaves, because the shipping industry welcomed workers of all races. The whaling industry saw

6156-405: The whaling era. They brought religious values into their business models, promoting stability as well as prosperity, investing in infrastructure projects such as rail, and employing without discrimination . They established solid social and economic relationships with Boston , New York , and Philadelphia , integrating New Bedford into the urban northeastern economy . Ten thousand men worked in

6237-447: The whaling industry had been monopolized by a merchant cartel in Boston, Newport, Rhode Island , and Providence, Rhode Island, Rotch felt that it would be better for business to handle these himself by moving to the mainland. Abolitionism in New Bedford, Massachusetts Abolitionism in New Bedford, Massachusetts , began with the opposition to slavery voiced by Quakers during the late 1820s, followed by African Americans forming

6318-409: The whaling industry. During this period, New Bedford's population increased from approximately 4,000 in 1820 to about 24,000 in 1860. At the height of the whaling industry in 1857, the harbor hosted 329 vessels worth over $ 12 million, and New Bedford became the richest city per capita in North America. On March 18, 1847, the town of New Bedford officially became a city; Abraham Hathaway Howland

6399-494: Was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males. The median household income was $ 37,569, and the median family income was $ 45,708. Males had a median income of $ 37,388 versus $ 27,278 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,602. About 17.3% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over. The city has

6480-436: Was elected its first mayor. The Quakers of New Bedford applied their principles of egalitarianism and community-building in their businesses. On the boats, at the docks, at the factories, or in the shops—British, Wampanoag , Cape Verdean , Azorean , Irish , and West African hands found work in New Bedford. New Bedford also became one of the first centers of abolitionism in North America , and an important stop on

6561-494: Was home to influential Quakers , abolitionists, and free African-Americans—like the Arnold, Grinnell, Rotch , Rodman, and Robeson families. Abolition Row , including Sixth and Seventh Streets, is a neighborhood where founding families lived, and represent abolitionists and the whaling industry employers who employed a diverse workforce. In the 19th century, New Bedford had among the country's highest concentrations of wealth, due to

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