new bedford whaling national historical park

Loved the guided tour through the historic district by park rangers. This town has an interesting history around whaling and the underground railroad and it really came alive while walking along the cobblestone streets. The park Visitor Center is well done and park rangers were wonderfully nice to my 3 year old son.

Many things to see here in addition to national park -however it is a good place to start.Excellent movie explains how New Bedford at one point was one of wealthiest cities in America.And all because whale oil.Nice exhibits spotlight how area was saved from a superhighway at one point.Everything to see is concentrated in one area.You will enjoy this a lot

We went to the visitor center to get some info about the Historic Park and to learn more about whaling industry/ history. The ranger was very knowledgeable and nice. We took a quick look into the exhibition and we watched a little bit of the movie (it didn't look very interesting and we were in a hurry).

We parked at the municipal lot about a block away as parking on the street wasn't happening. Slow day for the rangers as it was only ourselves and another couple. He & I had a private screening of the film & looked at the displays, there seemed to be more things for sale then on display, but it was a good jumping off place to get a feel for the history of the area, & it was free. Got my stamp & headed out to see the rest of New Bedford. I loved the cobblestone streets & many historic buildings to look at. Very glad that we visited.

What a great historical area! Beautiful homes, museums, restaurants and a great visitors center. The NPS employees were very helpful and the exhibits at the visitor center were well done with lots of local history. The cobblestone streets very quaint. There was lots of meter parking available. (along with a parking garage) Little shops and restaurants, and a nice park center that was playing a movie at dusk on the first night we were there. My only suggestion would be: an easier way to cross over the main highway to get to the waterfront. Sorry, but cars are flying down JFK Highway and trying to cross that street with kids wasn't pleasant. In fact we skipped it at one point when we saw an older couple stranded in the median trying to find a place to stand while they waited for another group of cars to stop. (Union Street crossover). Maybe a traffic officer on weekends?

A wealth of info about whaling and early inhabitants of new bedford. Lots of boutique and interesting shops along the historic buildings. Great walking tour down the pier.

One gets a sense of the importance - and the immense wealth generated from - of the whaling industry in New Bedford from the grand buildings and residences which still line the historic streets. If it wasn't for the preservation efforts of the community much of this history would have been lost in the 1960s and 1970s. Many of the buildings have been immaculately preserved and the cobblestone streets lend a truly nostalgic and authentic feel to the neighborhood. There's still a rough edge to the area which is a by-product of the blue collar history of the city and the fact that it''s best and most prosperous days are behind it. Make sure to stop into the National Park visitors center for an excellent overview of the community's history.

The creation of the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park in 1996 to help preserve a significant part of the 19th century U.S. history, society, and economy is important to our heritage. Plus, anything to boost the downtown and harbor area of New Bedford is important. The NHP appears to nicely complement the New Bedford Whaling Museum (separate from the National Historic Park; whaling museum is owned by the Old Dartmouth Historical Society which was instrumental in having the Federal government create the National Historic Park) which was established over 100 years ago. As in most national park visitor centers there is an informative film and interpretative exhibits. Here, there are not an abundance of artifacts and visual items to see in the visitor center; rather, there is a lot of reading of signs and written exhibits. The uniqueness of this park is that the showcase is the 13-block waterfront historic district surrounding the visitor center. However, most of the properties are not owned by the Federal government. During your walk around the historic district you will see interesting architecture and buildings from the time that New Bedford was the whaling capital of the world. Before petroleum was discovered in the 1860s, oil processed from whales was used to fuel/light lamps and was also used to make candles. Herman Melville (author of Moby Dick) and Frederick Douglass lived in New Bedford for awhile. Despite the collective positive efforts of so many to preserve the city's whaling legacy, much of the area surrounding (and within) the national historic park consists of abandoned storefronts, non-descript buildings, and an urban landscape that hasn't been revitalized. Add to this, the city's not too distant past which included high crime rates and urban decay, it doesn't take too much effort to bump into this unsavory past while walking around the perimeter of the historic district (especially when walking to the Rotch-Jones-Duff House). I would think most U.S. History buffs will thoroughly enjoy visiting here. Travelers (with a casual interest in history) passing through (on their way to the Cape, or before they catch the ferries to either Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket) may have a less than enthusiastic response. Travelers who have been to other historic parks such as Harpers Ferry, or places like Mystic Seaport and Williamsburg, should be prepared for a less "touristy" feel at New Bedford. Some will appreciate the authenticity; others may not.

A great place to visit and to stroll the streets transports you back in time to when this town was the epicenter of the whale industry.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum dominates the few blocks of the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park, but there really is so much to see and appreciate in a relatively small area. The National Park office has informative and creative exhibits which give you a good feel for the flavor of this historic city. The Museum is located on the corner of Johnny Cake Hill which also features the Seamen's Bethel, a lovely little house of worship which is a kind of living museum. As you walk along the walls of the Bethel, you can read the plaques placed there by the families of young men lost at sea during the heady and dangerous days of whaling. The unique pulpit is shaped like a ship's bow...if you love American history and want to walk the cobblestone streets that thousands of brave and hearty seafarers walked a 150 years ago, don't miss the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park.

While only a few blocks, you cannot say that there are many "urban" national parks. Walk the cobblestone streets, visit the galleries, admire the architecture. Friendly, welcoming, and quite a bargain. Visit the small cafes or gift shops. A great day trip.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is a world class museum with incredible exhibitions of whaling not available anywhere else in the world. This is likely because New Bedford in the early to mid 19th century was the whaling capital of the world with hundreds of ships home ported here which made trips throughout the world for 3 years or more in search of whales. So many artifacts are here exhibited in a well organized manner. The adjacent Seaman's Bethel is inspiring. in early January a Moby Dick book reading Marathon is held with readers throughout the world. .

We boarded the Charles W. Morgan whaling ship today and toured the ship. Educational and impressive!

I really enjoyed the visitors center, the volunteers there were more than helpful the film and center full of history about the area. I do suggest to skip the walking tour, especially if you are alone or want to take your kids around. In the middle of the day I wished I had my pepper spray, got a eerie feeling in the neighborhood making me feel a little paranoid. This town has seen its better days, dirty, full of liter and boarded up closed shops, not what the internet projects. One of the historic homes on the tour must have a cat problem as it smelled sooo bad out in the garden as cats had marked their territory, likely soaked into the wood of the structure, what a shame!

great to see n hear about new bedford's history, the whole downtown area is a national park, a must see for anybody coming into town.