Safely Moored At Last: Cultural Landscape Report For New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Volume I - History, Existing Conditions, Analysis, Preliminary Preservation Issues

Arato, Christine; Elsey, Patrick

The purpose of this Cultural Landscape Report is to thoroughly document the physical history of the site and evaluate its significance and integrity as a basis for developing a management program for the landscape. It will aid the National Park Service and its partners in planning the developing the park’s natural and cultural resources and in guiding future decisions regarding the property. The cultural landscape is urban in character, thus this study focuses on the streetscapes, views, plantings, and small-scale landscape features. While this report concentrates on the land within park boundaries, proximate areas- including the Central New Bedford, Merrill’s Wharf, and County Street National Register Districts- are examined and analyzed to provide historic context and thematic continuity. Concurrent reports undertaken by the NPS Northeast Cultural Resources Center will provide an architectural inventory and conditions assessment of historic structures, as well as a functional plan of land-use activities and a preliminary survey of archeological resources. In combination, these reports will provide information on cultural resources to assist the park with developing a General Management Plan. This cultural landscape report consists of four sections: a site history, documentation of existing conditions, analysis of the site’s historic significance and integrity, and a discussion of preliminary preservation issues. The site history is divided into chapters based on the periods of economic and social change in New Bedford. Research for this study, conducted between November 1997 and February 1998, consulted primary and secondary source materials from repositories in New Bedford and Boston. Information was gathered relating to the settlement, land ownership, and development of New Bedford, focusing on the rise and fall of the lucrative whaling industry. The sources for the site history are listed in endnotes and in the bibliography. Sources and credits for illustrative materials are provided in a list of figures. The existing appearance and condition of the landscape was examined between November 1997 and February 1998 and documented with photographs and text. In the analysis and evaluation section, the existing National Historic Landmark documentation prepared in 1975 is critiqued with respect to cultural landscape resources worthy of inclusion. This analysis focuses on the whaling era, recognizing that other periods of significance merit further investigation. The final section of the report contains preliminary preservation issues relating to the integrity of the park’s cultural landscape. Due to the short duration of the study, all themes and contexts could not be examined in depth. Further research and a more detailed analysis and understanding of the property is required before recommendations for treatment can be made. A list of topics meriting additional research is provided.

Safely Moored At Last: Cultural Landscape Report For New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Volume I - History, Existing Conditions, Analysis, Preliminary Preservation Issues

Series