New Bedford

New Bedford, MA

New Bedford became the world’s foremost whaling port by the middle of the nineteenth-century. The New Bedford Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

"The town itself is perhaps the dearest place to live in, in all New England..nowhere in all America will you find more patrician-like houses, parks and gardens more opulent, than in New Bedford…all these brave houses and flowery gardens came from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. One and all, they were harpooned and dragged up hither from the bottom of the sea." H. Melville, "Moby-Dick"

Celtic Cross Memorial

The lives and contributions of the Irish to the City of New Bedford are celebrated by a monument in the form of a Celtic cross. It's located on the mouth of New Bedford harbor. The monument was dedicated on 24 June 2005 and is designed to represent the deeply-seated faith and beliefs, culture and emotions of the Irish.

Fort Taber

In the late 1840’s, efforts were made to seriously plan for the construction of a permanent military installation. Granite from Fall River, MA. and Sullivan, ME. was shipped to Clark`s Point for the construction of the fort, which would serve as a link in the coastal defense system of federal forts from Fort Preble, near Portland, ME to Fort Wright off of Long Island, NY. The Civil War had begun before the fort was completed. Both Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew and Mayor Issac C. Taber feared that Confederate raiders would leave Union shipping centers in ruin and they did not want to wait for state or federal aid. Mayor Taber and the City Council made plans for self-defense and on May 11, 1861, the earthworks fort was completed and operational. Brass and iron cannons were mounted to protect the Clark’s Cove and Acushnet River approaches to the city. This was named Fort Taber, in honor of the city`s chief executive at that time.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fort Taber

This memorial at Fort Taber commemorates the men and women who served their country in the Vietnam War.

East Beach

New Bedford Harbor, East Beach is a beautiful destination that offers a sandy beach, walking/bike path, and long fishing pier.

Having fun on the East Beach Pier

Butler Flats Lighthouse

Butler Flats Lighthouse is a sparkplug lighthouse located in the outer harbor of New Bedford, Massachusetts, at the mouth of the Acushnet River. Butler Flats Light was built in 1898 and replaced the old Clark's Point Light, which had been active since 1804.