New Bedford Pathways: Tour #1 New Bedford, More Than Colonials

This tour will showcase the diversity of the mid-nineteenth century architectural styles of the homes and the people who occupied these historic residences.

New Bedford Pathways: Tour #1 New Bedford, More Than Colonials

New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740, United States

Created By: New Bedford Preservation Society

Tour Information

New Bedford Pathways:

Tour #1 New Bedford, More Than Colonials

Union Street was extended westward from County to Cottage Street in 1850. Madison Street (then named Bush Street) also then reached one city block beyond County Street. The City of New Bedford was slowly spreading west. The homes which grew up along these quiet residential ways are characteristic of the diverse architectural style of New Bedford and the nation in the years which followed. The styles vary from Federal to Gothic Revival Style and everything in between. Most of the homes on this walking tour are the result of enormous growth in manufacturing, transportation and commerce in New Bedford from 1850 to 1900.


Later development is traceable to the 1890s, when some of the city’s largest estates began to be subdivided, the resulting homes purchased by a grow-ing class of mill managers, shop keepers, and their families.

Tour Curated by Mark Fulller

New Bedford Preservation Society President

Tour Produced by: Patricia Daughton

Photo credits:

Steve Gladstone

Spinner Publications

New Bedford Whaling Musuem

New Bedford Free Public Library

Patricia Daughton

Kayla Rausch

This program is funded in part by Mass Humanities, which receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Tour Map

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What You'll See on the Tour

   427 County Street, James Arnold Mansion, 1821 Federal Style James Arnold was born on September 9, 1781 in Providence, Rhode Island, the son of wealthy Thomas and Mary (Brown) Arnold. He came to New Bedford to work for whaling titan Wil... Read more
   95 Madison Street, Peleg C. Howland, 1876  EastLake Stick style Jireh Swift sold the land opposite his home to a local builder, William Tillinghast, in 1875. In the following year, two houses were completed. Peleg C. Howland purchased... Read more
  100 Madison Street, Abby Taber Hunt, 1855 Italianate Style In Moby-Dick, Melville wrote of New Bedford, “Nowhere in America will you find more patrician-like houses, parks and gardens more opulent than in New Bedford.” The Italianate... Read more
7 Irving Street, Richmond Cottage, 1856 Gothic Revival Style This cottage was built for Francis Rodman in 1856 and sold to Richmond in this form. He purchased the lot for this house from William J. Rotch in 1856 and, when he moved to Newton... Read more
   19 Irving Street, William J. Rotch, 1846 Gothic Cottage The house was built for William Rotch, who became New Bedford‘s second mayor in 1852, and served as president of Friends’ Academy for forty-two years. The W. J. Rotch house wa... Read more
    112 Cottage Street , Rotch Gothic Cottage Addition 1857 The Rotch Gothic Cottage Addition was built in 1857 for William Rotch by the Boston architect, William Ralph Emerson. Emerson is best known to architectural historians as one of... Read more
   118 Arnold Street, Simeon Rice House, 1820 Cape Cottage Style Simeon Rice was born in New Bedford January 18, 1805. He and his spouse Hannah were married and were the parents of three children: Elvira, Pricilla and Adoniram. The Rice F... Read more
   130 Arnold Street, Henry Bliss House 1835, Cape Cottage Style Henry Bliss was born in New Bedford on June 21, 1816, and married Ellen Akin. He was a housewright by trade, and worked for Moses H. Bliss at 38 Russell Street for several y... Read more
    172 Arnold Street, Harriet B. Beard; James E Reed, 1866 Octagon Style In 1859, Harriet B. Beard bought a lot of land on Arnold Street. Harriet Beard was the wife of William A. Beard, but the land was not for their joint use; the deed... Read more
    347 Union Street, Captain Fordyce Dennis Haskell House, 1848 Octagon Style Captain Fordyce Dennis Haskell was Master of the New Bedford whaler Mercury from 1836 to 1848. His home was built in 1847-48 by the housewright, John F. Vinal... Read more
  350 Union Street, Joseph Grinnell, 1852 The lot on the corner of Cottage Street was purchased from Arnold by Joseph Grinnell, who built this home in 1852. He sold the house in 1853 to Barnabas S. Perkins, a whaling merchant, and later a ... Read more
342 Union Street, Deacon Edward Cannon, 1858 The Deacon Edward Cannon house was built in 1858. The deed stated Cannon’s intention to erect a dwelling house for occupancy of himself and his family. For 55 years, the homestead remained in t... Read more
334 Union Street, Tilson B. Denham, 1858 Tilson B. Denham was a prominent figure in business and in government. His bakery thrived at a time when over three hundred whaling ships drew supplies from New Bedford merchants. He was once elected... Read more
  330 Union Street and 324 Union Both these dwellings are Italianate style with intersecting gables in the roof line, square plan, belvederes, bracketed eaves, round arched windows, and projecting elements at the entry. Both lots were purc... Read more

 

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