New Bedford in Bristol County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

Centre Street

Utility over Elegance

Photographed By Bryan Simmons, August 2012

1. Centre Street Marker

Inscription. The view down Centre Street has changed little over the years, and no street in New Bedford served the whaling industry longer. Little finery can be seen in the facades of these buildings, for this was a working waterfront, where utility overrode the need for elegance.

Where Centre meets Front Street, town founder Joseph Russell built the first candleworks around 1768 to further his investment in the growing whaling industry. The brick warehouses at the bottom of the street at left, built about 1790, housed a ship chandlery and iron business. At times, other buildings here served as bake shops, an ice plant and cold storage warehouse, and a ship and house painter's shop.

I could look down Centre Street and...see and also hear coopers driving the hoops, tightening the large casks of oil...When a ship was hove down at the dock I could see the caulkers driving oakum into the seams and could see the ship carpenters replace the worn sheathing with new and giving the vessel an new suit of yellow metal. Altogether it was a scene of life and animation.
William W. Carpo, September 28, 1906.

Erected by National Parks Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is September 28, 1957.

Location.

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41° 38.12′ N, 70° 55.376′ W. Marker is in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in Bristol County. Marker is on North Water Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New Bedford MA 02740, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Double Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Preserving Whaling's Legacy (within shouting distance of this marker); Viking (within shouting distance of this marker); The Mariner's Home (within shouting distance of this marker); The Seamen's Bethel (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Seamen’s Bethel (within shouting distance of this marker); A Tribute of Respect to Enterprising Whalemen (within shouting distance of this marker); Captain Paul Cuffe (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Bedford.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 24, 2017

2. Centre Street Marker

Centre Street image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bryan Simmons, August 2012

3. Centre Street

Photographed By Bryan Simmons, August 2012

4. Centre Street

Credits. This page was last revised on September 1, 2017. It was originally submitted on August 8, 2012, by Bryan Simmons of Attleboro, Massachusetts. This page has been viewed 477 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 8, 2012, by Bryan Simmons of Attleboro, Massachusetts. 2. submitted on August 25, 2017, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3, 4. submitted on August 8, 2012, by Bryan Simmons of Attleboro, Massachusetts. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.