The Two New Bedfords: Spatial and Social Analysis of the City, 1800-1870

1820s: The Waterfront District

William Allen Wall's landscape portrait of New Bedford's Purchase Street depicts the town as a rural farming community. At this point, New Bedford still represented its small village roots. However, the town's whaling industry, recovered from setbacks during the War of 1812, started on its climb to greatness. In 1823, New Bedford's fleet outnumbered Nantucket for the first time. 

However, the success of the whaling industry had a major impact on other aspects of New Bedford. Just beside the wharves, a working-class waterfront community developed to support the sailors. These business included outfitters, taverns, and boardinghouses. While these business provided valuable services like housing and food, they also fostered the growth of a riotous, wild community. 

At the same time, the upper-class families started building new homes further up the hill. In their residential neighborhood of whaling merchants and shipowners, these families took notice of the less-than-favored results. They established benevolent organizations to tame the outbursts by the wharves. 

View this map to see to layout of New Bedford in 1825. 

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