“There’s a person here depicting the other side of the house. Before the expedition to New Bedford, Massachusetts, I received a message from an Airbnb host.
Indeed, when my travel partner Aalen and I turned off County Street and found a two-night home, Victorian era in 1855, believed to have been rented by Herman Melville’s sister — Three painters enthusiastically updated the look of the house in cream, orange, blue and warm gray.
Nowadays, the whole city, about 60 miles from Boston, seems to be painted with new paint. Signs of rejuvenation are everywhere, from parks celebrating abolitionists to new murals in old buildings.
one time The wealthiest city in the world New Bedford, a per capita whaling and textile-making powerhouse, declined in the mid-to-late 20th century and endured high crime rates, high unemployment rates, urban devastation and bad jokes (“New Bedford: Cape Cod”). On the flank, maybe the nation “).If they stop at all, many travelers will stay only for meals and visits New Bedford Whaling MuseumBefore taking the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, or before driving Interstate 195 to Cape Cod.
Yes, New Bedford continues to be heavily devoted to the maritime past. Attractive whale house Visit the Whaling Museum Whalers Taburn And tour A restored mansion built with whaling funds.. However, the focus is still on today. Old textile factories have been rethought, new restaurants have flourished, exhibitions and parks have expanded, better telling the city’s long history of promoting equality. Museums, downtown artist studios, Performance space Talk about investing Creative class.. The future is Train service from Boston since the late 1950s It is scheduled to start next year. (The planned route is No complaints.. )
With healthcare Commercial fishing And other maritime industry, New Bedford remains Working city.. I’m not dependent on tourism, but wherever I go, I’ve met proud investor residents, from volunteer guides to curators at the Whaling Museum. New Bedford Free Public Library For restaurant waiters.
“We’re not really Cape Cod, so there’s no Cape Cod pretense in the city. We’re on the South Coast,” said curator Ally Copeland, and New Bedford said, “Now it’s a very cool atmosphere. I have... “
Creative economy
Our first night, Kuahog Republic Whalers Tavern For Golden Ale and Mai Tai, Aalen and I met Bebu Erich and Karl Friedman eating outside on one of the cobbled streets of the city. The couple recently moved from Providence, Rhode Island to a nearby village in Little Compton.They were driving for dinner with another couple at Union flat, A seafood restaurant that opened this winter. Four friends praised anglerfish and mackerel (later smoked scallop scallops and cooked fresh and perfectly cooked), as well as the city’s jazz and other cultural attractions.
“The only reason we came here when we lived in Providence was to take the ferry,” said Erich, 69, a retired university administrator. “Now we are here for great restaurants, museums and music.”
In 2017, Margo Saulnier City of New BedfordIn charge of implementation Arts and culture program.. Since then, the city and partners have used grants and other funds to host free events, requesting and supporting local artists to create public murals and the like.
“The more we invest in the creative economy and the local talents of art and culture, the better it will be for everyone,” said Saulnier. “This includes those who live here and those who visit here.”
New Bedford can be relatively cheap for visitors.Art collection New Bedford Free Public Library Works by contemporary artists such as Adrian R. Tio, as well as old favorites from Ralph Fasanella, Albert Bierstadt and John James Audubon.At a restaurant in Cape Verde Izzy’sA heaping breakfast of Kachuparafgado, scrambled eggs and Linguiça is $ 13. The See NB in Three pathAdults $ 18, New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, New Bedford Museum And that Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum — The rose bed alone is worth the price.
Complex past
The decline in whale populations at the end of the 19th century was due to the construction of a huge textile factory and a complete transformation of the cityscape. However, when manufacturing in the south and abroad became prominent in the mid-20th century, these factories were closed and New Bedford declined. The situation worsened in the 1990s after the collapse of local fishing.
“Nothing happened between 50 and 60 years because the textile factory was closed,” said Friedman, 71, of Union Flat, who spoke of New Bedford and other old New England mill towns. The lawyer said. “These energy-consuming industries will never fill these large buildings again, and that’s why it’s the future to rethink these buildings.”
The next morning I spent walking around a redesigned factory in the city’s South End district. Killburn millBuilt in 1903 and expanded in 1910, is a three-building complex that now has a shop, gym, music performances, and a bright spot full of plants. Fabric company A restaurant that sells delicious “green giant” egg sandwiches ($ 8). Contains greens, pickled onions and goat cheese.
Breakfast cheered us up by visiting museums in downtown and strolling down the street. I found a toy store, a used record store, and a witch store in just one block.Sanctum Folk Lorica.. The highlight of the day was the Whaling Museum (Adult, $ 18) dedicated to New Bedford and the brutal industry that transformed the world. Through our extensive collection of whaling skeletons hanging from the ceiling, exploreable replicas of whaling vessels, and art collections, we learned not only about the history of whaling, but also about the biology and behavior of creatures, the threats they face, and conservation efforts. ..
The museum also pays attention to the people who support the industry, including the local Native Americans, as well as the sailors who came from all over the world, including Cape Verde, the Azores, and mainland Portugal and settled here. (Through cooking and other cultural influences, their presence continues to be felt strongly.)
One extended exhibition at the museum and nearby park Captain Paul Cuff, A Quaker born locally in 1759 to a Native American mother and an African-American father. When many African-Americans and African-Americans were in slavery, Cuff carried out a blockade during the Revolutionary War and later became a wealthy shipkeeper and captain, using his influence to petition for color. A state of right for racial landowners to vote and establish one of the first integrated schools in the country.
In the city, we Relationship between New Bedford and QuakerismSubway station and establishment, which contributed to the city becoming the base of the abolition movement Recruitment office For one of the first African-American regiments in the Civil War.
This fall New Bedford Historical SocietyWill announce with the city a park dedicated to the abolitionist movement in the area. Abolition Row ParkBuilt on an empty corner, it includes a statue of Frederick Douglass, a gazebo, and a community garden space.
“We are deliberately and funding certain stories that haven’t been or haven’t been told to the masses,” Saulnier said. “There is this new feeling of celebrating that past... “
On the harbor walk
Our last night, we Bike to the south To Harbor walkHurricane barrier walking and cycling trails that protect New Bedford Harbor.large-scale breakwaterBuilt in the 1960s, 20 feet above the Axinet River, offers views of the lighthouse, boats and passing ferries.Just beyond one set of its huge barrier gates Cisco Brewers Kitchen & BarOpened last June, the 3.5-acre restaurant and bar’s outdoor space welcomes dogs, kids and beer lovers with picnic tables, live music and docks for water players. Aalen ordered food to share and two vague IPAs, and we settled down to enjoy the scene.
Further south is the city East beach When Fort Taber Park50 acres of green space Military museum, But they will have to wait for another visit. We completed the stir-fried lajonkairia lajon, listened to the last song, and returned to the bike in the cool sea breeze.
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