About New Bedford

This vision of New Bedford is one that began nearly 250 years ago. In the mid-1700s, when Joseph Rotch purchased 13 acres of land along our deep harbor, establishing the whale fishery that transformed the small village into a thriving port.

A century later, the boon of the textile industry swelled our population, spurred the development of vast new ethnic neighborhoods, and expanded the city’s growth to the north and south. Within the last century, the emergence of commercial fishing and processing secured our national prominence as a center of global commerce, wholly connected to the sea.

Today, our commercial fishing fleet, recreational, and research vessels have replaced the hulking whaling ships of the past.  Soon the nation’s first purpose built terminal for offshore wind deployment will be launching America’s first offshore wind projects.

Our historic mill buildings, that once contained thousands of spinning looms, are being preserved and transformed for new uses. While whaling and textiles no longer fuel an economy that drives the success and growth patterns of the city, our identity as a vibrant and ethnically diverse seaport community holds fast.