There are currently 423 sites that comprise the National Park System. A mere 63 of those are designated as national parks and receive the lion’s share of attention, funding, and visitors. Books have been written about each, and there’s no shortage of information about them online. But what about the other 360 sites?

Known by a surprising number of designations – from national monument to national battlefield to national lakeshore – the vast majority of the National Park Service’s protected areas aren’t actually “national parks.”

The Roarbots’ series of NPS Adventures takes a big-picture view of one of these sites and highlights some of the best it has to offer. This almost always includes activities and suggestions we can recommend from personal experience. And pictures. There are lots and lots of pictures. Glad to have you aboard!

Welcome to New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park!

Stats

• New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
• Location: New Bedford, Massachusetts
• Established: 1996
• Admission: Free
• Social Sites: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

New Bedford, Massachusetts, – located in the soft underbelly of the state, sandwiched between Cape Cod, Rhode Island, and Martha’s Vineyard – has a long history with the whaling industry. The first whaling vessel was launched from New Bedford in 1767, and that ship – the Dartmouth – was actually one of the ships later involved in the Boston Tea Party.

Throughout the 1700s, the center of whaling in the American colonies was Nantucket Island, 50 miles away. At the time, New Bedford wasn’t much more than a hamlet – a small village on the Acushnet River. The town’s deep harbor and mainland location, though, made it a prime spot for development. Within two generations, New Bedford grew into the whaling capital of the world and one of America’s wealthiest cities.

Even though whaling seems cruel and unusual by today’s standards, it actually provided many of the raw materials Americans depended on during the 18th and 19th centuries. Most notably, whale oil was used to make candles and oil-filled lamps, which were widely used in the years before electricity. In addition, whale oil was used to lubricate fine machinery. By the end of the 1820s, New Bedford was the global center of oil investment, processing, and distribution.

New Bedford also happens to be the port from which a young Herman Melville set out on his journey in 1841 – a journey that would inspire Moby Dick.

Visitor Center and Museum

Note: The visitor center and museum are currently closed because of the pandemic, and a temporary visitor center has been set up to provide some basic information. All information here should be accurate for the “normal times.”

The NPS Visitor Center is housed in the old Third District Courthouse, which was built in 1853. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and makes up one of 20 properties that comprise the National Historical Park.

Interestingly, it (along with the Corson MakerSpace) is only one of two buildings at the site actually owned by the National Park Service. The other buildings are all privately owned, though with a partnership with the NPS.

Inside are a number of exhibits, maps, and resources to get your bearings and create a context for learning about New Bedford’s history with whaling. They also show the 20-minute movie “The City That Lit the World.” Begin your exploration of New Bedford here.

Historic New Bedford

It should be noted that New Bedford Whaling NHP is NOT the same place as the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The two are just around the corner from each other, though, and if you’re super interested in this niche aspect of New England history, a stop at both is recommended (especially since the museum displays an 89-foot, half-scale replica of a square-rigged whaling bark).

Also, the Visitor Center is just one building in the complex that makes up the site (which stretches over 34 acres and 13 city blocks). Wander the quaint, cobblestone streets of historic New Bedford, and check out the Seamen’s Bethel and Mariners’ Home, U.S. Custom House, Rodman Candleworks, Sundial Building, and more. Some are open to visitors; others aren’t.

If you’ve got a few minutes, the National Park Service and New Bedford Historical Society have put together a really nice video/virtual tour of the Nathan and Polly Johnson House, which normally isn’t open to the public.

Junior Ranger

Like most NPS sites, New Bedford Whaling has a park-centric Junior Ranger program. The book focuses on the history of whaling in New Bedford and includes a scavenger hunt that requires kids to wander the streets of historic New Bedford. There’s also an e-book version of the program – Journey Through New Bedford – which you can complete virtually. For the Roarbots, Junior Ranger booklets and swearing-in ceremonies are a mandatory part of any NPS visit… and it’s always a thrill to get a nice, wooden badge!