NRHP /
Central New Bedford
National Register Historic
District
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 The Central New Bedford National
Register Historic District contains approximately 80 buldings on 100 acres on
land. The majority of the buildings in the district are used for commercial or
institutional purposes. The Central New Bedford Historic District is located
between and has contiguous boundaries with the Bedford Landing-Waterfront
Historic District and the County Street Historic District.
The Central New Bedford Historic District represents the affluence of the late
19th century textile industry. As the center of commercial and civic activities
from 1875, this area played a key role in the formation of modern New Bedford.
Despite the common susceptibility of commercial areas to change, New Bedford's
center is relativiely unaltered and contains a number of architecturally
significant buildings designed in a variety of the late 19th century styles.
Generally, there were two peak periods of development. The first period, circa
1890, extended from Acushnet Avenue to Pleasant Street and incorporated the
more classical and ornate building exemplified by the New Bedford Institution
For Savings, the Standard Times Building and the Oddfellows Building. The
second period, circa 1910, extended from Pleasant Street west along Union
Street. Building styles became more modern and less elaborate in decor.
Interspersed with these two basic divisions are examples of much older
buildings built prior to the 1880s,such as City Hall, the New Bedford Free
Public Library, the Tucker Anthony Building and the Converse Photo Building, as
well as strucutres built in the 1920s and 1930s. |
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33 William St - New Bedford, MA 02740 - Tel: 508-996-4095 - Fax: 508-984-1250
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