Melville Statue to be Located at Seamen’s Bethel

41 Artists from Around the Country Applied to Design the Statue

NEW BEDFORD – Before Herman Melville sailed out of New Bedford aboard the whaleship Acushnet in January of 1841 on the voyage that inspired Moby-Dick, he sat in a pew in the southeast corner of Seamen’s Bethel with other whalers in worship before a dangerous journey.

As the City prepares to select an artist to create a life-sized statue of the acclaimed author, Mayor Jon Mitchell has reached an agreement with New Bedford Port Society President Phil Oliveira to locate the statue at the historic chapel that not only has a deep connection to Melville, but to New Bedford’s rich maritime and whaling history.

“As the Whaleman’s Chapel in Moby-Dick, Seamen’s Bethel is the ideal location for a statue of Herman Melville,” Mayor Mitchell said. “I am grateful to the New Bedford Port Society for its collaboration on this important tribute to the City’s whaling history and America’s literary history.”

“The New Bedford Port Society’s 192-year history is intertwined with that of Herman Melville,” Oliveira said. “We are excited to be selected as the location for the upcoming Herman Melville statue.”

The Melville statue project was announced in January with 41 sculptors from around the country answering the City’s call for artists. An advisory committee, comprised of local historians and representatives from the City’s arts and culture scene, has met several times to thoroughly review the artists’ qualifications, and is preparing to announce the finalists in the coming months.

The Memorandum of Agreement between the City and the Port Society calls for the statue to be displayed at an outdoor location on the Seamen’s Bethel site at 15 Johnny Cake Hill in Downtown New Bedford’s Historic District.

The Port Society has also agreed to contribute 20% of the statue’s cost up to $50,000.

The Melville statue project follows other successful efforts in recent years to recognize individuals associated with the City’s history. Last year, the City unveiled a statue of Frederick Douglass at the new Abolition Row Park; a sculpture and park dedication honoring former State Rep. Tony Lopes was completed in 2016; and a monument recognizing local veterans who served in post-9/11 conflicts is being planned for the Clark’s Point neighborhood.