Planning

Historic District

The City of New Bedford is home to fifteen historic districts which are listed on the National Register
of Historic Places and one local historic district, the Bedford-Landing Waterfront District.

Local Historic District designation differs from listing in the National Register of Historic Places. National Register Districts recognize areas which are important to national history, and only provide a review process for projects using public funding or licensing; otherwise there is no protection against alterations which may diminish or destroy historic resources. In contrast, changes to certain exterior architectural features of properties located within a local historic district are reviewed by a locally appointed committee of local residents to make sure that the proposed changes are appropriate to the historic character of the district.

NEW LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS

Beginning in 2016, the New Bedford Historical Commission began working with the neighbors along Seventh Street and Mechanics Lane to establish two new and separate Local Historic Districts for these respective areas.

A series of neighborhood meetings took place and Preliminary Study Reports developed for the proposed Districts were reviewed by the New Bedford Planning Board and the Massachusetts Historical Commission for comments and feedback relative to the districts’ formation.

The City Council approved the designation of the Abolition Row and Mechanics Lane Local Historic Districts and the Districts were adopted on April 24, 2023.

ABOLITION ROW DISTRICT PRELIMINARY STUDY REPORT

MECHANICS LANE DISTRICT PRELIMINARY STUDY REPORT