New Bedford dates to 1640, and 52% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #10 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
41 places in town are on the National Register, among them 6 National Historic Landmarks and ten historic districts with 2,178 buildings between them. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1792.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives New Bedford’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, New Bedford is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #10 of 283 in Massachusetts. All 3 inputs put New Bedford near the top nationally; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of New Bedford’s overall grade.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, New Bedford ranks #11 on History.
Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so New Bedford’s 220 sits above most of its state (77% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 2,217 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1640.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.0 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about New Bedford’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Before the 17th century, the lands along the Acushnet River were inhabited by the Wampanoag Native Americans, who had settlements throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Their population is believed to have been about 12,000.
On May 15, 1602, English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold in the ship Concord landed on Cuttyhunk Island while exploring New England. From there, he explored Cape Cod and the neighboring areas, including the site of present-day New Bedford. Gosnold left and settled in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia.
Woodward located in New Bedford, where he is now well established in public confidence as a lawyer of ability and integrity. On paternal lines he descends from that ancient Boston family, founded there in 1636, while on the maternal side he traces to the Hathaways of Plymouth, who later were of Taunton, from Taunton coming to New Bedford, descendants being extensive land owners in Dartmouth and in New Bedford, prominent as merchants and manufacturers. Henry E. Woodward, of New Bedford, is a son of Henry A. C. Woodward, born in
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
After school years were over William S. Cook came from his native Yarmouth, and began business life as an office boy. Not long after he entered the employ of the city of New Bedford as assistant city clerk, and from that point in his career until the present he has served the city in official capacity, 1893-1917, and for nearly ten years the funds of the city, as well as various special funds have been in his care. He has most worthily fulfilled every trust committed to him, and no man stands higher as an honorable, upright citizen and public official than the treasurer of
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
New Bedford, decade by decade
5 decades in the archive, from the 1650s to the 1840s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of New Bedford. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888New Bedford sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of New Bedford.
Every building
New Bedford, building by building, 1888–1906
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1640, according to Wikidata. New Bedford’s post office opened in 1792, and the first U.S. census counted 3,313 people here in 1790.
How does New Bedford rank for history?
New Bedford is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #10 of 283 in Massachusetts. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in New Bedford?
41 listings, 6 of them National Historic Landmarks: 19 buildings, 14 historic districts with 2,178 contributing buildings, 5 sites, and 3 structures. 2,217 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in New Bedford?
52% of New Bedford’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.0 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1938.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (41), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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