The Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE, also known as WHALE, is a non-profit historic preservation organization located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Its mission is: "to promote the value and reuse of greater New Bedford's historic structures through preservation, education and advocacy". [1] The organization often promotes its cause with the words of one of its founders, Sarah Delano (President of WHALE, 1966-1982). Delano said, "if you bulldoze your heritage, you become just anywhere". [2]
The organization was founded by a group of concerned citizens in 1962, at a time when urban renewal threatened much of the city's history and architectural heritage. The original focus was on the city's waterfront district, a dense area of whaling era buildings suffering from severe neglect and disrepair. [2] WHALE took on the preservation/restoration of as many as 20 buildings within the district's boundaries over the years. This became the organization's first neighborhood revitalization project and lead to the establishment of Bedford Landing Waterfront National Register Historic District. With WHALE's leadership, the district would later be designated, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. [1] Over time, WHALE expanded to properties beyond this district, taking on preservation projects throughout the city. WHALE has now completed over 45 preservation and restoration projects in the greater New Bedford area between 1962 and 2009. [1]
In November 2023, WHALE received the Trustees’ Award for Organizational Excellence from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who commended WHALE for its "tireless commitment to preservation". [3]
Since the 1960s, WHALE has completed the following projects: [1]
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
Today, WHALE is run by an elected board of directors and hired staff. WHALE staff positions consist of an Executive Director and an Office and Events Manager along with volunteers and occasional consultants. [1] WHALE works closely with other organizations in the area, including the City of New Bedford, New Bedford Historical Commission, the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC), the National Park Service and more. Currently, WHALE is working on its Neighborhood Restoration Program, which focuses on the revitalization of the Washington Square Gateway Neighborhood, located in the New Bedford's south end. [1]
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American people. English colonists bought the land on which New Bedford would later be built from the Wampanoag in 1652, and the original colonial settlement that would later become the city was founded by English Quakers in the late 17th century. The town of New Bedford itself was officially incorporated in 1787.
Charles W. Morgan is an American whaling ship built in 1841 that was active during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Ships of this type were used to harvest the blubber of whales for whale oil which was commonly used in lamps. Charles W. Morgan has served as a museum ship since the 1940s and is now an exhibit at the Mystic Seaport museum in Mystic, Connecticut. She is the world's oldest surviving (non-wrecked) merchant vessel, the only surviving wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant fleet, and second to the USS Constitution, the oldest seaworthy vessel in the world. The Morgan was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
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