Printed historic maps have been used
in the past to answer questions about social, environmental, and political
dynamics within a regional landscape.
This study uses GIS analysis to begin
to identify and understand changes in political, social, and economic life that
took place between the post-War of 1812 economic boom tied to the whaling
industry, and the peak of manufacturing in New Bedford, MA. Several families, including the Kemptons,
Rotches, Rodmans, Hathaways, Russells, Allens, and Morgans, were prominent
during the early development of the city.
Their influences in terms of land and business ownership shaped the
political, social, and economic landscape.
Free African-Americans and immigrants from the Azores and Cape Verde
Islands working on the waterfront and in the whaling industry shaped New
Bedford as well. As the industrial base
shifted from whaling to manufacturing, and as the city expanded in terms of population,
ethnic diversity, and physical size, one would expect to see the development social
and spatial boundaries between those who owned property and were successful in
the initial establishment and later growth of the city into a whaling and
commercial capital, and those who settled later as the city expanded to the
north and south. The GIS analysis presented
here shows where and how these boundaries developed.
By 1815 a social, political and
industrial center has been established, dominated by those who owned valuable
waterfront property and businesses related to whaling and shipping. The 1850 map shows many of the Registered
Historic Sites clustered north of the city center, several blocks away from the
waterfront. These were built during the
heyday of whaling and shipping and illustrate the prosperity and growth the
city was experiencing. Many of these are
modest one-family homes, not businesses or mansions built by those involved in
whaling and commerce. Those were being
built, in smaller numbers, to the south of the center and close to County
Street at the top of the hill overlooking the busy harbor. Two mills had been built by 1850, but housing
was not yet being built specifically to accommodate mill workers. The environmental context here relates to the
developing social inequality in New Bedford, as those with lower incomes settle
in areas away from the center.
Central business district showing the establishment of several prominent families as dominant property holders.
The first mill is built, whaling is in decline.
The housing boom that can be seen in both the 1871 and 1891 maps reflects the increase in population between 1850 and 1920 as immigrants came to work in the mills.
Urban growth to the north and south of the city's commercial center, and to the west of County St.
The 1891 map in particular shows clusters of identical rows of housing built near the Wamsutta and Howland Mills complexes. As foreign-born workers arrived in greater numbers, social differences increased. By 1911 it is possible to see this clearly when analyzing the surnames of property owners in various neighborhoods. Properties closer to industrial areas, in particular mills and other factories, show an abundance of surnames that reflect the immigrant make-up of these parts of the city. By 1900, over 40% of New Bedford’s population was foreign born, the majority being Portuguese, Azorian, and Cape Verdean. Other immigrant groups included French-Canadians, Irish, and English. Property along County Street, and still to some extent in the downtown center, is still very much dominated by surnames from the past whaling and commercial era. This is an example of the political landscape “constantly being defined and redefined to further accentuate the social boundaries that underlie ideologies of political order” (Kosiba 2013).
Growth in mill housing construction.
1911: Near-peak manufacturing production
1911: Pattern of land ownership for elite families
1911: Housing in the Wamsutta Mills area, inset showing highway construction in 1960's and 1970's.
The city of New Bedford has a rich
and colorful history which should continue to be preserved and celebrated. Several organizations are committed to this
mission, including the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the Waterfront Historic
Area League (WHALE). GIS analysis of
historic maps can be extremely valuable in supporting it. Research that focuses on the diverse aspects
of urban development spreads the focus of preservation efforts to include the
history of all social groups, not just those who are most often credited with
the city’s establishment and success in whaling and commerce. Ultimately this will help ensure that the
entire picture of New Bedford’s development is represented in preservation
efforts.
The findings of this study reveal
patterns of settlement in New Bedford as it transformed from a small village to
a center of manufacturing. By
investigating the demographic makeup of the people living here at different
points in history, and considering the ways in which the political landscape
shapes social differences, a more complete understanding of the complexities of
urban development here can occur.
