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Historical Notes

New Bedford's Fire

On January 18, 1977 a fire blazed through the historic district of downtown New Bedford. A main gas leak caused the blaze. The leak triggered a huge explosion that immediately destroyed almost all the buildings on the north side of Union Street between Water Street and Johnny Cake. The initial explosion took place in O'Malleys Tavern, a blast which destroyed the great Palladian window on the south end of the Whaling Museum, and was followed by blasts as far as a block away on William Street. Only through the heroic efforts of the New Bedford Fire Department was the Whaling Museum saved.

By the time the fire subsided, only the Sundial Building, built in 1820 and so named because of the sundial on the front of the building to mark it as the home of New Bedford's most famous line of watch and chronometer makers during the 19th century, was left standing. Considered the sixth most important historic structure in New Bedford's historic district, it stood only as a gutted ruin and had the wishes of the building inspectors been carried out promptly it would have been destroyed as a matter of public safety. Fortunately, through the efforts of W.H.A.L.E. (the Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE - New Bedford's leading historic preservation organization) combined with immediate funding from the city's Community Development Corporation, followed by funding from the Massachusetts Historical Commission and private funds, this city treasure was saved. Its exterior was fully restored. The interior floors were reconstructed to modern fire code standards.

Origin

The history of the Sundial Building is typical. To house their dry-goods store, the brothers Seth and Charles Russell, built it on land sold to their father by their uncle, Joseph Russell, III, who is generally considered the founder of New Bedford. Offices of several lawyers and a sheriff occupied the second floor. The third floor contained a sailor's room, library and museum. Hence, we are in a sense returning this building to some of its original uses.

By 1830, the Kelleys, a family in the line of chronometers, occupied part of the ground floor. It was probably at this time that the sundial was placed on the facade of the building. Later, Edmund Anthony who, in 1850, published the first edition of the New Bedford Evening Standard, the earliest antecedent of today's Standard Times, occupied the building. In that same year the first plate glass windows in New Bedford were installed in the Sundial Building, a feature maintained when it was re-built following the 1977 explosion. At the time of the gas explosion the Sundial Building was vacant. Now, finally, it is being restored to at least two of its original uses: A Museum of the American Coastal Steamship and headquarters for your foundation. NESF is its future.

NESF

Today, NESF is completing the restoration started twenty years ago. In the mid-nineties it became evident that as NOBSKA's restoration and return to service commenced, the needs of the Foundation for both office space and staff were going to grow dramatically. Additionally, the need to start fulfilling our educational mission required a locale to regularly exhibit our many artifacts from the past. At the same time, the office needs of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society (ODHS) (who operates the New Bedford Whaling Museum) were growing making it necessary for NESF to relocate its offices in the near future.

Recognizing that both organizations wished to maintain their sense of partnership, NESF and the ODHS discussed the possibility of our Foundation utilizing space in the Sundial Building. It should be understood that NESF and the ODHS are completely separate organizations but share many of the same common goals. After some discussion, the ODHS/Whaling Museum offered to lease us the first two floors on extremely favorable terms, acknowledging the need for substantial renovation before they could be used. In fact, the building had neither heat nor plumbing. And while NESF is all for historic preservation, to do without either would have been going a little too far.

Restoration

How to get the required construction done, especially given the financial constraints faced by NESF in light of the estimated $10 to $12 million cost of restoring NOBSKA, became the next problem confronting NESF. At this point our relationship with the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School (Vo-Tech) came into play. By mid-May, 1996, NESF and Vo-Tech agreed that complete restoration of the Sundial Building would become a major part of the teaching curriculum for Vo-Tech's building trades departments for the coming fall and winter. This meant that almost the entire restoration could be done free of labor costs. A project which would normally cost as much as $250,000 could be completed for $75,000, with all of this work done to restoration standards.

Placed in charge of this project, NESF director of administration, Jona Little, calling on her prior education and training (Mrs. Little has earned her degree in interior design), drew up all the plans, and selected all of the materials for the project. In September 1996, Vo-Tech students commenced working on the interiors of the Sundial Building under the direction of their skilled instructors. Over the fall, some 300 students participated. Departments involved in the work include carpentry, electrical, painting and wall covering, refrigeration and air conditioning, plumbing and pipe fitting and sheet metal.

The Penzance Foundation funded $25,000 of the initial cost. We applied to several other foundations and charitable funds which support vocational education and historic preservation to help cover the remaining cost. Additionally, in-kind donations have come from AFC, Inc. (electrical wiring), Edgartown Paint Company (paint and supplies), Bass Reddy-Rooter (Port-a-Jon), and Low Voltage Supply, Inc. (alarm, fire and computer wiring).

Now completed, the first floor consists of display space, a conference room, and gift shop. The display space will be dedicated to steamship memorabilia and NOBSKA's own artifacts. The second floor houses NESF offices. The third floor still serves as storage space. The Sundial Building opened for business again in mid-April of 1997.

Finally, on January 22 of the following year, the New Bedford Historical Commission approved NESF's signage for the building. The "New England Steamship" name has truly returned to New Bedford, sixty years after the line shut down in 1937. Surely, NESF is keeping a grand piece of New England's heritage alive, and this building will absolutely be a source of pride for years to come.