Corson Building
Location: 21 William Street
The Corson Building in New Bedford is actually two buildings connected to each other, one built in 1875 and the other in 1884. It has been a commercial building from the start and still houses numerous shops and offices. It was heavily damaged by fire in 1997 and was set to be demolished until the Waterfront Historic Area League stepped in to purchase and stabilized the building. Unfortunately, it did not have the resources to restore it. In 2004, the building was donated to the National Park Service and restoration was commenced (it is located next to New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park’s Visitor Center).
The Corson Building reopened in 2008, though very little remains of the original structure. Starting in September 2017, the second floor is home to the Corson Makerspace, a creative learning center and art studio for New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park’s Artist-in-Residence. It is not open to park visitors except during scheduled events and exhibitions.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on August 30, 2020
