New Bedford Town Hall
Location: 613 Pleasant Street
The large, Greek Revival-style building on the corner of Pleasant and William streets now serves as the New Bedford Public Library, but it started out in 1839 as the Town Hall. Only a decade later, New Bedford was large enough to be classified as a city, so the building became City Hall. The entire block was known as Market Square because of a produce and meat market located on the lower floor.
The original library occupied the brick building to the right (other side of William Street). In 1906, a fire damaged City Hall, so with the government needing a new office building—and a much larger one by that time—it was decided to make the library building the new City Hall and move the library to the damaged building once it was repaired. New Bedford’s government offices are still in the brick building to this day.
Outside the library is a sculpture of a whaleman who is about to toss a harpoon and a memorial to war veterans who lost their lives in battle.
Memorial to war veterans
Whaleman statue outside the Public Library
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Last updated on June 11, 2020
