“In the same New Bedford
there stands a Whalemans Chapel,
and few are the moody fishermen,
shortly bound for the Indian Ocean  or Pacific,
who failed to make a Sunday visit to this spot.”
Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick

Welcome and thank you for visiting the New Bedford Port Society website. If you have not already visited our historic Seamen’s Bethel, we hope that you will plan a trip to experience one of America’s maritime heritage treasures.

In the  late 1820’s, when New Bedford’s whaling industry was at its peak , several of the city’s leading citizens gave their deep consideration to the “character building” of nearly five thousand seamen employed out of this port.  On June 2, 1830 they organized under the title of the New Bedford Port Society, for the moral improvement of seamen and later became incorporated under the following act: An Act To Incorporate The New Bedford Port Society For The Moral Improvement Of Seamen.

The New Bedford Port Society maintains the historic Seamen’s Bethel and Mariners’ Home. Located on top of Johnny Cake Hill, the Seamen’s Bethel is the “Whalemen’s Chapel” of the epic novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Inside, historic tablets or cenotaphs, chronicle the sacrifices of the maritime community, listing the names of those mariners lost at sea. The Bethel is still used by the community as a venue for weddings, funerals, memorials, and other religious activities. Due to its association for more than 170 years with New Bedford whalemen and other sailors that “Go Down to the Sea in Ships”, it has become known in the ports of every ocean on the globe.

The Mariners’ Home, formerly the mansion of William Rotch Jr. was presented to the Port Society in 1851. The building was moved to Johnny Cake Hill, just north of the Bethel where it now stands. The Port Society has continually rendered aid to the spiritual and moral needs of seaman and their families. Though not open to the public, it is still used as an overnight haven for fishermen and merchant mariners.

The Seamen’s Bethel is the “Whalemen’s Chapel” of Melville’s Moby-Dick, and because of its association for more than 175 years with the old New Bedford whalemen, and other sailors that “Go down to the Sea in Ships,” has become known in the ports of every ocean on the globe.

The Chapel was built in 1831 at a cost of $5,000. It was dedicated on May 2, 1832. In March of 1866, the Bethel was partly destroyed by fire, but it was immediately repaired and renovated. The Chapel was reopened July 26, 1867.
The Society has had 11 regular chaplains over the years. The first Chaplain was Enoch Mudge who held office for 12 years. The reference to “Father Mapple” in “Moby-Dick is beleived to be a characterization of Rev. Enoch Mudge.

The Chaplains have been:

• Rev. Enoch Mudge, 1832-1843
• Rev. Moses Howe, 1843-1858
• Rev. James D. Butler, 1859-1863
• Rev. Samuel Fox, 1863-1869
• Rev. James D. Butler, 1870-1889
• Rev. Edward Williams, 1889-1909
• Rev. Charles S. Thurber, 1910-1955
• Rev. Gene D. Landry, 1957-1965
• Rev. Sydney Adams, 1969-1980
• Rev. C. Leonard Newbert, 1980-1989
• Rev. Roy A. Richardson, 1989 – 1993

The first president of the New Bedford Port Society was Samuel Rodman Jr., a merchant and leading citizen of his era, and the present president is Philip Mello.

The Mariner’s Home was formerly the mansion of William Rotch, Jr. It was built in 1787 and stood on the southwest corner of Water and William Streets.

The Ladies Branch of the New Bedford Port Society was founded in 1833 and Mrs. Sarah Rotch Arnold, wife of James Arnold, was its first president. In 1851 she presented the home of her late father William Rotch Jr., to the Port Society for a Mariner’s Home. Mrs. Arnold gave the mansion on condition that the Ladies Branch would raise $3,00 to furnish it and this was done. The building was moved to the west on Johnny Cake Hill,  just north of the Bethel where it still stands.

The home was opened in May 1851 and has continually rendered aid to the spiritual and moral needs of seamen and their families. Rooms and meals have been provided to thousands of seafaring men over the years.

The Port Society is located in the heart of the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park in downtown New Bedford.  We look forward to your visit to our historic Seamen’s Bethel and hope that you take the time to visit some of the other great organizations and events in our neighborhood.

In 1851, Sarah Rotch Arnold presented to this Society the Mariners’ Home. The ladies then raised $3,000 for furnishings and upkeep. The home was opened in 1851 and used as a boarding house for active seamen, as well as a home for retired seamen. There was a hospital room on the second floor. A Sabbath school and library were started by the ladies. A reading room on the main floor was evidently the most popular meeting place for the sailors.

Originally funds for carrying on all work were raised by private subscription. It is said that as most ship owners contributed one cent per ton as a tax to the treasury of the New Bedford Port Society, they likewise contributed, but not as much, to the Ladies’ Branch. The articles of incorporation from 1861 state: “The purpose of this Corporation shall be to assist in the moral improvement of sick, needy or worthy seamen and to assist other needy or worthy persons: to provide financial assistance for the education of needy and deserving students, giving first consideration to families of descents of seamen; and to assist the New Bedford Port Society in any project relating to the Mariner’s Home or the Seamen’s Bethel which the Ladies’ Branch deems desirable.”

In 1933, at the 100th anniversary meeting of the Ladies’ Branch, Lillian Cummings wrote, “New Bedford is no longer the great maritime city from which five thousand seamen sailed every year. However, the Ladies’ Branch continues on with its work. It is interesting to relate that there are women on the Board today whose great-grandmothers were members of this Society. Years ago it was the custom for membership on the Board to be handed down within families form one generation to the other.”

In the 21st century, New Bedford has come full circle to have been named the No. 1 fishing port in America for value of catch landed. The number of registered fishing vessels is about equal to the number of whaling vessels at the height of that fishery, but the support for fishermen and their families is much more substantial in today’s world. The mission of the Ladies’ Branch continues with the main focus of awarding scholarships to college-bound students from maritime familes or students going into the maritime world themselves, as well as supporting the missions of the Seamen’s Bethel and Mariners’ Home.

Port Society Ladies Branch Scholarship Guidelines (downloadable PDF)

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