New England Steamship Foundation
Union and N. Water Streets
New Bedford, MA 02740
This Federal style structure was built circa 1820 by Charles and Seth Russell, Jr., two grandnephews of New Bedford's founder, Joseph Russell, III. The Sundial Building is considered one of the six most important historical structures in New Bedford's waterfront area.
It gets its name from the sundial affixed to the Union St. face of the building, which even today provides accurate standard time. This sundial was used by whalers and mariners to set their nautical instruments and chronometers to "New Bedford Time."
Over the years, the building has housed a number of types of businesses, including a dry goods store, a clock manufacturing operation, law offices, a museum, and a fruit company.
On January 18, 1977 there was an early-morning gas explosion in the tavern on the West side of the Sundial building. O'Malley's Tavern and the newly-renovated Macomber-Sylvia building on the other side of the tavern were completely leveled by the blast. Although the Sundial Building survived the initial explosion, the resulting fire gutted the building.
The building inspectors deemed the building hazardous and recommended demolition. However, the Waterfront Historic Area League (WHALE), still reeling from a major financial loss in the destruction of the Macomber-Sylvia building, stepped up to save the building. Then-Mayor John Markey persuaded the city inspectors to stabilize the building with minimal demolition to the roof and part of the walls. WHALE bought the ruined building for $68,000.
With the assistance of Community Development funds, Heritage and Recreation Service funds from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and private funds, WHALE started restoring the building. By 1978, the restoration was completed, bringing the building back to its 1850 appearance. WHALE donated the building to the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
The Sundial Building is now the headquarters of the New England Steamship Foundation, an organization dedicated to restoring and operating the S.S. Nobska, America's last coastal steamship.
The Sundial building is located within The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.
