The Lagoda

In the 19th century, New Bedford, Massachusetts was known as “the city that lit the world” due to its significant role in the whaling industry, providing oil for lamps. Even today, long after whale oil became obsolete and whaling was outlawed, its history and cultural impact can be felt throughout the city. The New Bedford Whaling Museum explores the complex legacy of whale hunting and the role ships like the Lagoda played in this once-mighty industry. 

The original Lagoda was built in 1826 at the Wanton Shipyard in what is today Norwell, Massachusetts. It was supposed to be named after Lake Ladoga in Russia, but two letters were transposed. The ship spent its early years as a merchant vessel before it was purchased by whaling agent Jonathan Bourne Jr. in 1841 and converted into a whaling ship. The Lagoda spent the next 30 years as a whaling vessel and was one of seven ships that narrowly escaped the Arctic whaling disaster of 1871, carrying 195 survivors safely to Hawaii. In 1886, the Lagoda was sold and three years later left for Japan, where it spent a decade as a coal hulk before being broken up in 1899.  

In 1915, Bourne's daughter Emily donated a building to the New Bedford Whaling Museum and allocated funds to build a half-scale replica of her father’s ship, 89 feet long, with a 50-foot mast. The museum describes it as the largest ship model in the world.

The history of whaling is a complex yet significant one. On one hand, the systematic hunting of whales almost led to the extinction of several species. On the other, whaling was essential to numerous cultures around the world; and in the United States, it was an industry where Black, Native American, and Asian sailors could rise to positions of prominence. The New Bedford Whaling Museum explores all these aspects, and if you have an interest in maritime whaling history, the Lagoda and the museum are both worth a visit.