New Bedford Whaling History Comes Alive in Legos

Teaching SouthCoast kids about New Bedford's history can be tough but what if you had Legos to make it interesting?

It's OK to admit if you didn't pay too much attention in history class. If you did, maybe you've forgotten much of what you learned about our area's history. Thankfully, Lego and the National Park Service Lego Vignettes, has come to the rescue with a piece that will be showcased at New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park.

Herman Melville only spent a few days in New Bedford and then signed himself onto a whaling ship in Acushnet, according to NPS. Setting sail on Jan. 3, 1841,  he went on to leave a pretty big contribution to the world in "Moby-Dick," released 10 years later.

Stories of Melville's whaling adventure and his descriptions of our city in the book have given millions of people a look into a fascinating time in New Bedford.

Many of us take for granted what our port was like a couple of centuries ago and how our area played a vital role in not just our country's economy but across the globe.

I, for one, am thankful for this reminder in the form of Legos. With the short attention spans so many of us have now, I'm thinking these Legos will be useful tools for just about any classroom.

This isn't the first time New Bedford has gotten some Lego love, either. The national park also got the spotlight in 2020.