New Bedford

History

In October 1836, Henry Thomas of West Bureau Township registered land at the narrows (now New Bedford), and for a number of years, it was the only registered tract in that section of the county. Henry Thomas was one of the first settlers to enter land at the narrows, which is now New Bedford, in October of 1836. For quite a few years, his land was the only entered tract in that section of the country. It was formerly laid out and named by the settlers from New Bedford, Massachusetts, and was originally called Winnebago. The post office for Winnebago was established on June 12, 1844,  and was changed to New Bedford on July 31, 1855. New Bedford never had a railroad and remained a small village throughout its history. In 2000, the population was 95. In 2008, the population was 91. In the spring of 1837, Cyrus Watson, the first settler on Green River, built a cabin on Thomas' land, believing it to be vacant. About this time, a state road was laid from Princeton to Prophetstown on the Rock River, crossing the Green River at this point. Henry Thomas built a ferry boat, and for a number of years it was known as Thomas' Ferry. File:NewBedford001.jpg|Main St., New Bedford, IL. c. 1910, Pic. 1 File:NewBedford002.jpg|Main St., New Bedford, IL. c. 1910, Pic. 2 File:New_Bedford,_1910.jpg|Green River bridge. c. 1910, Pic. 3 File:NewBedford004.jpg|Green River bridge. c. 1910, Pic.4 File:NewBedford005.jpg|Spratt's Department store. c. 1910, Pic.5 File:NewBedford006.jpg|F.Janderson Department Store. c. 1910, Pic.6 Pic. 1: Looking Northward from the west side of Main Street. Pic. 2: Looking Northward from the East side of Main Street. Pic. 3: Looking northward across the Green River bridge. This section of the river is now called the Old Channel. Pic. 4: Looking Southward…

Geography

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, New Bedford has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  3,016
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,014
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,956
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  2,848
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,721
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,662
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,627
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  2,418

Largest nearby schools

• Bureau Valley High School
  High · Manlius · 317 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• Bureau Valley Elem and JH
  Middle · Manlius · 298 students · 10.3:1 ratio
• Bureau Valley North
  Elementary · Walnut · 192 students · 10.7:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.1 — 2024-07-15
  2 km WNW of Somonauk, Illinois
• M 3.6 — 2023-11-15
  1 km SSW of Standard, Illinois
• M 4.2 — 2004-06-28
  12 km NW of Dayton, Illinois