The image of the Baker-Robinson Oilworks was shot around 2002.

 

 

 

Time Runs Out for Old Whale Oil Refinery

By David Filipov | The Boston Globe | Apr. 12, 2010

NEW BEDFORD — In its prime, the Baker-Robinson whale oil refinery was a pillar of this port’s reputation as the whaling capital of the world. The factory excelled in using the products taken from sperm whales to produce the finest candles, the best lubricants, and the purest oil for lamps.

But the whaling industry left New Bedford in the 1920s, and the great cauldrons that refined oil in the Baker-Robinson plant never fired again. The hydraulic press that made candles out of spermaceti, a waxy substance taken from the whales’ heads, fell silent.

For the full article, click here.

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