New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford, Mass.
Historic Metal Roofing and Ornamental Restoration

Project Summary
For this National Historic Landmark, commercial roofing contractor Flagship Roofing and Metal Co., Inc. removed the existing copper dome and weather vane, then:

• fabricated and installed a new 20 ft. wide copper dome,
• fabricated a new weather vane, covered it with gold leave, and installed it.

Project Description
New Bedford has a history of whaling.  This rich history is expressed in the New Bedford Whaling Museum. As time progresses historical buildings must be restored, and in the case of this building that meant the major overhaul of the 20 ft wide copper dome. The dome is situated right above the entrance to the museum building.  It gives a unusual and unique period look. In a way, it defines the style of the whole museum.

Flagship initially had to remove the existing dome, which was very heavy because of the size and the thickness of the existing copper.  Painstaking effort was made in the prefabrication of a new dome, matching the style, construction and dimensions exactly. No commercial roofing project is the same as another, but this was a unique construction challenge – there aren't that many 20 ft. wide copper domes in Massachusetts.

Once the work was completed on the copper dome, a newly fabricated weather vane was installed on the top of the dome. This vane was covered in gold leaf, in keeping with the original, but damaged, vane. The completed project is historically correct and, with this handcrafted ornament, iss as good as new.