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Vintage Nantucket
On a September evening, under a waning moon, my wife and I went for a walk through the heart of Nantucket.The town was still. Our footsteps echoed down the long cavern of India Street... Even more than in the light of day, we could sense all around us Nantucket's ages of history. It is in the evening that Nantucket's ghosts walk with you."
So begins a lyrical stroll through the history of one of America's most fascinating islands. And what a history it is, alive with the dynamic men and women of prolific old Tristram Coffin; Quaker William Rotch, the island's wartime conscience; the shrewd, stubborn Tory, Kezia Coffin; Maria Mitchell, the outspoken astronomer; Captain George Pollard, whose tragedy inspired Moby-Dick, and the island visitor Herman Melville himself.
You don't have to be a Nantucketer to enjoy Vintage Nantucket,with its wide range of island lore, from Muskeget's special species of mouse to an excursion to the fragile barrier beach of Coatue, "warm and beckoning in the afternoon sun... a miniature of the Nantucket that for four centuries has been a lodestar in the lonely sea.
So begins a lyrical stroll through the history of one of America's most fascinating islands. And what a history it is, alive with the dynamic men and women of prolific old Tristram Coffin; Quaker William Rotch, the island's wartime conscience; the shrewd, stubborn Tory, Kezia Coffin; Maria Mitchell, the outspoken astronomer; Captain George Pollard, whose tragedy inspired Moby-Dick, and the island visitor Herman Melville himself.
You don't have to be a Nantucketer to enjoy Vintage Nantucket,with its wide range of island lore, from Muskeget's special species of mouse to an excursion to the fragile barrier beach of Coatue, "warm and beckoning in the afternoon sun... a miniature of the Nantucket that for four centuries has been a lodestar in the lonely sea.
265 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
8 people want to read
About the author
A.B.C. Whipple
28 books8 followersAddison Beecher Colvin Whipple was an American journalist, editor, historian and author. Before his retirement he was editor of Life's International Editions and executive editor of Time-Life Books.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 17, 2015
Author A.B.C. Whipple, who became executive editor of Time-Life Books, first fell in love with Nantucket in 1953 while on his wedding anniversary. Their journey from New York City began with a Night Cape Cod sleeping car that delivered them to a dock where they boarded a schooner complete with private staterooms. The 1950’s luxury mode of transportation sounds relaxing. Whipple was constantly drawn back to Nantucket for decades of family memories.
Like author Whipple I too fell in love with Nantucket years ago while on my honeymoon. Following a morning wedding that included a beautiful reception brunch complete with champagne and Bloody Mary’s my wife and I boarded a commercial plane followed by an island jumper that got us to the Jared Coffin Inn in time for dinner. My appreciation for Nantucket rests primarily with its natural coastal beauty and rich history.
The island 25 miles long and 6 miles wide rests off Cape Cod and was formed by glaciers. Native American’s inhabited Nantucket into the 19th Century and today their heritage is witnessed through the highly collectible “Nantucket basket”. The first common settler was Thomas Macy who purchased Nantucket property in 1659. One of his descendants, Rowland Hussey Macy, the son of a whaling captain, departed for New York to start a retailing operation.
During the American Revolution Nantucket was recognized as the whaling capital of the world. Island captains would head to sea with their crew for 9 months to a few years in search of whales to capture the precious sperm oil used for lamps. The shipmates would depart the full mast ship in boats smaller in length than 2 canoes armed with harpoons. Once the whale was struck the men would hold onto the extended rope following on a “Nantucket sleigh ride”. Spouses who remained on the island learned to live on their own. While Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard residents refer to the railed roof top section of a captain’s house as a “widow walk”, Nantucket folks simply call the section a “walk” as widows would have no reason to walk the platform.
Nantucket’s whaling industry peaked in 1842 with an accumulated 86 ships. The amassed wealth elevated Nantucket to a status above that of their sister island Martha’s Vineyard. Kerosene, which was developed prior to the Civil War, soon diminished the demand for sperm oil.
Throughout history Nantucket residents have maintained a reputation for hard work and independence. Forty years ago Nantucket citizens contemplated seceding from Massachusetts and aligning with another state. Also during the 1970’s U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy proposed a grand Nantucket preservation plan. Natural habitat areas are nice, but the Washington, D.C. intrusion with regulations similar to a big government homeowners association, were too much for the island residents. As one local stated: “No bastard is going to tell me I can’t keep lobster pots on my front lawn.” Nantucket citizens placed their own vote with 392 opposing Kennedy’s proposal and only 12 in favor. The residents, who relished freedom, were ahead of the curve and current anti-Washington D.C. backlash.
Like author Whipple I too fell in love with Nantucket years ago while on my honeymoon. Following a morning wedding that included a beautiful reception brunch complete with champagne and Bloody Mary’s my wife and I boarded a commercial plane followed by an island jumper that got us to the Jared Coffin Inn in time for dinner. My appreciation for Nantucket rests primarily with its natural coastal beauty and rich history.
The island 25 miles long and 6 miles wide rests off Cape Cod and was formed by glaciers. Native American’s inhabited Nantucket into the 19th Century and today their heritage is witnessed through the highly collectible “Nantucket basket”. The first common settler was Thomas Macy who purchased Nantucket property in 1659. One of his descendants, Rowland Hussey Macy, the son of a whaling captain, departed for New York to start a retailing operation.
During the American Revolution Nantucket was recognized as the whaling capital of the world. Island captains would head to sea with their crew for 9 months to a few years in search of whales to capture the precious sperm oil used for lamps. The shipmates would depart the full mast ship in boats smaller in length than 2 canoes armed with harpoons. Once the whale was struck the men would hold onto the extended rope following on a “Nantucket sleigh ride”. Spouses who remained on the island learned to live on their own. While Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard residents refer to the railed roof top section of a captain’s house as a “widow walk”, Nantucket folks simply call the section a “walk” as widows would have no reason to walk the platform.
Nantucket’s whaling industry peaked in 1842 with an accumulated 86 ships. The amassed wealth elevated Nantucket to a status above that of their sister island Martha’s Vineyard. Kerosene, which was developed prior to the Civil War, soon diminished the demand for sperm oil.
Throughout history Nantucket residents have maintained a reputation for hard work and independence. Forty years ago Nantucket citizens contemplated seceding from Massachusetts and aligning with another state. Also during the 1970’s U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy proposed a grand Nantucket preservation plan. Natural habitat areas are nice, but the Washington, D.C. intrusion with regulations similar to a big government homeowners association, were too much for the island residents. As one local stated: “No bastard is going to tell me I can’t keep lobster pots on my front lawn.” Nantucket citizens placed their own vote with 392 opposing Kennedy’s proposal and only 12 in favor. The residents, who relished freedom, were ahead of the curve and current anti-Washington D.C. backlash.
May 29, 2019
If you love Nantucket, read it...
January 22, 2023
Had many details I could not find elsewhere, still some generalities and inaccuracies, no sources provided.
May 22, 2015
Although dated, it was certainly more readable than I thought it would be. Charming!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews