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The Association's Newest Exhibit On the corner of Liberty Street and Walnut Lane stands one of the most interesting older houses in the town. Through the will of the late Mrs. George P. Christian this dwelling has been presented to the Nantucket Historical Association, and be comes the newest of the exhibit structures maintained by the Association. It was opened for the first time on June 10 of this year, with Mrs. John Baldwin as its Chairman, assisted by Miss Phinney and Mrs. Noreen Shea. The age of the house has not been determined by historians, but the late Henry Barnard Worth, a diligent and conservative researcher, found that the dwelling was definitely on this site in 1745. The land upon which it stands was set off to Thomas Macy by the proprietors in 1723, and Macy conveyed the house lot to his son Nathaniel Macy in his will in 1745. From the design of the house it is believed it was first erected in the older section of Sherborn and then moved to Liberty Street between 1723 and 1745. Following Nathaniel Macy's ownership it passed into the possession of the Barnard family, and in 1862 it was purchased by John Winn from Mary Barnard. In 1903 it was owned by John Winn's daughter, Mrs. Harriet Butler, and the estate sold it in 1925 to the Monnohanit Club, which organ ization transferred it to St. Paul's Church in 1929. The Hospital Thrift Shop was opened here in 1932. The late George P. Christian bought the house in 1934 and immediately began to restore it. For modern living, an addition to the rear and two dormers on the long rear roof were added. In the work of restoration, Thomas Giffin was the carpenter and Arthur Williams and Fletcher Ross the masons. These contractors and their helpers worked closely under the direction of Mr Christian and the result was a carefully accomplished restoration. Of the early style of Nantucket architecture, the Christian House brings to the visitor some of the atmosphere of that period in Island history when sturdily built dwellings were characteristic of the economic development of the Town. The old framing and the front door were found stowed in the attic and returned to their original locations. The wide floor boards, heavy corner posts, girts and summer beams all attest to the durable construc tion, and the huge fireplaces bring the period of its building into a dramatic perspective. The masons found the original fireplace in the keeping room behind two smaller fireplaces. It measures eight feet across and 24 inches in depth. A similar original fireplace was likewise discovered in the old kitchen. The "herringbone" design of the bricks of the hearth adds to the authenticity of these restored fireplaces. On the beam over the front of the kitchen fireplace was found written in chalk: "lathed Jan. 9, 1853." This was a date when the Barnards still owned the house.
