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Notes on Tuckernuck by Diana Walker IN TELLING THE story of Tuckernuck, we begin with a quotation from Early Nantucket and its Whale Houses, by Forman, describing the 17th century town of Nantucket then known as Sherburne. "In literal sense the colony had no town. It possessed no streets, no houses, no shops. It was a spread out country village arranged in helter skelter fashion. The average dwelling lot comprised of about 20 acres and the roads, nothing but sand ruts, and paths through the grassy hummock and woods. With due grains of allowance, todays settlement on Tuckernuck resembles in several respects the layout of Sherburne." Tuckernuck remains unique because there has been little change in plan or development in the past two hundred years. In 1829, Eliza Gardner, a young Nantucket school girl, drew a map of the island (Nantucket Historical Association). According to her map, and others of that period, there were 11 houses on Tuckernuck. Today there are twenty-six. Only five houses, a few outbuildings, and additions have been constructed in the 20th century. The greatest development took place between 1829 and 1900. There were probably as many as thirty houses during the peak of Tuckernuck's population. We know that the houses no longer standing were either swept out to sea, victims of abandonment, or destroyed by flames. The latter element has always been a serious problem on this little island which has had its share of devastating fires. Nothing can be done about the sea with its ever changing tides, eating away so much of the "backside" of Tuckernuck, and sometimes unexpectedly, depositing sand in some other place on the island's shoreline. After the protection of Smith Point arm disappeared in a series of storms in the 19th century, Tuckernuck had to fend for itself. Since then the south side of the island has been constantly battered, moved and changed. As a result approximately a third of the island has been lost to sea. Although Tuckernuck is only a pin point in the history of the for mation of the Northeastern United States, the result of the massive upheaval caused by the Ice Ages can be clearly seen. Consequently, this island is a source for geological studies in this area. We live in a period of interglacial retreat. The Ice has come four times, and after each advance, it has withdrawn. The second and third Ice Ages brought most of Martha's Vineyard, Chappaquiddick, Tuckernuck, and Nantucket. The fourth Ice Age brought most of Cape Cod, and the Elizabeth Islands.
