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Historic Nantucket
THE FORGOTTEN TOWN IN THE SEA IS REDISCOVERED The Beginning of Nantucket's Great Revival — 1870 It was during the "Significant Seventies" -- one hundred and ten years ago -- that Nantucket's potential as a summer resort was first recognized by mainland newspapers and magazines. This town in the sea had gone through a decade of depression, with the collapse of whaling, its dominant industry; the loss of a fis*hing fleet off shore; and the universal decline of its industry. The end of the Civil War found it a community population had gradually fallen to less than half of the 10,000 inhabitants it had boasted twenty-five years before. The islanders had witnessed a new era from 1868 to 1878. First came a new interest in the graduates of the Nantucket High School; then came the discovery of this island as a vacation spot and the coming of the first "tourists," and the awakening of the summer season. The development of the summer trade was the question of the times, and the Nantucket Steamboat Company took immediate steps to improve the conditions. The Inquirer and Mirror, the island's newspaper, noted a truism in 1868, when it stated, We would not say a word to dispirit our readers, but our tumbling wharves and vacant warehouses cannot be shut from view. We hope that something may be done to rejuvenate this community...." The Civil War, from 1861 until 1865, brought a new era for Nan tucket, and the old town became the banner town of the Com monwealth," and a Grand Army Post was soon established. Attempts at starting an industry included the launching of a shoe factory and a linen-duster firm. But the main efforts of the townspeople were concentrated on the "summer business," improvement of the railroad service to Hyannis, and development of the Nantucket Steamboat Company. With the advent of 1871, the increase in "strangers" on Nantucket brought up questions of housing and feeding the growing numbers. The town adapted itself well to the situation. The Woods Hole ter minus was added in 1870, and a new steamboat, the River Queen, was added to the Hyannis route. The Springfield Hotel was a new addition to the accommodations in 1872, and the area of "The Cliff' became the first place in the old town to find new houses built and the following year increased interest in the development of Surfside, and a renewed interest in the village of Siasconset.
