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Thank you for supporting Nantucket Preservation Trust’s 19th Annual August Fête
The Houses
34 West Chester Street, c.1722
29 West Chester Street, c.1925
19 West Chester Street, c.1829
Party tent is located at 34 West Chester Street Houses open from 6:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Nantucket Preservation Trust is most grateful to our underwriters, sponsors, and Fête leaders. Special thanks to Honorary Chairs Karli and Jim Hagedorn
nantucket preservation trust 11 Centre Street | P.O. Box 158, Nantucket, MA 02554 508-228-1387 | www.nantucketpreservation.org
Historic images courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association
Graphic Design by Kathleen Hay
West Chester Street
West Chester Street dates from the 1600s, to the early days of European settlement on Nantucket, when homesteads were constructed in the area surrounding a small harbor called Capaum. As the harbor silted over and eventually became a pond, the English settlement shifted gradually to the East between 1670 and 1720, until it reached its present location at the Great Harbor. According to Frances Ruley Karttunen, buildings were moved east along three routes: “North Road (now the western part of Cliff Road), a middle route now named West Chester Street, and to the south, Duke Street (now Dukes Road).” West Chester Street has had many names over the years, including Chester Street, West Centre Street, and simply the Old Road. West Chester Street is considered the southern edge of the neighborhood know as the North Shore, the part of Nantucket to the west of the commercial downtown, north of the Lily Pond.
West Chester Street from the Lily Pond, c. 1920
Looking through the front door of 34 West Chester
Street, 1960s
34 West Chester Street c.1722
Built by Richard Gardner II for Richard Gardner III
34 West Chester Street is one of the best-preserved early 18th century lean-to, or saltbox, style houses on Nantucket. Richard Gardner II built this house for his son Richard Gardner III facing south overlooking the Lily Pond on a portion of land set off to the Gardner family in 1667 known as the Crooked Record. Richard Gardner III was lost at sea shortly after his home’s completion in 1725, but 34 West Chester Street retains a remarkable degree of historic integrity 300 years after its initial construction. In 1994, Jessica Woodle, who acquired the house in 1957, had the foresight to place a preservation restriction, also known as a preservation easement, on the property. The preservation restriction, held by Historic New England, forever protects historic features of the house including floors, beams, stairs, walls and layout, as well as open space on the more than 2-acre property. When Karli Hagedon purchased the property in November 2020, she and her husband Jim sought to carefully restore the house while adding some 21st century updates in a way that respected the home’s history and the protections set forth in the preservation easement. A preservation team including architectural designer Benjamin Normand, masons and plasterers Pen Austin and Colin Evans, timberframers Nathanial Allen, Hollis Webb, and Chris O’Reilly, carpenter Ben Moore, and others all worked tirelessly. Innovative HVAC and electrical work from Dobbert Companies and Kevin Dineen allowed for the installation of a mini-split heating and cooling system with no disturbance to the home’s plaster walls as all mechanical systems were upgraded using existing holes and chases. Landscape architect Julie Jordin created a landscape and garden design for the site that compliments both the historic house and the Lily Pond. Karli furnished the home with a mix of antique finds and modern pieces that fit her family’s style. Now ready for its next 300 years of occupancy, the Richard Gardner III House still maintains the highest degree of historic integrity while graciously accommodating modern life.
In addition to touring the first and second floors of the Richard Gardner III house, be sure to peek inside the charming new shed designed by Ben Normand and built with many reclaimed and recycled materials, as well as the historic pre-1900 shed made from repurposed materials, which now serves as a library. Walk down the hill to admire the beautiful glass greenhouse, imported from the U.K., as well as the garage with Jim’s classic cars.
Interior of 34 West Chester Street, 1962
29 West Chester Street c.1925
Built by Horace L. Gibbs for Frank W. Ramsdell and Estella J. Ramsdell
29 West Chester Street is a classic American Foursquare house. A ubiquitous style in cities and towns across the country, only a handful of these homes survive on Nantucket. The American Foursquare is an easily recognizable housing style, with a cube-shaped structure, pyramidal roof, and central dormers. Harmonious in their simplicity, American Foursquares were a reaction against the prior Queen Anne style, which featured complex rooflines and rambling decorative architectural elements.
29 West Chester was built in 1925 by Horace L. Gibbs, a local contractor, for the Ramsdell family. Gibbs was a talented and prolific carpenter, constructing or repairing many iconic Nantucket structures. Homes built by Horace Gibbs include the shingle style 27 Baxter Road (Captain’s Cabin) in 1903. Gibbs repaired and winterized the Surfside Life-Saving Station in 1895. He worked on One Ocean Ave in ’Sconset, which was featured at NPT’s 2019 Fête.
Frank W. Ramsdell was the son of Warren Ramsdell (of Warren’s Landing, in Madaket). The Ramsdell family was very involved in the development of Madaket, where they built and rented cottages to vacationers. One of Frank’s cottages at 40 Warren’s Landing Road was recently saved from demolition and moved to Larabee Lane for use as year-round housing.
19 West Chester Street c.1829
Moved from 11 Cliff Road c. 1894
Built by housewright Alfred Swain
The cottage at 19 West Chester Street was originally constructed on the site of present-day 11 Cliff Road c. 1829 by Alfred Swain, a housewright. From 1837 to 1846 the home was owned by the progressive educator and Unitarian minister, Cyrus Peirce. In 1894, Orison Hull, the Chief of Nantucket’s Fire Department, moved the house to West Chester Street, and the house known as Innishall was constructed in its place for Harriette and David Nevins. Hull owned 19 West Chester Street until 1927, when the house was purchased by the Nantucket Cottage Hospital, with funding donated by David and Martha Gray, seasonal residents of ’Sconset, who funded many village projects including renovations of the ’Sconset Casino and donating the land and clubhouse for Sankaty Head Golf Club.
19 West Chester Street in its original Cliff Road location, c. 1880s
The Nantucket Cottage Hospital opened on West Chester Street in 1913 and by 1927 had outgrown its two buildings at 21 and 23 West Chester. 19 West Chester Street served as housing for the hospital’s nurses, as well as a waiting room, which was connected to the main hospital building by a breezeway. In 1957, the Nantucket Cottage Hospital opened a purpose-built building on Prospect Street, and 19 West Chester Street reverted back to its original use as a private home.
Nantucket Cottage Hospital Waiting Room c. 1950
19 West Chester Street, c. 1955
become a member
Become a Member of the NPT
The Nantucket Preservation Trust is a nonprofit, membershipsupported organization formed in 1997 whose members are dedicated to the preservation of the island’s historic architecture.
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Sense of Place Society members receive special invitations to tours and events, and acknowledgement in NPT’s Ramblings.
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Leadership level members receive acknowledgement in NPT’s annual publication Ramblings.
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Eco-Elegant interiors by award-winning Dujardin Design. Restoring rooms from the past to last a lifetime.
What exactly is a preservation easement?
A historic preservation easement is a legal document that protects the unique interior and exterior character defining features of a historic building. But what goes into the cost of creating, and administering, a preservation easement program? Each building must be thoroughly researched and documented to show the Massachusetts Historical Commission the significance of the structure.This baseline documentation and history is recorded with the restriction to show exactly what features are protected and why they are important.
NPT works with expert architectural historians to create the preservation restriction, which is then reviewed by the homeowner and their attorney. The Massachusetts Historical Commission reviews the document and weighs in with their questions and concerns. Although an easement is a voluntary agreement entered into by a homeowner and a qualified easement monitoring organization (NPT, or in the case of 34 West Chester Street, Historic New England), Massachusetts is the only state where the municipality must sign off on the easement, too. Between the drafting of the restriction and state and local reviews, this process can take between a year and eighteen months.
NPT then has a responsibility to monitor the preservation easement in perpetuity. The cost to monitor a restricted property and create a site visit report is between $1,000 and $2,000, per property, annually.
One of the largest costs NPT expends on preservation easements occurs when a restricted property changes hands. NPT meets with the potential new homeowner to review their proposed changes to the property. We want to make sure a homeowner feels comfortable with the easement before buying a protected house. NPT is a resource to help homeowners find ways to achieve their desired program while preserving characterdefining features protected by easements.
If a property owner does not fulfill the terms set forth in a preservation restriction, NPT has the responsibility to enforce the restriction, which could mean taking an owner to court. Gratefully, we have not yet found ourselves in that position, but it is a responsibility we take seriously.
Preservation easements are an important tool to protect historic properties. The management of this program in perpetuity requires an investment in the future.
Proceeds from tonight’s paddle raise will benefit NPT’s Easement Fund.
First Congregational Church and Old North Vestry
Bennett Hall (pending)
62 Centre Street
Quaker Meeting House 7 Fair Street
George G. Folger House 23/25 Fair Street (pending)
Fire Hose Cart House 8 Gardner Street
Daniel Worth House 10 Gardner Street (pending)
Greater Light 8 Howard Street
The Nantucket Atheneum 1 India Street
Hospital Thrift Shop 17 India Street
Mitchell-Beinecke House 69 Main Street
Jabez Bunker/Prince Gardner House 85 Main Street
Captain Thaddeus Coffin House 89 Main Street
Hadwen-Wright House 94 Main Street
Thomas Starbuck House 11 Milk Street
1800 House 4 Mill Street
Rescom Palmer House 9 New Mill Street
Antone Sylvia Grocery Store 79 Orange Street
Grafton Gardner House 8 Pine Street
David Swain 2nd House 43 Pine Street (pending)
Nathaniel Hussey House 5 Quince Street
Captain Peleg Bunker House 4 Traders Lane
Nicholson-Andrews House 55 Union Street
Maria Mitchell Birthplace 1 Vestal Street
Maria Mitchell Library Vestal Street
Maria Mitchell Observatory Vestal Street (pending)
American Legion 21 Washington Street
Nantucket Island School of Design & the Arts (Sea View Farm) 23 Wauwinet Road
Surfside Life Saving Station 31 Western Avenue
Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin Lancasterian School 4 Winter Street
Mitchell-Andrews Fish House (pending) 4 Old North Wharf
Boston-Higginbotham House 27 York Street npt easement properties
A Note on the Menu
This year’s menu, created by Nantucket Catering Company, is inspired in part by the North Shore Restaurant and Frances Ruley Kartuunen's Good Things From the North Shore: A Culinary Memoir. The North Shore Restaurant, founded and operated by Esther U. Gibbs, was well-known around Nantucket for its simple, seafood-heavy fare. Daughter of a Swedish-born mother, Esther Gibbs's menu included American classics like chicken pot pie, Indian pudding, and key lime pie alongside Swedish favorites like pickled herring, marinated cucumbers, and Swedish meatballs. This fusion of cultures is part of Nantucket's history.
North Shore Restaurant on Centre Street; Original sign above
2024 Sense of Place Auction
LIVE AUCTION BEGINNING AT 8:00 p . m .
Live Auction Items
1. Boston Pops Parking
Everyone loves The Boston Pops on Nantucket, but no one can find a place to park—except for you! We’ll let you park in our secret spot, thanks to a generous NPT member. Enjoy an easy 15-minute (7/10 of a mile) stroll from a quiet Cliffside location, down rambling lanes evocative of days gone by. Smell the honeysuckles and wild roses along Cobblestone Hill. Turn onto Bathing Beach Road and your night begins!
Parking for one car in a private driveway 7/10ths of a mile away from Jetties Beach, starting at 3:00 PM until after the concert ends on August 10, 2024.
2. Sourdough Starter with Sheila and Matt Fee
Always wanted to bake your own sourdough bread, but not sure where to start? Good sourdough is both a science and an art. Sheila Fee started Pink Salt Sourdough six years ago, and her artisanal bread has been flying off the shelves since. Matt Fee, proprietor of the iconic sandwich shop and bakery
Something Natural, grew up working at his parents’ restaurants. Sheila and Matt’s decades of experience will inspire your at-home bread baking.
One sourdough bread baking lesson at a mutually agreed upon time. Expires August 1, 2025
3. Penwork Custom House Portrait and Custom Notecards
Penwork decoration has been used since the 18th century on furniture, frames, and boxes, often to create the illusion of inlaid ivory. Mary Emery Lacoursiere will create a custom penwork drawing of your Nantucket home, suitable for framing. The original drawing will be used to create custom notecards just for you.
Mary Emery Lacoursiere is currently the Peter M. and Bonnie J. Sacerdote Chair of Education and Community Relations at the Nantucket Historical Association. She received a BA in English and art from Westmost College and an MFA from Pratt Institute in Printmaking and Painting. She is the owner of Emery Design.
Nantucket bay scallops are the gold standard of shellfish. Want to see how the pros do it? Get an inside look at one of the last commercial-scale wild bay scallop fisheries on the east coast. Apprentice with Sharon and Pennel Ames for an insider’s look at commercial scalloping (for one person). Set out from Old North Wharf early in the morning, watch the sunrise over Nantucket Harbor, and commune with nature. Learn favorite scalloping spots—but you’ll be sworn to secrecy!
Includes five pounds of scallops, on-island pickup only.
Commercial scalloping ride-along at a mutually agreed upon time between November 1, 2024 and November 30, 2024. Scallops available for local pickup between November 1, 2024 and November 30, 2024.
4. Nantucket Gold
5. Original Joan Albaugh Oil Painting
“Being entranced by the strong winter light, so blinding and sharp that windows and trivialities of architecture were all but obliterated, the house became a symbol for me,” artist Joan Albaugh writes. Here, in “Island Life,” Albaugh’s work invites the viewer to imagine a solitary stroll along the shoreline, the last rays of winter’s sun illuminating a small seaside house, perfect in its simplicity. This powerful image of the isolated house, enveloped in winter light, has become one of Albaugh’s signatures and is a must for any collector of Nantucket art.
Joan Albaugh studied at The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she received a BFA through Tufts University. While there, she concentrated in watercolor, oil, assemblages, and collage. She is represented by the Old Spouter Gallery and the Artists Association of Nantucket. She was the 2019 People’s Choice Award Winner at the Artists Association of Nantucket, among her many accolades.
Oil on Canvas, Framed, 18” x 22”, image 16”x20”
6. Second Wind with Nathaniel Philbrick
Ahoy! Join National Book Award winning, NewYork Times bestselling author, and Nantucketer Nathaniel Philbrick for a two-hour sail. Your group of four (4) will explore the history and beauty of Nantucket Harbor with Nat aboard his 38-foot yawl Phebe. Designed by Bruce Kirby and built by Damian McLaughlin, a custom boatbuilder in Falmouth, Phebe can sail the seven-mile length of Nantucket Harbor to Wauwinet in a dead low tide.
Limited to 4 people, to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.
Thank you to our Auction Contributors
Joan Albaugh • Pennel and Sharon Ames • Mary Bergman
Chris Bonelli • Lizzie Congdon • Taylor Cullen • Angel Evering
Sheila and Matt Fee • Eric Holch • Kelley Jepson • Mary Lacoursiere
