Ramblings 2013 by Nantucket Preservation Trust

RAMBLINGS

An Annual Publication of the Nantucket Preservation Trust Vol. VIIâ&#x20AC;˘ 2013

Kathleen Hay Designs Te x t u r a l l y I n s p i r e d I n t e r i o r s award-winning interior design firm 508.228.1219

Photo by Jeffrey Allen

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Photo by Kris Kinsley-Hancock

Welcome The Nantucket Preservation Trust is proud to present its seventh edition of Ramblings. This publication is designed to educate about the many benefits of historic preservation, and to provide residents and visitors with a glimpse of the island’s rich architectural heritage. This issue of Ramblings highlights NPT’s 2013 summer events, which we hope you will attend. This year, our annual Summer Kitchens House Tour will be held on Thursday, July 18, along Orange Street and features seven historic houses and the recent restoration work at the Unitarian Meeting House. In addition, we will have on hand celebrity chefs Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, also known as the “Beekman Boys,” who will share their tips on food and sustainable practices. On Friday, July 26, the Summer Luncheon and Lecture will be held at the Great Harbor Yacht Club with guest speaker Gil Schafer, acclaimed architect and author of the new book The Great American House. We will end the season’s fundraising events on the evening of Thursday, August 8, with our Fête house tour and reception along Hulbert Avenue on Brant Point—described as one of the island’s best summer events. We hope you find Ramblings useful and interesting, and encourage you to contact us for additional information and questions about your preservation projects. If you are not already a member of the NPT, we hope you will join us and show your support by helping us to continue our work of protecting this incredible island and its architectural treasures.

Michael May Executive Director Nantucket Preservation Trust 55 Main Street • P.O. Box 158 508-228-1387 • www.nantucketpreservation.org Ramblings is provided at no cost to our members, island property owners, and visitors. Please recycle this publication by passing it along to a friend. Printed with soy-based ink. Paper stock is 10% post-consumer recycled content, grown and manufactured in the USA, and is “sustainable forest certified.”

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Fall In Love With Your Nantucket Kitchen

Cabinets Counters Tile Flooring Appliances Browse our Kitchen & Bath Design Showroom and get inspired! Our consultants will transform your Island kitchen into an organized, stylish gathering place your family and friends will love. Sales, Delivery, Installation & Service for Nantucket since 1944 Kitchen Design Showroom • 4 Bayberry Court • 508.228.0900 marinehomecenter.com

NPT Board of Directors Executive Committee Christopher Mortenson Chair Ken Beaugrand President David Brown Vice President Thomas Richards Treasurer Pam Waller Secretary Nancy Forster Personnel

Directors Kathy Arvay Samuel Bailey Mary-Randolph Ballinger Dabney Bowen Christopher Dallmus Caroline Ellis Mary Helen Fabacher Susan Zises Green Mark Hubbard Michael Kovner Ethan McMorrow Marcia Richards Esta-Lee Stone Lydia Sussek Marie Sussek Suellen Ward

Staff

Michael May Executive Director

Ema Hudson Events and Membership Coordinator Marisa Holden Marketing Associate Henry Ian Pass, Esq. Counsel

Photography

Jeffrey Allen Kris Kinsley-Hancock Kathleen Hay Kara Litvinas Michael May

Guest Contributors

Christine Harding

Graphic Design

Kathleen Hay Designs

Copy Editor

Elizabeth Oldham

Ramblings •

Vol VII • 2013

Table of Contents

Did You Know?

Annual Summer Kitchens House Tour Historic Orange Street Neighborhood

Discover 56 Centre

Tips for Easily GreeningYour Home

A Brief History of Marine Home Center

Preservation Awards Honoring Our 2013 Recipients

NPT Summer Luncheon & Lecture Architect and Author Gil Schafer

The Greek Revival Style

August Fête: Get to the Point! Brant Point Neighborhood

Preservation Tools 46 WhenWas Your House Built? Mark Your Old House Building History Program Preservation Restrictions The Fire Hose Cart House Architectural Walking Tours NPT’s Architectural Preservation Fund Clarissa Porter Preservation Easement Fund Mary Helen and Michael Fabacher Scholarship NPT Membership Information

Ramblings echoes the spirit of a guide first published in 1947 titled Rambling through the Streets and Lanes of Nantucket, by Edouard A. Stackpole. Cover photo of 94 Main Street by Jeffrey Allen Historic images courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association Copyright © 2013 Nantucket Preservation Trust

Let us show you What’s possible The Nantucket Preservation Trust NPT is a membership nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of Nantucket’s sense of place.

OUR BELIEF Nantucket’s historic architecture is a unique and valuable asset that makes the island special. OUR GOAL To preserve Nantucket’s architectural heritage for present and future generations to enjoy. OUR HOPE That you will join us in working to preserve our past.

Photo by Jeffrey Allen

OUR PROGRAMS

Annual Speakers Program • Apprenticeships • Architectural Studies Architectural Lectures • August Fête • Brief, Concise, and Comprehensive House Histories Historic District Commission Testimonies • Historic Research House Markers • House Resource Assistance • Interior Surveys Interviewing Your Old House • Kitchen M arketplace • Landmark History Books Main Street Architectural Walking Tour • Neighborhood Book Series Preservation Awards • Preservation Easements • Preservation Month Programs Private Walking Tours • Ramblings • Scholarships • ’Sconset Walking Tour Summer Kitchens House Tour • Traditional Building Methods Demonstrations

Did you know?

View of ’Sconset, by Rev. L. W. Bostwick, 1879

That ’Sconset was among the first summer resorts in the nation? Established as a fishing station in the late 1700s, its unique charm eventually lured many of Nantucket’s leading families to settle there on a seasonal basis. Beginning in the mid-eighteenth century, they would spend the spring, summer, and sometimes early fall in ’Sconset to fish, relax, and to catch a cool breeze away from the bustling town. Among those calling ’Sconset their home away from home were whaling captains’ families who summered in the historic fishing shanties along Broadway and Center and Shell Streets and prosperous whaling merchants, several of whom built summer cottages along ’Sconset’s Main Street in the 1830s. ’Sconset was often home to retired mariners, including Benjamin Lawrence, a survivor of the ship Essex, as well as several “whaling wives”—those who accompanied their husbands on the long whaling voyages. It was not until the second quarter of the nineteenth century when the village became to lure large numbers of mainlanders for the season. By the end of the century, the village became known as the Actors Colony due to the large number of Broadway actors and artists who summered there. 9

Summer kitchens house tour: Historic Orange Street Neighborhood

26, 28, and 30 Orange Street, circa 1870s 10

NPT’S ANNUAL SUMMER KITCHENS HOUSE TOUR Historic Orange Street Neighborhood Thursday, July 18, 2013 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Join us for this annual event to explore a variety of kitchens and historic homes with special guests, Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, “The Fabulous Beekman Boys.” Tickets are $45 and may be purchased in advance or on the day of the tour. For information, contact the NPT office at 508-228-1387 or visit us at www.nantucketpreservation.org. Made possible by our lead corporate sponsor:

ReMain Nantucket and Marine Home Center

The Orange Street neighborhood is the site of the NPT’s Ninth Annual Summer Kitchens House Tour. This year we are providing the opportunity to view a wide array of kitchens. The tour is meant to help you gather ideas for your next kitchen project, large or small, and to highlight how preservation and being green can be incorporated into kitchen design and everyday life in a historic house. The tour provides participants an opportunity to view kitchens as well as some other sections of the houses and gardens. Tour goers can view the properties at their own pace, while sampling treats prepared by local chefs. Don’t miss our Kitchen Marketplace located at 44 Orange Street for unique gifts and kitchen items.

ORANGE STREET Orange Street is in the Fish Lots, an area laid out in 1717 comprising twenty-seven sections, or shares, one for each of the twenty original landholders’ families, and one-half for each of the fourteen half-share tradesmen’s families. The Fish Lots—so named because open areas were filled with wooden fish racks, used to dry codfish—were first developed with houses in the 1720s, and in 1726 Orange Street was laid out near the eastern boundary above Quanaty Bank. The roadway connected the new settlement around the Great Harbor to the area known as West Monomoy, near the creeks. The street name appears to have been first recorded in the 1799 list of town streets compiled by Isaac Coffin. 11

Early on, Orange Street became one of the busiest streets in the settlement due to its location above the bank and its access to the Newtown Gate, which separated the town from sheep pasture. The prominent location also made it ideal for residential development, and it was soon divided into lots and built upon. Edouard A. Stackpole, in Rambling through the Streets and Lanes of Nantucket, notes that 126 sea captains had made Orange Street their address over the span of a century, believed to be a record unsurpassed by any other street in America. By the late nineteenth century, Orange, was known as the street of hostelries, offering some of the finest accommodations for visitors.

Unitarian Meeting House, circa 1870s

unitarian meeting house  11 Orange Street, 1809 A landmark and beacon from the sea, the Unitarian Meeting House was built as a place of worship for the island’s expanding Congregational church. Originally known as the Second Congregational Society, in 1837 it became a Unitarian church. It is also referred to as South Church, distinguishing it from the First Congregational, or North Church, on Centre Street. Throughout its history, the meeting house has played an important community role by opening its doors to intellectual discourse as well as to entertainment, community events, and for worship to various religious 12

groups. In the nineteenth century, many of the town’s leading citizens attended services here—perhaps the most famous being librarian and famed astronomer Maria Mitchell, who probably heard Ralph Waldo Emerson speak in 1845, and Lucretia Coffin Mott, the antislavery and women’s rights activist who spoke in 1856. Construction on the meeting house began in 1808 by carpenter Elisha Ramsdell and his crew. The building has evolved over the years, originally with a simple tower that held the first town clock. Installation of the Portuguese bell in 1815 further led to rebuilding of the tower in 1830 to accommodate the weight of the bell. In the early 1840s—at the height of the whaling heyday—changes included raising the floor of the sanctuary to create a usable meeting space below, redesigning the interior, and the addition of the loft to accommodate the Goodrich organ that has graced the meeting house for over one hundred and eighty three years. One of the most notable changes was the interior decorative painting, attributed to German artist Carl Wendte, and recently restored.

12 Orange Street  c. 1773 Deed records indicate that this house was built by Samuel Barker sometime between 1773 and 1775. Barker sold the dwelling house occupied by his daughter, Phebe Wheeler, to Christopher Starbuck Jr. in 1775, who sold it the following year to Christopher Hussey Jr., merchant. The Hussey family held the house for 133 years, but Christopher nearly lost the house in 1792, due to debt. The court divided the house, awarding the north end, along with three cows and land at South Monomoy, to a creditor. The north end was purchased by Christopher Hussey’s brother-in-law, Edward Carey, ropemaker, two years later. In 1802, Carey sold his portion of the house to Christopher’s son Cyrus, and upon Christopher’s death in 1803, it was conveyed to his stepmother Abiel Hussey. In 1841, Christopher and Abiel’s youngest child Rachel—widow of Captain Francis B. Smith, who died at sea in 1831—purchased what appears to have been a share of the property from her brother Benjamin F. Hussey “as guardian for her sons, Francis Jr. and Benjamin.” The Smith family gained ownership of the remainder of the house in 1847 when Francis, no longer a minor, purchased the shares of extended family members. Smith, who had his business at 18 Orange Street, is listed in census records as a carpenter and later an undertaker. Upon retirement he became the keeper of the Brant Point Lighthouse. Upon his death in 1909, his heirs sold the property to sisters Elsie and Iva Jernegan, whose family retained the house until 1964. 13

12 Orange Street with unidentified man, probably Francis Smith, circa 1900

26 Orange Street  c. 1756 William Russell, a saddler, acquired the property now known as 26 Orange Street in 1756, and he either built the house or moved a dwelling to the site soon thereafter. Local lore suggests the house dates to 1723 and was moved from Sherburne, the early English settlement west of the presentday town. The large central chimney plan is typical of early houses of the period. Records reveal that William’s daughter Ruth married neighbor John Beard and inherited the property upon her father’s death in 1782. Little is known about this family, but Beard was disowned by the Quakers in 1774, probably due to his association with the Free Masons. The house remained in the Beard family for the next hundred years, when Sarah Beard Smith sold the house to Marcus Reynolds of Brockton. As foreman of a major shoe-manufacturing company in that city, Reynolds was among the wave of wealthy mainlanders to acquire property on island for use as their summer houses. In 1881, Henry A. Willard, of Washington, D.C., purchased the property. Willard had operated the Willard Hotel, leading it to become one of the national capital’s most famous hotels. The Willard family held the Orange Street property until 2004. 14

Orange Street looking south, 1870s

33 orange street – The Captain robert wyer house c. 1760  Captain Robert Wyer (1737–1816) purchased the land in the sixth Fish Lot in 1760 and is believed to have built this house for his bride, Zilpha Sherman, soon thereafter. The family retained the house until 1818, when it was sold to the Reverend Seth Swift, first minister of the Second Congregational Society—today’s Unitarian Church. Reverend Swift and his wife, Valina Rawson, lived here until 1832, when it was sold to Peter Macy, who in 1834 sold the property to William R. Coffin. Coffin is listed as a butcher in the 1850 U.S. Census and as a retired mariner by 1860. He lived at 33 Orange Street until his death in 1863. In 1865, the house was purchased by U.S. Army Captain George Hussey Tracy, who was wounded during his Civil War service. Tracy participated in General Tecumseh Sherman’s march from Atlanta to Savannah, 15

and appears to have contracted yellow fever during the war, dying of the disease at the age of forty two on September 17, 1867. The property was inherited by his mother, whose daughter Mary married the Rev. William E. “Dr. Will” Gardner. They lived in the house until 1963, when Martin Coffyn purchased the property and undertook a major restoration. Coffyn left the house to his friend, artist Jon Stroup, who subsequently bequeathed it to the Nantucket Historical Association. Today it serves as the home of the organization’s executive director.

45 Orange Street looking north, circa 1880s

45 Orange street  c. 1820 This typical Nantucket House with a four-bay front elevation was the most common form on island from the late eighteenth century through the 1820s. Ebenezer Rand Jr., a mason, paid $427 for the lot in 1820 and most likely built the house soon thereafter for his family—wife, Eunice, and children Thomas, Hepsabeth, and John. Rand outlived his wife and died at age seventy-eight in 1857. The house was sold at public auction in 1858 to Samuel Woodward, master carpenter, who lived here with his second wife, Kezia, for many years. 16

51 ORANGE STREET  c. 1821 Located on Wesco Hill in the tenth Fish Lot, this piece of land descended from Jonathan Burnell, merchant. His grandson, Samuel Burnell, blacksmith, sold the land to Job Coleman in 1821, and the house probably dates to around that time. By 1828, Coleman had sold the land with a dwelling house to George Kelley, a mariner. By 1841, William Keene, a master mariner, bought the house at auction from Kelley’s daughter, a minor child. Between 1841 and 1845 Keene and his father-in-law, William Rivers, bought and sold the house to and from each other until 1860. Rivers sold the property to his daughter, Keene’s wife, “to be held by the said Abby G. Keen [sic] to her sole and separate use free from the interference and control of said William Keen or his creditors.” The house, also used as a general store and other businesses, remained in the family into the twentieth century. In 1996, it was extensively renovated and in 1998 purchased by Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford, who lived here one season, selling it the following year.

53 ORANGE STREET  Mid-Eighteenth Century The construction date of this house has not been determined. Local lore describes it as the home of a Seth Coffin, but there were several Seth Coffins at the time and no connection of the house to a man of that name has been found. The lean-to form is typical of construction of the mideighteenth century, and this house may have been built or moved here. Its presence on Orange Street is noted on the 1834 William Coffin map. The Historic American Buildings Survey states it was purchased in 1802 by Laban Coleman from Elishai Raymond, house joiner. A clear chain of ownership, however, does not begin until 1835, when three of Thomas Starbuck’s sons–Simeon, Levi, and Joseph–sold an undivided one-fifth share of the tenth Fish Lot, which they had been given by their father, to John B. Nickerson, a carpenter. Eight months later, Nickerson sold the lot to three Nantucketers: Laban Coleman, John J. Gardner, and Reuben R. Pinkham. Eventually, the property descended to Lydia B. Ray, daughter of Laban Coleman (d. 1848), who held it until 1870. In 1941, the house was owned by local preservationist Everett Crosby, who was influential in the establishment of the historic district ordinance as author of the book Ninety-Five Percent Perfect. 17

53 Orange Street, circa 1890s

60 ORANGE STREET  Mid-Nineteenth Century A building at 60 Orange Street appears on the 1834 Coffin Map of Nantucket, but the present house can only be traced to the ownership of John Murray Sr., a retired mariner who captained the Abby Bradford in the 1860s. In 1869, Murray, originally from the Azores, settled permanently on Nantucket and brought with him his son John Jr. and daughter-in-law. In 1871 he married Harriet Appleton of Nantucket. By 1875 he had established a grocery store at 58 Orange Street that he operated with his son. In his will, Murray stated, “To my dear son John Murray, Jr., who has been the business partner and advisor of my middle life and the joy and comfort of my declining years….though begotten by me out of wedlock, I here before God and these witnesses declare to be my natural son….I bequeath my property on Orange Street, the house and all buildings thereon standing…” Although he left another house to his wife, Harriet, she contested the will, petitioning for permission to sell the Orange Street property and the will was reversed, but a higher court in New Bedford reinstated the original will in favor of the son. In one of the petitions, Harriet claimed the property had been owned by Peter Sylvia and Sarah Lake. An undated letter in the Wyer family files at the NHA library refers to the house as being “Ma Wyer’s old house.” npt 18

range Street is in the Fish Lots, an area laid out in 1717 comprising t wenty-seven sections or shares, one for each of the t wenty o riginal landholders’ families and one-half for each of the fourteen halfshare tradesmen’s families. The Fish Lots— so named because open areas were filled with wooden fish racks, used to dry codfish. Lower Orange Street, circa 1860

BRENT RIDGE & JOSH KILMER-PURCELL “THE BEEKMAN BOYS” The next Martha Stewarts - Epicurious One of the fastest growing lifestyle brands in America - Nasdaq Crisp, clever, and fabulous - USA Today Must See! - Entertainment Weekly When Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge bought the Beekman Farm in upstate New York in 2008, they didn’t just start a farm, they started a movement. A mere five years later they already have a hit TV show, bestselling books, product lines in leading retailers, a massive social following, and a James Beard-nominated lifestyle website. They’ve been featured in most major media outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today, Vanity Fair, The Martha Stewart Show, Rolling Stone, Dr. Oz, Vogue, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Rachael Ray, WSJ, O Magazine, and more. Known best as “The Fabulous Beekman Boys” from their hit television reality show airing on Cooking Channel, the duo has put its stylish stamp on seasonal living. Their farm and surrounding community serves as the inspiration for their lifestyle brand, “Beekman 1802.” The brand’s signature beauty, home, and food products can be found on the shelves of Henri Bendel, Anthropologie, Williams-Sonoma and other national retail partners. The Beekman 1802 cookbook was launched on QVC to record sales, and the memoir of their farm life, The Bucolic Plague, was a national bestseller. The 2011 launch of their Beekman 1802 Blaak Cheese resulted in a wait-list of over 7,500 people. The Fabulous Beekman Boys is currently airing on Cooking Channel three days per week. And in 2012, over 12 million Americans (and millions more around the globe) watched as they went from “Ultimate Underdogs” to First Place Winners on CBS’s multiple Emmy-winning The Amazing Race. 20

Summer KitchenS House Tour Historic orange Street Neighborhood presented by

Nantucket preservation trust With Special Guests The Fabulous Beekman Boys Brent Ridge & Josh Kilmer-Purcell * Featuring local cuisine and products *

Thursday, July 18, 2013 10am - 4 pm Tickets $ 45 For tickets and information, contact the NPT office at 508-228-1387 or visit our Web site:

www.nantucketpreservation.org

www.remainnantucket.org

Discover

Harrison G.O. Dunham Jr.

56 Centre

At ReMain Nantucket, we work toward the economic sustainability of the business community and the reconditioning and preservation of the downtown’s unique built environment. At the heart of our commitment to Nantucket is a respect for the importance of the people who live, work, and play in the downtown. We sponsor NPT’s 2013 Kitchen Tour with the hope that everyone who walks through the downtown will be reminded of those who make up the fabric of our community, now and in the past. In the course of renovating 56 Centre to provide a new home for the Nantucket Community Music Center and a downtown campus for the Nantucket Community School, we learned about the people who have shared in the privilege of owning this beautiful building. The house was constructed in the 1840s by Harrison Gray Otis Dunham, one of Nantucket’s most successful whale-oil merchants, shortly after his marriage in 1843 to Sophronia Edwards Gardner, the widow of another whaling captain, Albert C. Gardner. The 1850 U.S. Census indicates that all of Harrison’s children from his ﬁrst marriage lived at 56 Centre, including: Joseph, age 27, cooper; Charles, age 24, butcher; Ann, age 20; William, age 18, shipwright; and James, age 15, student; as well as Sophronia’s daughter, Sarah Gardner, age 15; and Harrison’s and Sophronia’s three children, Martha, age 5; Harriet, age 2; and Harrison Jr., age 7 months. Harrison had an interest in at least two whale ships, the Nantucket and the Harvest. ideas • investments • initiatives

Ramblings 2013 Ad-ReMain-56Centre-MMay/Libby Corrections_Layout 1 6/14/13 10:38 AM Page 2

As the eldest child of Harrison and Sophronia, Martha Dunham was the ﬁrst person to be born at 56 Centre, on October 21, 1844. In her twenties, Martha married Nantucket native Lt. John Wyer Summerhayes, U.S. Army, in 1874 and accompanied her husband out west, traveling by ship from San Francisco to the mouth of the Colorado River and then up the river and through the desert to his post in Arizona. Their adventure was chronicled by Martha in her memoir, Vanished Arizona, published in 1908. Harriet Dunham lived at 56 Centre Street for most of her life. She never married, and like her mother, Sophronia, was a dedicated member of the Nantucket Relief Association, a women’s organization founded in 1873 to assist "indigent, aged people in our midst." Records indicate she was also an early member of the Nantucket Historical Association and a contributor to the Maria Mitchell memorial chartered in 1903.

Martha Summerhayes

Harriet, who had inherited the house, sold it in 1891 to Miss Carrie Middlebrook. Like Harriet Dunham, Carrie Middlebrook had traveled in Europe and was involved in local affairs on Nantucket. In 1895, she lent her name to an advertisement in the Inquirer and Mirror appealing to voters of Nantucket to provide the right of municipal voting to women. By 1919, Florence and Henry Lang, who were influential summer residents and are credited with starting Nantucket’s art colony, had acquired the property and used it as a summer inn known as Middlebrook House. Through its various owners in the twentieth century—including Arthur Pray, Alice Hartley, John Ayers, Maud and George Dinsmore, and Maud’s sister, Bertha Cassidy and her husband, Henry—the building was used as a residence, sometimes seasonal and sometimes year-round, and as an inn. Prior to being purchased for the current project in 2011, it was an annex of the Jared Coffin House across the street. As we renovate 56 Centre for its next incarnation as a school for the people of Nantucket, we hope that future generations will pass through its doors to expand their horizons, look forward without forgetting the past, and add to the vitality of the Nantucket community.

Wendy Schmidt

President, ReMain Nantucket

Melissa Philbrick

Executive Director, ReMain Nantucket

All photos courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association

Ten Tips for easily greening your home Preservation goes hand-in-hand with conservation and sustainable practices.

mproving the energy efficiency of historic buildings is more important than ever; technology for improving energy efficiency of buildings is constantly evolving. We often hear about adding solar panels and replacing old appliances with Energy Star–rated ones, but there are also some basic steps you can take to curb energy use in your old or new house today without spending a lot of money. Taking these simple steps will help you “green” your home by reducing your carbon footprint, as well as lower your energy costs. •

Adjust thermostats that control hot-water heaters, refrigerators, freezers, fans, furnaces, boilers, and air conditioners.

•

Keep your refrigerator stocked to avoid cooling empty space.

•

Curb water use and fix leaky faucets.

•

Reduce use of hot water. Most energy use for washers involves heating water.

•

Replace high-flow shower heads with good-quality, low-flow models. 24

•

Insulate hot-water pipes and your hot-water tank .

•

Air-seal recessed light fixtures that penetrate insulation.

•

Install gaskets behind outlets and switches.

•

Caulk and seal windows and doors and lock windows to make them close securely.

•

Turn off electronics when not in use. Studies show some appliances and other electronics can consume power even when turned off. Using power strips can make unplugging easier.

•

Turn off unnecessary lights.

•

Replace light bulbs. CFLs produce excellent light, are far more efficient than incandescent bulbs, and last ten times longer. The latest generation of light-emitting diode lights may be an even better alternative: they produce light that more closely resembles incandescent light, last even longer than CFLs, and their cost—once quite high—is falling fast. npt

A brief history of the

marine home center

26 26

he land on which Marine Home Center is located was originally part of the West Monomoy subdivision laid out by the proprietors in 1726. Although at the edge of the town, this area held several early houses by the 1750s, and the Walling Map indicates scattered development along Orange Street at the site by 1834. This development included the homesteads of Benjamin Manter, mariner, and Caleb Cushman, which comprised most of the current Marine Home Center property. In 1871, the “homestead of the late Caleb Cushman” was purchased by the Burgess family, who held the property into the twentieth century. In 1895, with a bicycle-racing craze hitting the island, Eugene S. Burgess constructed a quarter-mile bicycle racetrack known as Centennial Park Bicycle Track on the property. According to the Inquirer and Mirror, the park also included a grandstand, tennis courts, and baseball grounds. The success of Centennial Park appears to have been short-lived, and in 1928 Burgess sold a portion of the property to the Sears Lumber Company of Middleboro, which used the site as a lumber yard. The company had supplied building materials to the island for at least a decade prior, and sold the facility to their on-island employee, Howard U. Chase, during the height of the Great Depression. Chase operated the yard as the Chase Lumber Company until 1944 when it was relocated and the property sold to the Marine Lumber Company—part of the Island Service Company, Nantucket’s main supplier of ice, lumber, coal, and fuel oil. For much of its history, Marine was held by Walter Beinecke Jr. as part of Sherburne Associates and was managed by Albert “Bud” Egan before Egan acquired it in 1966. Like its predecessors, Marine started out as a lumber supplier, but the firm diversified to offer a host of products and services. Over the years, Marine opened a garden center, a home center, and a modern department store on island. This expansion offered customers the opportunity to shop for not only building supplies and home and garden products, but specialty items. A wine and cheese shop, hairdresser, and high-end dress shop were among its departments. Expansion began in the 1950s with the addition of a downtown hardware and appliance store and a flower shop along Petticoat Row. In addition, the lumber division expanded by building panelized homes such as those found today along Goldstar Drive. The original site also grew to house these new services and included the purchase of the former Colonial Craft Shop—a millwork shop— located just east of the lumber yard. In 1966, a new building with large display windows was constructed to display its products and many services. In 1973, the company changed its name to Marine Home Center, and in the 1980s it expanded across Orange Street where its kitchen design and appliances sales are located. npt 27

Nantucket Preservation Trust Preservation awards

43 Pine Street

PT’s annual Preservation Awards, established in 2007, recognize individuals and organizations that advance the cause of historic preservation on island. The Preservation Awards program is designed to show that a building can be sensitively updated while maintaining and preserving its historic integrity. Awards emphasize proper preservation, showcase the island’s craftspeople, and reveal the foresight of owners who care about our historic structures and landscape. Awards are provided for the preservation of historic buildings and landscapes, and for the protection and stewardship of the island’s historic resources. They fall into five general categories. This year, a new category, Historical Renovation, has been added to recognize sensitive new additions to the island’s historic fabric. Architectural Preservation: The Architectural Preservation Award recognizes the owner of a historic structure, and when appropriate one or more building professionals who assisted in the completion of a significant preservation project. In order to qualify for the award, preservation of those portions or features that convey the property’s historical, cultural, or architectural values is required. Landscape: The Caroline A. Ellis Landscape Award recognizes the owner of a historic landscape, and, when appropriate, individuals associated with the property, such as landscape professionals. The award recognizes the careful steward ship or preservation of a Nantucket landscape associated with a historic structure or area, or the completion of a new design that enhances the historic fabric of the community. Stewardship: The John A. and Katherine S. Lodge Stewardship Award recognizes the owner of a historic property who demonstrates a high degree of commitment to the preservation of the structure and the island. An individual or organization maintaining a historic property, or playing an important part in the preservation of Nantucket can also be nominated for this award. 29

Traditional Building Methods: The Traditional Building Methods Award recognizes craftspeople who practice traditional building methods or who have made a major contribution to the field of historic preservation on island. Recipients must demonstrate a commitment to one or more of the traditional building methods—such as plastering, carpentry, masonry using lime-mortar, or decorative painting. Historical Renovation: The Historical Renovation Award recognizes the owner of a historic structure and, when appropriate, building professionals who assisted in the design and completion of a sensitive new addition to a historic structure. Projects should adhere strictly to the guidelines found in Building With Nantucket in Mind. In addition to the five annual awards, the NPT Board of Directors periodically honors those who have made a major impact on the preservation of the island with the Excellence in Preservation Award.

Decorative detail on porch at 65 Pleasant Street 30

Nantucket Preservation Trust 2013 Preservation Award Recipients

preservation awards 2013

Michelle Elzay • Sparrow Design 43 pine Street Architectural Preservation Award St. Paul’s Church in Nantucket Stained-Glass Window Restoration Stewardship Award The Nantucket Garden Club Main Street Horse Fountain Landscape Award Ellen and Sam Phelan & Twig Perkins Porch at 65 Pleasant Street Traditional Building Methods Award Angus and Deb MacLeod • Angus MacLeod Designs

9, 12, 14, and 15 Pochick Street, Siasconset Historical Renovation Award

University of Florida’s Preservation Institute: Nantucket

Documenting Nantucket’s historic Resources Excellence in Preservation Award

Celebrating Nantucket’s Historic Architecture 31

THE ARCHITECTURAL PRESERVATION AWARD Michelle Elzay, Sparrow Design • 43 Pine Street

The house at 43 Pine Street was in need of major renovation, but retained a remarkable amount of original fabric as well as its early plan. A group of artisans was hired to complete the work and ensured that original elements were restored correctly while the systems, baths, and kitchen were updated. The preservation project was completed with a “light touch” and included the removal of old paint and inappropriate recessed lighting; restoration of fireboxes; repairing and refinishing floors; restoration of the original bake oven; and the repair of old hardware, which revealed some whalebone elements beneath layers of paint. The interior design is modern yet respectful of Quaker tradition, proving that preservation and modern design can work hand in hand. A host of island contractors assisted with the work, among them Pen Austin (floors and bake oven), and Adam Zanelli of Heritage Painting.

THE JOHN A. & KATHERINE S. LODGE STEWARDSHIP AWARD St. Paul’s Church in Nantucket • Fair Street Stained-glass Window Restoration

St. Paul’s Church is the recipient of the Stewardship Award for the restoration of its stained-glass windows. St Paul’s, constructed in 1901, contains stained-glass windows designed by three studios: Connick of Boston (north and south aisles); Willet of Philadelphia (clerestory windows in roof); and the original windows produced by Tiffany Studios of New York City (altar and west end). The restoration of these windows has included repair of frames, stained glass, identification of water infiltration, and remediation. Contractors included: Cheney Brothers, Nantucket, for the installation of motors to open four clerestory windows; Norton Preservation Trust, for the evaluation of water problems; James Lydon, Sons & Daughters, for the repair of the bell tower/roof; Wayne Morris, mason, for the repair of water-damaged walls; Westmill Preservation Services, Halifax, Massachusetts, for window-frame restoration; and Serpentino Stained & Leaded Glass, Inc., Needham, Massachusetts, for the restoration of stained glass. 32

THE CAROLINE A. ELLIS LANDSCAPE AWARD The Nantucket Garden Club • Main Street Horse Fountain This year’s Landscape Award recognizes the work of the Nantucket Garden Club, specifically the beautification of the Main Street Horse Fountain. The fountain, which dates to 1885, originally was used as a trough to water horses and was at various locations along Main Street. Today, it is the VFW’s memorial to Lt. Max Wagner, the only Nantucketer killed in the Spanish-American War, and serves as a symbolic welcome to Main Street. The Nantucket Garden Club’s plantings have contributed to the fountain’s beautification, which has signaled its need for restoration. The plantings have been undertaken by the club since the early 1970s—in the recent past by Mary Gambee and currently by Donna Hamel, who refreshes them six times a year.

Sketch of Horse Fountain by Mark Hubbard 33

65 Pleasant Street

TRADITIONAL BUILDING METHODS AWARD

Ellen and Sam Phelan, property owners â&#x20AC;˘ Twig Perkins, contractor 65 Pleasant Street The house at 65 Pleasant Street was built circa 1835 and was purchased in 1841 by Samuel King, an immigrant from Ireland who first worked as a cooper on whaling ships. In his later years, King became an avid gardener and commercial florist and created an elaborate garden around the house and the adjoining property that was featured in House & Garden Magazine in 1902. The elaborate porch design with its vine and floral motif was most likely added by King in the late 1800s. Ellen and Sam Phelan, descendants of the King family, retain the property today and decided to recreate the front porch, which had been removed about 1940. They used historic Âphotographs to determine the design and hired preservation carpenter Twig Perkins to complete the elaborate decorative work. 34

HISTORICAL RENOVATION AWARD Angus and Deb MacLeod, Angus MacLeod Designs; Johnson, Stockton, and Jones families, property owners 9, 12, 14, and 15 Pochick Street The four Underhill Cottages at 9, 12, 14, and 15 Pochick Street in ’Sconset date to the 1880s. Edward Underhill designed these cottages along with others on Evelyn and Lily Streets to resemble the early fish shanties in the heart of the village. The work completed by Angus MacLeod Designs for the individual homeowners reflects the spirit of the original Underhill cottages and shows that sensitive additions to historic buildings can be accomplished while maintaining the integrity and sense of scale and proportion of the original structures. In addition, the cottage renovations are sensitive to the early streetscape. Much of the work on the cottages was completed with the skillful assistance of carpenters Bill Willet and Bernie Civitarese. EXCELLENCE IN PRESERVATION AWARD University of Florida’s Preservation Institute: Nantucket For over forty years, the University of Florida’s Preservation Institute: Nantucket has educated undergraduate and graduate students in the preservation field, using the island as a classroom. Their work has unveiled the history of many historic buildings and neighborhoods and also has included the completion of Historic American Building Surveys, material conservation studies, and other preservation-related reports. This year, PI:N will begin a new project using 3D laser technology to document historic Nantucket.We honor PI:N for its leadership in the field and its willingness to partner with other institutions to promote historic preservation and Nantucket’s architectural heritage. Past directors of the program have included the co-founder (with Walter Beinecke Jr.) Blair Reeves, Ron Haase, Susan Tate, Greg Hall, Herschel Shepard, Cynthia Ruffner, and Peter Prugh. Currently, Marty Hylton, director, and Linda Stevenson, co-director, are supervising the programs. npt

Sketch of St. Paul’s by Frank Henry

Nantucket Preservation Trust Celebrating Nantucket’s Architectural Heritage PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS Architectural Preservation Award Maria Mitchell Association, Maria Mitchell Birthplace, 2012 Unitarian Meeting House, Orange Street, 2011 Lucy Dillon, property owner; Steve Lindsay, contractor, 37 Liberty Street, 2010 ReMain Nantucket, Mitchell’s Book Corner, 2009 Valerie and Richard Norton, numerous projects, 2008 Bernie and Carol Coffin, ’Sconset Post Office, 2007 Ginger Ivey, 8 Cottage Avenue, ’Sconset, 2007 The Caroline A. Ellis Landscape Award Charlotte and MacDonald Mathey, Hedged About, ’Sconset, 2012 Dr. and Mrs. John Espy, 4 New Dollar Lane, 2011 Marilyn Whitney, Moors End, 19 Pleasant Street, 2010 Caroline Ellis, ’Sconset Trust, Sankaty Head Lighthouse, 2009

Traditional Building Methods Award Curtis Livingston, 18 India Street, 2012 Michael Burrey, timber framer, 2011 Pen Austin, plaster and lime-mortar expert, 2010

The John A. and Katherine S. Lodge Stewardship Award Nantucket Historical Association, Photographic Image Archives, 2012 Fremont-Smith family, Atlantic House, ’Sconset, 2011 Margaret Yates Berkheimer, posthumously, 8 Pine Street, 2010 Sanford Kendall, numerous carpentry projects, 2009 Clarissa Porter, 5 Quince Street, 2008 Katherine S. Lodge, 94 Main Street, 2008 Excellence in Preservation Award Brian Pfeiffer, 2012 Helen Seager, 1999 Walter Beinecke, Jr., 1998 37

“Gil is a trained classical architect, but what sets him apart from o thers is his flair for design. His attention to detail is unsurpassed and especially creative.” – Bunny Williams Photo by Rebecca Greenfield

Recently named by Architectural Digest as one of “The New AD 100” and a winner of Veranda’s “Art of Design Award,” Gil Schafer III fell in love with traditional architecture long before he considered a career in the field. The grandson and great-great grandson of architects, he grew up with a strong sense of how a well-built, thoughtfully designed home can bring pleasure to daily life. It’s this desire, to make tradition livable, that permeates Schafer’s work and his new book. Join us in welcoming Gil Schafer to Nantucket at our Summer Luncheon and Lecture 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 26 Great Harbor Yacht Club $125 Reservations required For details contact the NPT 39

greek revival architecture

uch of Nantucket’s historic architecture is distinctly Greek Revival—a style that was dominant on the island during the whaling heyday of the 1830s to the Civil War.

The reason is twofold: Not only was this period the time of greatest expansion and wealth, but when one-seventh of the town burned to the ground, in the fire on July 13, 1846, the early wooden buildings that had served as the whaling port’s commercial heart were rebuilt in the architectural fashion of the time, namely Greek Revival. Classical Roman architecture, the basis of Georgian and Federal architecture, had influenced architecture in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, but after the War of 1812, the island as well as the entire nation turned away from many British customs. Greek Revival architecture was embraced as the predominant national style, and Nantucket followed suit. While the Greek War of Independence raged in the 1820s and ’30s, American admiration for the Greek people grew dramatically, as did adoption of the Greek Revival style. Public buildings, banks, and private houses from the East to the Midwest used elements of the style for both new construction and updating older buildings. During the second quarter of the nineteenth century, examples of both high style and the vernacular were found. On Nantucket, the earliest examples of the style are considered transitional Federal and Greek Revival. These include some of the island’s best known buildings such as the Three Bricks, and the Henry and Charles Coffin houses on Main Street. The center-hall plan of these houses is similar to earlier Federal houses, but the elaborate doorways, high granite bases, and stretcher-bond brickwork are associated with the Greek Revival. The most elaborate Greek Revival houses are of course 94 and 96 Main, known as “the two Greeks.” They were designed by Frederick Brown Coleman, and both feature colossal 41

porticos. The house at 94 Main is the more refined example, employing dentils, modillions, and Corinthian columns. Coleman is credited with changing the appearance of the island more than any other single person. Among his other fine work is the portico of the Methodist Church (c. 1840), the Summer Street Church, and the Atheneum—with its temple form and monumental Ionic columns. The style, however, is associated not only with those impressive buildings. Everywhere you look in the old historic district, Greek Revival elements can be found. Among the most common of them was the Greek Revival doorway framed by broad, flat pilasters void of elaborate detail, with a simple base and crowned by a flat and broad entablature. Transoms above the door replaced the fanlight of the Federal period (Greek architecture does use an arch) and sidelights were introduced to enhance the opening and

Greek return detail 42

provide the entry with additional light. The Federal six-paneled door was often replaced by two narrow upright panels or a door with two upper vertical panels and two-to-three lower horizontal panels. In the homes of successful merchants, whaling captains and tradesmen more decorative features are found at the doorway— such as dentil bands, fluted columns, and Ionic or Corinthian capitals and the Greek key design as well as other classical details. One of the most characteristic moldings found throughout Greek Revival houses is a flat splay or bull-nose molding that is rounded at the outer edge. This molding was commonly used in the exterior cornice, interior doorway and window trim, as well as to encase door panels. Corner blocks on interior door and window frames are widespread throughout the town and were often decorated with bull’s eyes, or in more elaborate buildings, acanthus leaves. One of the most dramatic changes to occur during this period was the orientation of the house. On many Greek Revival houses the gable end becomes the main elevation and faces the street. This temple form was often emphasized by the use of a protruding entablature or cornice that formed a pediment in the upper “attic” story. In many cases, elaborate window shapes such as bull’s eye, lunette, or elliptical-shaped lights were employed to give individuality to the house. In smaller buildings, the entablature was removed and returns added. Second-floor windows replaced the elaborate gable-end window at the peak. Pilasters were often found at the corners of these houses for decoration and to emphasize the verticality of the “Greek” temple. npt For those who wish to learn more about the architectural features of the Greek Revival style and other architectural terminology, we recommend participating in the Main Street walking tour. 43

get to the point!

August 8, 2013 Hulbert Avenue â&#x20AC;˘ Brant Point

NPT’s Annual August Fête

Get to the Point! August 8, 2013 Six o’clock in the evening

The Nantucket Preservation Trust invites you to our Annual August Fete. Join us for cocktails and hearty hors d’oeuvres as we tour historic homes in the Brant Point neighborhood, followed by a gala reception with music by Coq au Vin. Food by Nantucket Catering Company and Spanky’s Raw Bar General Admission $150 • Next Generation (under 40): $100 For tickets and information, please call the NPT office at 508-228-1387, or visit our Web site at www.nantucketpreservation.org

The Nantucket Preservation Trust is most grateful to Brown Brothers Harriman, the sole corporate underwriter for the August Fête. The NPT’s August Fête is one of the summer’s most memorable evenings, because it is more than a party—it is a celebration of Nantucket’s architecture. This year, participants will tour a wonderful collection of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century summer homes. Be sure to join us in this celebration by reserving your space today!

npt

Preservation tools Let Us Show You Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Possible

A group of men painting Our Island Home, circa 1920s

when was your house built? NPT’s Interviewing Your Old House Program Do you know when your house was built and how it evolved? NPT offers a free one-hour “house interview” to determine a construction date and to point out the evolution of the house from architectural evidence. The “interview,” which usually includes a review of timbers in the basement and attic, a survey of the old windows, woodwork, and floor plan, is provided by a team comprising an architectural historian and a preservation contractor and/or architect. The team can answer specific questions about various features and can provide information about a building’s architectural style and history. The program is ideal for those who are planning a restoration or addition, or new owners wanting to learn more about their old house. Please arrange for your complimentary house interview by calling the NPT office at 508-228-1387. 47

mark your old house Nantucket Preservation Trust’s house-marker program helps spread the word about the significance of Nantucket’s historic architecture by providing the passerby with information about the house’s age and who built it or lived there during Nantucket’s heydays. The idea of marking a house on island is not new; name boards modeled on ships’ quarterboards were being placed on houses by the second half of the nineteenth century—and perhaps earlier—when residents and islanders named their houses in ways that were meaningful to them. The round markers found on many old houses on island were installed in a designation program begun by the Nantucket Historical Association in the mid-twentieth century. The NPT house-marker program includes an investigation of town records to determine its age and original owner. Since 2002, we have researched and marked over two hundred structures. It is our hope that through heightened community awareness the markers will also encourage the continuing care and preservation of individual buildings.

Example of NPT’s house marker

npt’s building history program

n important part of NPT’s work is to document the island’s architectural heritage and to share our research with the public. One way we have performed this educational role has been through publications focusing on the neighborhoods, landmark buildings, and historic houses of Nantucket. Today, we offer a collection of books for those hoping to unlock the island’s rich history and architectural heritage.

Neighborhood Book Series

The Neighborhood Book Series provides information on the development of island neighborhoods and a glimpse of the houses and streets.     :

A Walk Down Main Street: The Houses and Their Histories   &   The first book in this series focuses on thirty houses and provides an overview of the early history of the town and the various house types. Filled with historic photographs, maps, and other illustrations, the book serves as a walking tour guide of this memorable street.

A WALK DOWN MAIN STREET THE HOUSES AND THEIR HISTORIES

$10, softcover $75, hardcover by special order

A NANTUCKET PRESERVATION TRUST PUBLICATION

Off Centre: The Wesco Acre Lots

Main Street History.indd 1

6/7/2006 11:45:20 PM

The Wesco Acre Lots division was created in 1678 by the island’s first town planners and became the site of early building activity for Nantucket Town. Off Centre focuses on the histories of O�f C�n��e: over eighty houses from Liberty to Quince Streets and offers the reader The W�sco A�re L��s a view of life on Nantucket from the years before the whaling boom into the early twentieth century. M��n� V�rno�

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�  � � ��

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A NANTUCKET PRESERVATION TRUST PUBLICATION

S�a�ira

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A�exan�e� C��fin

M�ry M�tchell

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$25, softcover 49

Main Street, ’Sconset Although ’Sconset is known for its early fishermen’s Main Street, ’Sconset The houses and Their HisTories cottages clustered on the bank which became desirable seasonal residences for whaling captains and their families, few realize that it was along Main Street, ’Sconset, that the wealthiest whale-oil merchants built summer houses beginning in the 1830s. Main Street, ’Sconset unlocks the early history of those summer homes and follows their evolution into the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. A NANtucket PreservAtioN trust PublicAtioN

$25, softcover

Landmark Series The NPT’s Landmark Series documents the history of important island institutions and their architecturally significant buildings.

Unitarian Meeting House: A History Commemorating 200 Years Unitarian Meeting House NANTUCKET

A History Commemorating 200 Years

A NANTUCKET PRESERVATION TRUST PUBLICATION

The Meeting House, constructed in 1809, is one of the most visible landmarks on island. Located at 11 Orange Street, the building has been a place where islanders and visitors come together to participate in the cultural, religious, and community life of the island. Out of print Update available Fall 2013; price TBA

The Nantucket Atheneum: A History The Atheneum, constructed in 1846, immediately after the Great Fire, is an impressive Greek Revival building. The book documents the history of the institution from its founding in 1834 into the twenty-first century. Out of print; Hardcover â&#x20AC;˘ $75, by special order

Individual House Histories Since 2002, NPT has also offered owners of historic houses an opportunity to learn more about their own properties through the House History Program. Our work can include a simple one-page narrative illustrated with historic photos to a complete NPT House History in a hardcover format individually tailored to its unique history. Each house history includes deed research to determine the date of construction and the owners through time. Detailed research can unlock forgotten lives, and a wealth of photographs, paintings, and other images illustrate the history of your home and its past inhabitants. For more information, or to order your house history, contact the NPT office at 508-228-1387, or visit us online at www.nantucketpreservation.org. npt

22 Union Street, subject of NPTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first comprehensive house history 51

House Histories NANTUCKET

A Special Program Offered by

Nantucket Preservation Trust Every historic Nantucket house has a story. Do you know yours? Unlock the history of your home with a Nantucket Preservation Trust House History. We offer three levels of house historiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;our brief history, which provides basic deed research and a short summaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or our concise and comprehensive hardcover books that are thoroughly researched, clearly written, and beautifully illustrated to provide a detailed picture of your house through time. For more information, visit our Web site: www.nantucketpreservation.org or contact us at 55 Main Street, P.O. Box 158, Nantucket, MA 02554 508-228-1387

Preservation easements Preservation easements are designed to protect the architectural integrity of a property by restricting future alterations and uses beyond the current ownership. Preservation easements are recorded in the Registry of Deeds and can protect both the exteriors and interiors of a certified historic property. They are tailored to the specific building and the wishes of the grantor/ property owner. Ideally, any easement should be flexible to allow for minor alterations and updates to a property without compromising the building’s architectural integrity. Preservation easements remain the best tool available to ensure the longterm integrity of a building, especially its interior features and other elements that are not protected by local legislation. For more information about preservation easements, contact the NPT office or visit us online at www.nantucketpreservation.org. Good news! If the IRS rules for granting an easement are followed, property owners can still deduct the value of the easement as a charitable deduction from their federal income taxes. Tax benefits for the donation of preservation easements were extended through 2013 as part of the “fiscal cliff” deal reached in January. The legislation also increased the deduction—to 50% of adjusted gross income from the previous 30%—and extended the period over which the donation can be taken from five to as many as fifteen years. We strongly recommend discussing with your advisor how a tax deduction may work for you, but to provide a simple explanation we have developed a sample below. Assume a property owner has the property appraised by a certified appraiser at $1,500,000 without an easement. The property is then appraised with the easement in place and is now worth $1,200,000. The $300,000 difference is the value of the easement gift for tax purposes. If the owner has an adjusted gross income of $100,000, the charitable deduction would be $50,000 (50% of adjusted gross income) per year over a six-year period ($50,000 x 6 = $300,000). Although for most owners the major reason for donating a preservation easement is to protect their historic property for future generations, the tax deduction can provide added incentive, and for some owners can make a preservation easement possible. 53

NPT easement properties First Congregational Church 62 Centre Street Quaker Meeting House 7 Fair Street 1800 House 4 Mill Street

Fire Hose Cart House 8 Gardner Street Greater Light 8 Howard Street

Job Macy House (pending) 11 Mill Street

The Nantucket Atheneum 1 India Street

Rescom Palmer House 9 New Mill Street

Jabez Bunker/Prince Gardner House 85 Main Street

Grafton Gardner House 8 Pine Street

Captain Thaddeus Coffin House 89 Main Street

Nathaniel Hussey House 5 Quince Street

Hadwen-Wright House 94 Main Street

Captain Peleg Bunker House 4 Traders Lane

Thomas Starbuck House 11 Milk Street

Maria Mitchell Birthplace 1 Vestal Street Maria Mitchell Library (pending) Vestal Street Old Gaol (pending) Vestal Street Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin Lancasterian School 4 Winter Street Higginbotham House 27 York Street npt 54

Fire Hose Cart House NPT’s most recent preservation easement was placed on the Fire Hose Cart House at 8 Gardner Street.We thought it fitting to provide a brief history of this building, which we hope will motivate you to visit the last remaining cart house on the island.Today, the cart house, recently restored by the Nantucket Historical Association, holds rare fire-fighting equipment related to the Great Fire of 1846 and is open in season. The fire hose cart house was built forty years after the Great Fire, which destroyed approximately one-seventh of the downtown area. Although the fire devastated the town, it also led to improvements in fire-prevention and -protection measures, including the construction of cart houses to store handpumped fire-fighting apparatus. A firehouse for the neighborhood was requested in 1884 by the firewards of Engine Company No. 6. They proposed that the town assume ownership of their engine Cataract— a request granted at town meeting in 1886 along with authorization to lease property to house it. Completed in 1887, the fire hose cart house at Gardner Street originally housed Engine No. 6 as well as Hose Cart No. 8. In 1893,William Hosier, the owner of the land, deeded the property to the town, and by 1905, Engine No. 6 was officially retired and put on exhibit in the Nantucket Historical Association’s new fireproof building on Fair Street. The name board that graced the hose cart building after 1905 displayed the same title it does today, “Hose Cart No. 7 & 10.” By 1912, the Nantucket Fire Department had been reorganized and the Gardner Street facility was soon abandoned, and in 1931, the town sold it to the owner of the adjacent land, William Macy Bartlett. In 1960, Miss Edith M. Bartlett, daughter of William Macy Bartlett and Lizzie A. (Nash) Bartlett, gave the land and the building to the NHA to be maintained as a memorial to her father and mother. npt 55

architectural Walking Tours NPT’s walking tours provide an opportunity to learn about the island’s unique history and its remarkable architectural heritage. Tours are $10 per person and are offered from June through September (weather permitting). Contact the NPT office at 508-228-1387 or our Web site at www.nantucketpreservation.org for a schedule and details. Group tours may be arranged throughout the year by appointment.

A STROLL ALONG MAIN STREET The thirty houses between the Pacific National Bank and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument are a microcosm of the island’s architectural heritage, and help to reveal the story of Nantucket’s whaling prosperity and decline as well as the island’s preservation story. Tour participants receive a softcover copy of A Walk Down Main Street, which includes a history of each house and its early occupants. Most Thursdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. (June–September). A special self-guided tour highlighting the Main Street book is also available by downloading the Locacious app (free).

’SCONSET TOUR No visit to Nantucket is complete without a tour of this former fishing village at the island’s east end. Learn about the history of this early settlement from its whaling and fishing days to its revival in the nineteenth century as a seaside resort and “actors colony.” The unique architectural styles are noted, from the early fishing shacks to early twentieth-century forms. Periodic Fridays at 4:00 p.m.

Please call 508-228-1387 for r eservations.

Broadway, Siasconset 56

npt

nPT Preservation Fund Let Us Show You What’s Possible

The goal of the NPT Architectural Preservation Fund is to encourage community-wide efforts to protect Nantucket’s historic architecture. The fund brings recognition to key projects, emphasizes the importance of proper preservation work, and encourages further community support.

Clarissa Porter Preservation Easement Fund Clarissa Porter (1939–2012), a former NPT board member who passed away in December, was a tireless and passionate advocate for preservation and had a lifelong love of Nantucket and its historic architecture. She served as a member, since its inception, of the NPT Easement Committee, and her diligent work led directly to preservation easements on several properties and raised awareness of NPT and its mission. Clarissa’s house at 5 Quince Street, built circa 1753, was for much of the twentieth century the summer home of Austin Strong, artist and playwright, and his wife, Mary. At Mary Strong’s death in 1968, the house was inherited by Mrs. Strong’s cousin, George Wilson Penny and his wife, Sarah Louise, Clarissa’s parents. In 1999, thanks to Clarissa’s foresight and generosity, it became the first property on the island to have its interior features protected by a preservation restriction. Clarissa continued to maintain and improve the house in ways that assured the preservation of its architectural details and its rich history, and on countless occasions made the house available for meetings and tours so that others could appreciate its place in the island’s history and learn about the easement process. 57

Build on the Past Train for the Future Are you inspired by old buildings? Want to expand your career in the construction field? Consider learning a traditional building technique. These much sought-after crafts can provide you with skills to restore Nantucket’s historic architecture. Through its Scholarship Program, NPT is dedicated to providing training opportunities for island residents. Timber framing, joinery, plastering, masonry, and more... For further information, contact: Nantucket Preservation Trust 55 Main Street • P.O. Box 158 Nantucket, MA 02554 T: 508-228-1387

www.nantucketpreservation.org

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508-228-1255 • www.capecodfive.com 58

Because they loved 5 Quince Street so much, Clarissa and her husband, Bill, donated the house to the Maria Mitchell Association so that its history and architectural integrity will remain an important part of Nantucket for generations to come. Due to her generosity and passion for historic Nantucket, NPT has named our easement program in her honor. Donations to the fund, which will be used for easement protection and assistance, are welcomed. For more information on the Clarissa Porter Preservation Easement Fund please visit our Web site or contact the NPT office.

Mary Helen and Michael Fabacher Scholarship The Mary Helen and Michael Fabacher Scholarship was established by the NPT to offer Nantucket High School graduates the opportunity to further their building skills through a scholarship to the preservation-carpentry program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. Our goal in establishing this scholarship is to provide educational opportunities to encourage and promote traditional building methods essential for the preservation of Nantucket’s historic architecture. Priority for a scholarship is provided to the Nantucket High School graduate looking to enter the construction field with the intention of returning to the island to practice traditional building skills. In addition to the scholarship’s main goal, the program promotes understanding of traditional building methods by sponsoring field trips to the North Bennet Street School for middle and high school students, coordinating on-island demonstration projects for all age groups, and assisting the island building trades by offering short courses for learning traditional building methods. You can help us complete our scholarship endowment fund campaign by donating today. For more information about the scholarship program or to donate, contact Michael May, NPT executive director, at 508-228-1387.

Speaker and Demonstration Program NPT hosts guest speakers and demonstration programs to inform island residents and visitors about the important role preservation plays on Nantucket. The fund makes it possible to bring national leaders in the preservation field to the island to provide this free public programming. npt 59

Surfing Hydrangea Nursery premium plantsâ&#x20AC;˘ personal service preserving Nantucket Gardens year after year

508-228-6828 â&#x20AC;˘ 91 Somerset Road www.surfinghydrangea.com

Become a Member of the NPT The Nantucket Preservation Trust, a nonprofit, membership-supported organization formed in 1997 whose members dedicated to the preservation of the island’s historic architecture. Membership Form Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________ Summer Address:___________________________________

_________________________________________

_____________________________________

State, Zip________________________________________ Dates at Summer Address: __________________________ Tel: (

)____________________________________ Local Tel: (

)________________________________

Email:____________________________________________________________________________________________________

□ I want to learn about NPT volunteer opportunities.

1955 society leadership

Leadership-level members receive two tickets to the Summer Kitchens House Tour and invitations to special donor receptions.

_____$10,000

_____$5,000

other membership _____$1,000 _____$500

_____$2,500 _____$250

_____$1,955 _____$100

_____$50

_____ Enclosed is a check made payable to the NANTUCKET PRESERVATION TRUST. ______ Please charge my Visa/MC #____________________________________________________Exp________ in the amount of $_____________________Signature_____________________________________________ ______ I would like to give a gift of securities. Please contact me at _____________________________ ______ I have included NPT in my Estate Planning. ______ My employer will match this gift. Please enclose gift form.

Your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Nantucket Preservation Trust P.O. Box 158 • Nantucket, MA • 02554 508-228-1387 www.nantucketpreservation.org 61

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHO SUPPORTED THIS YEAR’S MEMBERSHIP APPEAL AND PROGRAMS AT LEADERSHIP LEVELS (as of June 15, 2013) Anonymous Elizabeth and Lee Ainslie Kathy and Joseph Arvay Gene and Carol Atkinson Sam and Janet Bailey Mrs. Walter F. Ballinger II David Barham and Lauri Robertson Mary Jane Bauer Ken and Gussie Beaugrand Max N. Berry Susan and Bill Boardman Joan Bolling Kathy and Thomas Bologna Mrs. Edith Bouriez Lucy Eastwood Broadus Mimi and Tom Brome David and Mary Brown Bill and Laura Buck George and Kathleen Butterworth Chris and Gail Camalier Martha Carr Laurie and Bob Champion Kathy and David Cheek Drs. Helen and Stephen Colen Vincent and Nicolys D’Agostino Edward and Virginia Daisey Christopher L. Dallmus, Design Associates William and Lois Druckemiller Caroline and Doug Ellis Michael and June Elzay Michael and Ana Ericksen Mary Helen and Michael Fabacher Barbara J. Fife Nancy and Al Forster Cece and Mack Fowler Gregory and Annabelle Fowlkes

Robert and Penny Fox The Fremont-Smith Family Gregory and Heather Garland Charles M. Geschke and Nancy A. Geschke Foundation Elliot and Barbara Gewirtz Thomas and Elisabeth Giovine Mr. and Mrs. Mark H. Gottwald Susan Zises Green Wade and Susanne Greene Benjamin and Wendy Griswold Elizabeth and Ray Grubbs Henry and Karoly Gutman Jeffrey and Patricia Haines Charles and Kaaren Hale Jay and Robin Hammer Kathleen Hay, Kathleen Hay Designs S. Roger Horchow Mark and Bridget Hubbard Barbara Jones Paul and Mary Ann Judy Judy Family Foundation Arthur and Diane Kelly Tom Kershaw Patricia and James Kielley Carol and Kenneth Kinsley Martha Dippell and Danny Korengold Michael Kovner and Jean Doyen de Montaillou Edward and Joan Lahey Edward and Joyce Lawrence Theodore and Lynn Leonsis Byron and Suzanne Lingeman H. Eugene and Terry Lockhart Sharon and Frank Lorenzo 62

Michael and Karen Lynch Edward and Dorothy McCarthy Benjamin and Linda McGrath Mrs. Rachel Mellon Barbara Mendlowitz Richard and Ronay Menschel Pam and Rich Merriman John Merson and Carol Bunevich Chris and Winnie Mortenson Craig and Ann Muhlhauser David and Sharon Northrup Gerald and Judith Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell Michael and Sally Orr Brian Pfeiffer Maureen Phillips and Douglas Horst James and Nancy Pierson Charles and Martha Polachi Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Pollack William Porter Joseph and Lisa Quattrocchi Jeffrey and Hillary Rayport Georgia and Richard Raysman Marcia and Tom Richards Kennedy and Susan Richardson Russell and Joyce Robinson Peter and Nancy Rodts Ellen and David Ross Charles Ryan and Caren Lambert Bonnie Sacerdote Kathryn Salmanowitz Denise Saul Ruth and John Sayer Van and Dorinda Schreiber Reverend Georgia Ann Snell William and Maria Spears Peter Steingraber Esta-Lee and Harris Stone John and Marie Sussek

Lydia and Jack Sussek Merrielou and Ned Symes James and Debra Treyz Louise Turner Jane and Wat Tyler Scott and Pam Ulm Lynda Vickers-Smith Pam and Will Waller Suellen Ward and John Copenhaver Mr. and Mrs. John Robinson West Caroline and Helmut Weymar Susan and John Whitney Henry K. Willard II Jay and Stephanie Wilson Jean and Rick Witmer David and Mary Wolff Suzanne and Bob Wright

NPT would also like to thank the following businesses and organizations that have contributed to our programs and events over the past year.

Addison Craig Amy Manning Landscaping Arrowhead Nurseries Ocean House, Watch Hill, RI Bartlett’s Farm Old House Restorations Belongings Petticoat Row Bakery Black Eyed Susan’s Pierce Gallery Brown Brothers Harriman Pumpkin Pond Farm C Wonder R. Simatov Jewelers Cape Cod Five ReMain Nantucket LLC The Chanticleer Sankaty Golf Club Clay Art Studio Saxton Design Group Company of the Cauldron Scrub Oak Congdon & Coleman Insurance Agency Seaweaver Dujardin Design Shreve Crump & Low English Trunk Show Surfing Hydrangea Extra Clean Inc. Susan Zises Green, Inc. First Congregational Church Theater Workshop of Nantucket Barbara Ann Joyce, Great Point Properties The Trinity Collection GS Landscaping The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, SC Jeffrey Allen Photography Vanderbilt Galleries Kathleen Hay Designs Young’s Bicycle Shop Kelly Ann West, Accounting Services Lauri Robertson Photography Maria Mitchell Association Marine Home Center Mark Godfrey Moors End Farm Nantucket Artworks Nantucket Carving and Folk Art Nantucket Golf Club, Inc. Nantucket Historical Association Nantucket Hotel Newport Restaurant Group Nina McLemore 64

Join the Nantucket Preservation Trust’s

• Cornerstone Society •

Help us ensure Nantucket’s architectural heritage for present and future generations. There are two ways to give. THE NPT PRESERVATION FUND Make a contribution to support scholarships for students and tradespeople interested in learning traditional building, to sponsor speakers, and to assist with preservation easements. and/or Planned Giving Simply remember NPT in your estate planning and let us know that a bequest to NPT is included in your will. However you give, your contribution is greatly appreciated and will help us to continue our work to celebrate Nantucket’s architectural heritage. For more information, contact Michael May, Executive Director, at the NPT office: 508-228-1387 mmay@nantucketpreservation.org

SCRUB OAK

Kitchen Tour Marketplace

Isobel & Cleo Mikkel Brogger

Located at 44 Orange St. July 18 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

TEN Ace & Jig

Vendors include:

Lemlem

Island Images: Fibre Art Finery Designs by Debra Bobbi McPeak Bailey Beekman Boys Farm Products Fair Isle Artists for Humanity Jewelry by Sage English Trunk Show Marine Home Center NPT Kitchen Wares

Doug Johnston Tata Harper Unusual Cards Unique Jewelry And Gifts for the Home 14 Easy Street Nantucket, MA 02554 tel: 508.228.2458 email: scruboakstore@gmail.com www.scruboakstore.com

(accurate at time of printing)

Your link to Historic or Contemporary Nantucket Properties Barbara Ann Joyce Broker Sales & Rentals 508-228-2266 x22 508-221-8788 cell baj@greatpointproperties.com

One North Beach Street • Nantucket, MA 02554 www.greatpointproperties.com

Who do you trust to create your dream space?

Credentials Matter

Best examPle of creativity

sHooting star awarD

Best Historic Preservation Design

american society interior Designers

Trudy Dujardin, ASID, LEED Accredited Professional +ID + C

508.228.1120 • NaNtucket, Ma. |

DUJARDIN_5.625.x8.625.indd 1

203.838.8100 • Westport, ct. | dujardiNdesigN.coM

4/24/12 12:15 PM

Brown Brothers Harriman is pleased to sponsor the

Nantucket Preservation Trust 475_13

A Mission to Preserve The Nantucket Preservation Trust raises awareness and provides resources to protect the historic integrity of Nantucket architecture. For almost 200 years, BBH has been partnering with our clients to help grow and preserve their wealth.

Nichol MacManus Brown Brothers Harriman Wealth Management 212.493.8122 nichol.macmanus@bbh.com www.bbh.com

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

susan zises green, inc. Antiques

Interior Design

Decoration

A HOME FOR ANY LOCATION

Nantucket 508 228 3160

New York 212 710 5388

www.susanzisesgreen.com

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