Delectable Old Island Town – Nantucket

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Nantucket was once one of the richest places in America, built on the profits of the whale oil industry.  Even today in the delectable old town there are fine brick houses with silver mailboxes.

Old time sailors used to call Nantucket “The Little Gray Lady of the Sea.”  On misty mornings you will understand why.

Nantucket is an island 30 miles (48.3 km) south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. The region of Surfside on Nantucket is the southernmost settlement in Massachusetts.

Nantucket is a tourist destination and summer colony. The population of the island soars from approximately 10,000 to 50,000 during the summer months, due to tourists and summer residents.

The Nantucket Historic District, comprising all of Nantucket Island, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 13, 1966. In doing so the National Park Service paid particular note to the settlements of Nantucket and Siasconset.

To the right is the oldest house on Nantucket Island, also called the Jethro Coffin House. This home was built for Jethro Coffin and Mary Gardner as a wedding gift in 1686, it is the sole surviving structure from the island’s original seventeenth-century English settlement.

In 1987, the House was struck by lightning, and underwent restoration under the guidance of John Milner Architects, Inc. It stands today as a monument to the lives of the island’s earliest settlers.

Nantucket holds some of the national protected areas including:

Coatue is a long barrier beach on Nantucket Island, separating Nantucket Sound from Nantucket Harbor. It has six points: First Point is situated due north of the village of Shimmo’s Pimneys Point. Second Point, is north-northeast of the village of Shawkemo. Second Point is salt marsh. Third Point is due north of the Pocomo Peninsula, which contains the villages of Pocomo and West Wauwinet. The gap between Coatue and Pocomo is called the Wauwinet Straits. This deep and swift waterway has currents that reach 5 knots (9.3 km/h). Bass Point is the first point totally within Wauwinet Harbor. Wyers Point, the last point of land on Coatue, Wyers is connected to Coskata. At the head of Coatue is Coskata Pond.

Hummock Pond is a large pond on the south shore of Nantucket Island. It was created in the last ice age by the ice melt and used to be much larger, but during the blizzard of 1978 large swells from the Atlantic closed off the smaller western half, known as Clark’s Cove. The pond is narrow and one of the deepest on Nantucket, and north head of the pond is connected by a small river. The north head is an extremely deep kettle hole with steep sides. The pond offers many kayaking opportunities, but is prone to strong south to southwesterly breezes.

Miacomet Pond is a narrow, slender pond on the south shore of Nantucket Island. The pond was once a river, but the oceans rose to make Nantucket an island in the last ice age. On average the pond is approximately 100 yards (91 m) wide, thus giving the appearance of a river. The northern head of the pond is only ten feet wide and was once connected to Nantucket Harbor via Newtown Creek. The maximum depth of the pond is twenty eight feet. The southern end of the pond is a sandy beach. Occasionally the pond is opened up to the sea.

The Popsquatchet Hills are a range of peaks on Nantucket Island. Seldom reaching 100 feet, they can be considered the divide of Nantucket. Prospect Hill, the westernmost, is the location of the town’s municipal cemetery. Chicken Hill is the next hill to the northeast. On the eastern side of Chicken Hill, there is a very deep valley known as Dead Horse Valley. On the north face of the hill, is Colt Valley.

Mill Hill, the hill nearest Hospital Valley, has the Old Mill sitting on its summit. Roads are frequent in the hills. Prospect Street, the main thoroughfare on the west end of town, is the northern side of the hills. Vesper Lane, is the southern boundary. Milk Street, is the northern boundary of the range. There are several smaller roads leading into the hills, but some of them have grown over.

In the winter time, Dead Horse Valley is the island’s best sledding area. Chicken Hill was named for an old chicken farm maintained by William G. Egan.

Squam Swamp, a large swamp in the northeastern portion of the island of Nantucket, is located between Wauwinet Road, Squam Road, and Quidnet Road, just northwest of Quidnet and northeast of Polpis Harbor.

Make sure you do the following while on Nantucket:

Go on a high-class shopping (or at least window-shopping) spree.  Boutiques specializing in elegant women’s shoes, hand-crafted rugs, fine antiques and exquisite jewelry are just a sampling of the island’s stores.

Plan a visit during one of Nantucket’s fun festivals. At the top of the list are April’s Daffodil Festival, October’s Harvest Fair and Nantucket Noel throughout the holiday season. This celebration includes the lighting of more than 100 trees, carolers in period costumes and Santa and Mrs. Claus riding through town in a horse-drawn carriage

Visit Nantucket’s unique Whaling Museum in the heart of town. Housed in a former factory building that once made candles from the waxy fluid drawn from sperm whales, this unique center will delight children and adults alike with such items as a massive whale skeleton and numerous nautical relics.

Stop by the Jethro Coffin House for a short visit. The oldest structure still standing on Nantucket (circa 1686), this simple “saltbox” home is the sole surviving building from the island’s original English settlement.

Enjoy fine dining at one of the island’s many top-notch restaurants. The expectantly superb seafood abounds, but what might surprise visitors are the eclectic alternatives—such as Spanish-Portuguese, British-Scottish and Japanese fare.

Make sure to see some of Nantucket’s many pristine beaches. Choices range from the popular Jetties Beach—with mild surf and extensive facilities—to Cisco Beach in the island’s southwestern corner, a favorite among surfers.

Go to sea in a kayak, sailboat or sailboard. Sailing (and scuba diving) lessons are easily accessible for the beginner, and snorkeling and fishing are two other popular activities.

Our Pick For Where To Stay:

Nantucket Whaler Guest House, Nantucket,MA has a location of perfection!

Just steps from the upscale boutiques, galleries, and the island’s hottest restaurants.   Round the corner from the hidden garden, and you realize that the Nantucket Whaler Guest House has one of the most desirable locations on Nantucket.

Two houses away, on one of the last remaining cobblestoe streets, are the Whaling Museum and the Yacht Club.  They are also nestled between Jetties Beach, Brant Point Lighthouse and Nantucket Harbor. A taxi or bike or moped will take you to all the other popular beaches on this magical island within minutes and then you will return to the heart and soul of the island in the evening-the Historic District.

Most locals do not even know about the secret garden used to access most of the suites at the Nantucket Whaler.  This treasure is truly one of our gifts that add to the serenity of your stay at the property. A walk through the manicured garden filled with carefully chosen local plants and flowers gives guests a peaceful and relaxing oasis in the heart of the Historic District. From that moment on, you to begin to feel enveloped in the relaxed sophistication, comfort and luxury of the inn.

In addition to the friendly service, you will appreciate the attention to detail and the devotion to your needs, at every turn.  The small, sophisticated inn, once a typical whaling captains home, is now a unique collection of suites, all recently renovated with a refreshing new eye, created to offer each guest the utmost in privacy and luxury. Once you have been greeted in the hand painted foyer, painted by one of the local artists, you will be escorted to the private entrance of your suite. All of the accommodations boast a full array of hand picked treasures.

The guest rooms, 1 and 2 bedroom suites are individually decorated with a collection of Country, American and English furnishings.

If you loved this article about Nantucket check out our posts about “The Beauty of Virgin Gorda” and “Like Maine, Only Better” (a post about the San Juan Islands in Washington State, two other awesome island post’s.

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