Historic Nantucket Late Summer 2025, Volume 75, No. 2
Board of Trustees 2025–26
Lucinda Ballard, President
Ashley Gosnell Mody, Vice President
Michael Sweeney, Vice President
Craig Muhlhauser, Treasurer
Sara Schwartz, Clerk
Stacey Bewkes
Anne Broadus
Connie Cigarran, Friends of the NHA Representative
Gene Clapp
Amanda Cross
Michael Ericksen
Meg Jacobs Flax
Annabelle Fowlkes
T. Alexandra (Lexi) Gibbs
Robert Greenspon
Connie Anne Harris
Ayesha Khan
Bill Liddle
Valerie Paley
Mary Read
William (Bill) Richards
Roberto Santamaria
Denise Saul, Friends of the NHA Representative
Janet Sherlund, Trustee Emerita
Melinda Sullivan
Jason Tilroe
Jim Waterbury
Ex Officio
Niles D. Parker, Gosnell Executive Director
Summer Reflections and New Directions
FROM THE GOSNELL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
As summer comes to a close, I want to reflect on the remarkable season we’ve had here at the NHA over the past few months. Your generosity and continued support have enabled us to preserve, celebrate, and share Nantucket history in exciting ways.
Among these many initiatives was the important purchase of property on Bartlett Road that we made in June. This investment has already been a game-changer for our operations, and we look forward to building upon the incredible opportunity it presents. This includes the relocation of our wood shop, expanded collections care, new art conservation labs and digitization stations, better designed storage solutions, as well as plans for increased employee housing.
In addition, we have celebrated our Summer of Seams, inspired by the Whaling Museum’s featured exhibition, Behind the Seams: Clothing and Textiles on Nantucket. This theme was interwoven into several programs and events, from our Decorative Arts programs offering needlework and textile workshops, to our lecture series welcoming speakers in the textile and design field, along with a wide variety of community programs. The Community Quilt initiative which our education team developed had over 100 inspiring panels created by businesses, organizations, and individuals that came together as a beautiful reflection of our island community. This was unveiled as a display at our annual free Community Day in August, where we welcomed over 900 visitors.
The theme was also central to our successful special events which included Baskets, Bubbles & Bourbon; Nantucket by Design; and A Nantucket Night.
In addition to these initiatives, the NHA continues to prioritize important restoration projects that are underway across our campus, including the Candle Factory North Wall restoration, the ongoing Old Mill restoration, the Research Library, and Greater Light. We thank the Nantucket Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for generously supporting these projects. We also look forward to hosting another class of our International Training Program this fall for preservation and heritage professionals, which you can read more about in this issue.
And I must mention our new podcast, The Nantucket Gam, which has been conceptualized, researched, and recorded by an incredible team from our staff. I highly encourage you to listen to it (if you have not already). It can be found on NHA.org or any of your preferred podcast listening services.
With new seasons come change, and I would like to take this moment to thank Annabelle Fowlkes for her steadfast leadership as our Board President over the past three years; as well as welcoming Lucinda Ballard as our new Board President. The NHA is very lucky to have both of these remarkable leaders by our side, helping grow the organization as we achieve our exciting goals.
I hope you will notice the new logo gracing the cover of this issue. This rebrand aims to highlight our diverse offerings and better connect the many diverse components that make up our parent organization, the N-H-A. Our seal is still very much a part of our history and will not be discarded, but it was never intended to be a logo when it was first created. We look forward to the ways in which this new visual system will position our organization in a more all-encompassing and recognizable way, raising awareness of all that we do, while staying true to who we are.
In closing, I share my sincere thanks to our loyal supporters and members for your unwavering support and participation in preserving Nantucket’s history. We look forward to sharing more highlights as we enter the fall season and the year ahead.
Thank you.
Niles Parker Gosnell Executive Director
Outgoing Trustees
Thank you for your support and commitment to the Nantucket Historical Association
Cam Gammill joined the NHA Board of Trustees in 2017 and has been an engaged and dedicated member ever since. Throughout his tenure, he has been an active members of the Housing & Properties Committee, Development Committee, Special Resolution Committee, and Library Committee, and notably chaired the Education & Interpretation Committee. A year-round resident with deep knowledge of Nantucket and its real estate landscape, Cam played a helpful role in the acquisitions of the Whalers Lane property and 91 Bartlett Road, and was involved in the early planning of the NHA’s solar panel initiative. A longtime supporter of the NHA Scholarship Fund, he has also contributed generously to the annual fund, capital campaigns, membership, and events.
Graham Goldsmith joined the NHA Board of Trustees in 2018. He has been a generous and deeply engaged supporter of the NHA, with a particular passion for enhancing the organization’s collections. His contributions helped secure several important acquisitions, including an 1835 painting by W.J. Huggins, the Boston Massacre lithograph, and Cranberry Pickers by Eastman Johnson—each adding meaningful depth to the museum’s holdings. As a respected member of the Finance and Investment Committee, Graham offered thoughtful insight and sound financial guidance, helping to ensure the long-term stability and growth of the institution. His support extends across all areas of the NHA, from major campaigns and special events to membership and the annual fund. Graham’s commitment to the mission and future of the NHA has made a lasting impact.
Wendy Hudson joined the NHA Board of Trustees in 2017 and has served with dedication and versatility across a wide range of leadership roles. She served as Vice President of the Board and was an active member of several key committees, including Finance & Investment, DEIA, Communications & Marketing, Education & Interpretation, and the Executive Committee. As Chair of the Housing & Properties Committee and always an advocate for the NHA properties, Wendy played a central role in guiding important property initiatives, most notably the acquisition of 91 Bartlett Road, renovations at the Research Library and Hadwen House and the solar panel project at the Gosnold Center. Her thoughtful leadership, strategic insight, and deep commitment to the NHA have greatly contributed to the organization’s growth and success. She generously supported the NHA scholarship fund, membership, annual fund, capital campaigns and events.
Carla McDonald joined the NHA Board of Trustees in 2017 and has been a dynamic and influential leader throughout her tenure. She served as Vice President of the Board and was an active member of the Executive Committee and the Special Resolution Committee. As Chair of the Communications & Marketing Committee, Carla played a pivotal role in shaping the NHA’s brand identity, leading the organization through a comprehensive rebranding effort that will soon be unveiled. Her strategic vision and marketing expertise have helped strengthen the NHA’s visibility and engagement. In addition to her leadership, Carla has been a generous supporter of the NHA through contributions to the annual fund, capital campaigns, membership, and events. Her dedication and enthusiasm have left a lasting mark on the institution.
Marla Sanford joined the NHA Board of Trustees in 2017 and has been a dedicated and enthusiastic advocate for the institution. She has been an active member of both the Housing & Properties Committee and the Communications & Marketing Committee, offering valuable insight and support. Marla has co-chaired Nantucket by Design for the past two years, helping to elevate the event to new heights in both impact and visibility. She also chaired Museum After Dark, bringing fresh energy and creativity to the NHA’s programming. In addition to her leadership, Marla has supported the NHA through the annual fund, capital campaigns, membership, and events, demonstrating her deep commitment to the organization.
Carter Stewart joined the NHA Board of Trustees in 2017. Throughout his tenure, he has been a deeply engaged and thoughtful member of the Board. As a key contributor to the Trustees & Governance Committee, Carter served as a trusted advisor and played an important role in shaping board practices, including assisting with the development and analysis of exit interview surveys. He chaired the DEIA Committee with dedication, helping to guide the NHA’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. In addition, he served on both the Executive Committee and the Education & Interpretation Committee, where his insights enriched the NHA’s strategic direction and public programming. His steady leadership and collaborative spirit have been an asset to the institution. He has been a generous supporter of the NHA through contributions to the annual fund, capital campaigns, membership, and events.
Incoming Trustees
Welcome an exciting new group of Board Members to the Nantucket Historical Association
Anne Broadus was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She has been spending summers on Nantucket since 1999 and she and her husband Toby moved to Nantucket year-round in 2023. She received her B.S. from Northwestern University and later earned a Masters in Arts of Teaching, Elementary Education from Goucher College. Anne spent 28 years as an elementary school educator and administrator at The Bryn Mawr School, holding numerous positions there including homeroom teacher in grades 1 through 5, Lower School Math Coordinator, and, most recently, Lower School Assistant Director. Anne is currently Head of Lower School at Nantucket New School. She has served on the boards of the Maryland SPCA and the Nantucket Yacht Club, and is currently a member of the Bryn Mawr School Board of Trustees and the Town of Nantucket Scholarship Committee. Anne has been involved with the 1800 House for many years and is currently a member of the NHA Education Committee.
Gene Clapp lives in Boston, and, with his late wife Meredith, has four grown children and eight grandchildren. A life-long Nantucketer, Gene recalls his grandmother engaged with the NHA as a docent at the 1800 House. He is a co-founder and Director of Penobscot Investment Management Company, Inc., investment advisors to individuals, family groups and non-profit organizations. Gene has served on Boards in the communities where he lives and works, including Conservation Law Foundation of New England, Partners Continuing Care’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Beacon Hill Civic Association, National Rowing Foundation, and Nantucket Yacht Club. He is a graduate of Brooks School, University of Pennsylvania (BA), and University of Chicago (MBA). In 1972, Gene was a member of the US Rowing team that won a silver medal at the Munich Olympics, and he still enjoys being on the water.
Michael R. Ericksen was born in Minnesota and raised in both Minnesota and Ohio. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1979 with a degree in Economics and earned his MBA as a Baker Scholar from Harvard Business School in 1983. His career spans international finance and investment, including roles at Chase Manhattan Bank, the Boston Consulting Group, and a long tenure with the Capital Group Companies in Los Angeles and London, where he served as Portfolio Manager, President, Chairman, and Director. Michael has been actively involved in nonprofit leadership, serving on the boards of the American School in London, Nantucket Partnership for Children, Nantucket Preservation Trust, and the Egan Maritime Institute. A full-time resident of Nantucket since 2013, he shares a deep appreciation for the island’s heritage with his wife Ana, a former NHA Board Trustee. They have three adult children and six grandchildren. Michael has been a supporter of the NHA since his first visit to the Whaling Museum in 1999.
Meg Flax, a long-time seasonal Nantucket resident, is a retired lawyer and active community leader. Her deep appreciation for history, education, and community has guided her extensive board service over the years. Meg brings to the NHA broad experience in nonprofit governance, having chaired the Board of Trustees of Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., where she also served as a longtime board member. She currently sits on the boards of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Washington and the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center. On Nantucket, Meg recently completed her term as President of Congregation Shirat Hayam, the island’s synagogue. Meg is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Harvard Law School. She and her husband, Sam, live in the Washington DC area. They cherish their time on Nantucket with their family and friends, and they are devoted to their work supporting the island’s cultural and historic institutions.
Bill Liddle is a year-round resident who moved to Nantucket with his family from Central New York in the late 1970s at an elementary school age. After graduating from Boston College with an undergraduate degree in history, he moved back to the island and entered the real estate profession. He took a two-year sabbatical and worked in a private family office in New York City, running real estate operations. In 2002, he co-founded Great Point Properties. He and his wife, Amanda, raised their two children on the island. And he has been engaged in several local organizations, including previously serving as a trustee at the Nantucket New School and Strong Wings Adventure Camp, and the Nantucket Dreamland Foundation, and he currently serves on the boards of Nantucket Community Sailing and Sherburne Commons.
Jim Waterbury divides his time between Greenwich, CT and Nantucket. He is a graduate of St. Paul’s School (1975), and Georgetown University (1979), and spent a year at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris (1978). After 4 years at Morgan Guaranty Trust Company, Jim returned to Georgetown for his JD (1986). After law school, Jim practiced corporate law at Davis Polk & Wardwell (in New York and Paris). Most of his professional career was spent as an international corporate lawyer at General Electric Company, first as a Mergers & Acquisitions lawyer at the Company’s headquarters, and then as General Counsel of the European Power business of GE (based in London), GE’s Oil & Gas business (based in Florence, Italy), and GE Capital (in Connecticut). Jim retired in 2019 as GE’s Vice President and Senior Counsel for M&A, with responsibility for GE’s M&A legal activity globally. Since retiring from GE, Jim has been focused almost full time on pursuing his passion for nature and fine art photography, traveling to all 7 continents in search of inspiring images. Jim and his family started coming to Nantucket in 1987, and they have been spending summers at their house on Brant Point since 1995. Jim and his wife Linda have two adult children, Lindsay (married to Mike Schnitt) and Emily. Nantucket has been the one constant throughout the last 38 years, balancing the frequent corporate moves around Europe. Jim served on the board of St. Paul’s School for 10 years (the last two as Board President). He is currently the Secretary of the Nantucket Yacht Club, and on the board of the Artists Association of Nantucket.
Behind the Seams: Clothing and Textiles on Nantucket is the featured exhibition of the 2025 season at the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Curated by independent costume and textile specialist, Jennifer Nieling, it presents over 150 objects from the NHA’s costume and textile collections to illustrate the stories that clothing and textiles can tell.
Behind the Seams explores more than two centuries of textile production and trade—from raw materials to finished garments—as well as the relationships, communities, identities, and values revealed by textiles created and used by Nantucketers. Historically, textiles were among the most valuable items people owned, requiring significant resources and human labor to produce. They were never wasted but instead made to last and treated with care. Across time, the persistence of sustainable practices demonstrates how islanders have used and valued clothing and textiles.
These themes—Making, Meaning, and Sustainability—emerged through close examination of the NHA’s collection. They now provide a guide for the interpretation of objects in the exhibition that reflect Nantucket’s history as a seaport and its shift from a whaling economy to a summer resort.
The following photo essay is adapted from the script for the Behind the Seams exhibition and is illustrated by objects and images that express themes presented in the gallery, with object photography by Amanda Amaral and installation photography by Bill Hoenk.
Exhibition design is by Helen Riegle, HER Design, and R. Kurt Weidman.
Friendship quilt made by Nantucket women, 1849. Cotton. Gift of Maud E. Backus (1936.22.1).
This quilt features the names of eight presumed makers in the central compass star, and some of their ages, including three sisters-in-law and a grandmother, mother, and daughter.
Jennifer Nieling, guest curator and costume and textile specialist
MAKING: Materials, Imports, Sewing & Handcraft
The history of textiles on Nantucket is a story of regional and international connections as well as local industry and craftsmanship. Before the 20th century, all textiles were made from natural plant and animal fibers. These raw materials had to be grown, harvested, processed, and spun into yarn before they could be made into fabric. Textile goods— from raw materials to fabrics to finished products—were created on the island but most were imported. Cottons from India and Britain and silks from England, France, and China, among other textile goods, were accessible to Nantucketers in part through the connections they developed to sell whaling products in European and American cities. Whether produced on island or imported, everything a person might wear or use in their home was sewn by hand until the invention of the sewing machine in the mid-19th century. Clothing was custom made and fitted to the body, patterned and constructed by professional dressmakers, tailors, and home seamstresses before factory-made ready-to-wear garments became readily available through industrialization at the end of the 19th century.
Right: Wholecloth quilt of English cotton filled with Nantucket wool, ca. 1830. Phebe Starbuck Swain (1795–1882), maker. Cotton, wool. Gift of John Chadbourne (2008.29.1).
This quilt is made of both local and imported materials. It is filled with Nantucket wool, the backing fabric is likely American, and the roller-printed glazed cotton top fabric is British, said to have been smuggled onto Nantucket through the British coastal blockade during the War of 1812.
Above: Collage of newspaper advertisements, 19th century. Reproduced from the Inquirer and Mirror and other island publications.
Above left: Installation view of imported textiles. Included: Chinese fan, mid-19th century. Gift of Katharine Coe Folger (1968.1.16). Man’s shirt and white cotton shirting, after 1844. Gift of Forrest Smith (1986.96.16, .143). Chinese silk embroidered shawl, 1850s. Gift of Anna Gardner Fish (1949.40.7).
Textiles imported to Nantucket in the 19th century included Chinese silk shawls, Kashmir wool shawls, and English cotton shirting like the example here that belonged to Captain Albert Wood.
Above right: Day dress, 1850s. Silk, cotton; hand and machine sewn. Donor unidentified (1993.274.1a-b).
This dress, created when sewing machines were first becoming widely available, was stitched by machine and by hand. The maker sewed the long straight seams of the skirt by machine, while the curved seams of the bodice and the ruffles were sewn by hand.
Left: Girl’s dress from Paris, ca. 1867. Silk, cotton. Gift of Madeleine Everett Loder (1981.52.6).
Throughout the 19th century, Paris was the capital of Western fashion, setting the trends in silhouette, fabric, and trimmings that were followed throughout Europe and America. Some privileged islanders received fashions directly from Paris via family members who traveled abroad. This dress was made in Paris and given by Ellen Mather to her 5-year-old niece Ellen Mather Everett (1862–1933).
Below: Fashion plate from Journal des Demoiselles, 1887
A brown satin bustle dress in the NHA’s collection bears a striking resemblance to the one seen in this Parisian fashion plate.
“Petticoat Row” once referred to a stretch of women-owned and -operated stores on Centre Street (including many milliners, dressmakers, and dry and fancy good stores), rooted in the myth that Nantucket women were uniquely empowered to conduct business during the whaling era because men were at sea. Instead, it was whaling’s collapse that brought more women into the paid workforce.
Above: Petticoat Row (1860s–1930s)
Photo: Women in front of Mary H. Nye’s dry and fancy goods store on Centre Street, 1890. Photograph by Henry Platt (1850–1895) (P1662g).
Top: Textile tools
With the huge amounts of necessary and decorative sewing and needlework that women did in the 18th and 19th centuries, sewing tools were plentiful. In addition to sewing, Nantucket women practiced fine handcrafts like knitting, crocheting, and tatting. Small and portable, these were popular parlor activities, often done in social settings.
Nantucket’s Coffin School, a private charity school, included needlework in the curriculum for girls from its opening in 1827. The school closed in 1898 but reopened in 1903 as a school for manual training courses, inspired by the burgeoning Arts and Crafts movement. Sewing courses for girls in grades 8 to 12 evolved into home economics and dressmaking, and the school even held student fashion shows.
Above left: Day bodice, mid-alteration, 1870–75. Silk, cotton, baleen; machine sewn and hand finished. Gift of Forrest Smith (1986.96.105). Clothing was often altered to update the style or to accommodate changes in the wearer’s size without having to make an entirely new garment.
Left: Coffin school sewing class display (P3196).
MEANING: Life Events, Community & Identity
Textiles associated with significant life moments, from birth to love and marriage to death, are some of the most highly valued and emotionally charged objects in peoples’ lives. These items, often lovingly handmade with time-consuming and detailed decoration, frequently become family heirlooms: a tangible and personal connection to the past. Clothing is also a powerful tool for visually expressing both individual and group identity. From codified systems of dress like traditional Quaker attire to uniforms for teams, clubs, jobs, and the military, what one wears can indicate community relationships and affiliations, personal values, and roles in society.
Above: Wedding of Patricia and Thomas Anathan, 1971. Courtesy of Patricia S. Anathan.
Left: Wedding petticoat, 18th century. Silk, cotton. Gift of Miles and Henry Coffin Carlisle (2000.86.1).
Elizabeth Ramsdell wore an open dress of copper-colored silk over this intricately hand quilted blue silk petticoat when she married Levi Starbuck in 1793. She was the fifth bride in the family to wear the skirt, her mother and other ancestors having worn it before. The skirt was passed down in the family until it was donated to the NHA, while the copper dress was upcycled into other garments.
Above right: Baby blanket of William Cartwright Brock, 1889. Wool, silk. Gifts of Frances L. and John Elder (1994.40.11, .13).
Likely made as a gift by the infant’s mother or a friend, this baby blanket features hand embroidery and reflects the pre-20th century color trend of pink, or light red, for boys.
Quaker dress (1830s), and day dress (1840s). Gift of Elizabeth Kite (1905.10.1). Gift of Margaret Alden Simmonds (1956.21.3).
Members of the Society of Friends, called Quakers, formed a large part of Nantucket’s population in the 18th and early 19th centuries. They wore plain, simple clothing in muted colors with minimal decoration to reflect their modesty and declare their faith, as illustrated by the green dress on the left. The decorative print of the day dress on the right falls outside the Quaker dress code. It was worn by Sarah Coffin Akin (1804–1883) who was raised a Quaker but later left the faith; according to oral history she was “written out of meeting.” An earlier miniature portrait shows Akin in traditional Quaker dress. These different choices of self-presentation reflect the wearer’s shift in identity.
Left: Miniature portrait of Sarah Coffin Akin, 1820s. Watercolor on ivory. Gift of Margaret Alden Simmonds (1976.63.3).
MEANING: Island Identity
As Nantucket increasingly become known for its history, costumes played a large part in expressing and celebrating island identity, allowing the community to directly engage with the past and bring history to life through dress.
Above background: Kay Lynch and daughters on a parade float, 1959. Photograph by Bill Haddon (1928–2012). (P5595).
Above right: Nantucket Boy Scout uniform shirts worn by John and Allan Gilbert, 1973. Cotton. Gift of John and Elizabeth Gilbert (2010.37.3-.4).
The Boy Scouts have been active on Nantucket since 1915, offering boys practical and leadership skills and social connection. These Boy Scout uniform shirts worn by father and son John and Allan Gilbert in 1973 feature patches that indicate their membership in Nantucket’s troop 97, John’s role as Assistant Scout Master, and events they participated in such as the National Scout Jamboree in Pennsylvania.
Left: Installation view of Main Street Fete costumes.
The first Main Street Fete was held in 1921 as a fundraising event for the Nantucket Cottage Hospital. Locals dressed up in historic costume, often their ancestors’ clothes from their attics, and community leaders like Austin Strong (whose coat is seen here) performed roles as whaling-era personalities in a parade on Main Street. Nine more fetes were held between 1925 and 1994, and the event grew into a popular celebration of Nantucket’s historical heyday. Islanders dressed in historic and reproduction costumes that embodied the “old days,” even if not entirely historically accurate.
Appliqué quilt with Nantucket scenes, 1959–1961. Frances Fenton (1895–1974), maker. Cotton. Gift of the Friends of Frances Fenton (1962.9.1).
Frances Fenton commemorated 300 years of Nantucket history in this appliquéd quilt, which features distinctive local flora and fauna, buildings, people, and events. The quilt took Fenton 20 months of full-time work to complete and was purchased for $700 by a group of her friends who donated it directly to the NHA.
Page 15 top: The Jared Coffin House “Embroidery Room” with crewel work bed hangings designed by Erica Wilson, 1960s.(P10759).
In addition to weaving, the Jared Coffin House project included a needlework venture, and Beinecke brought in Erica Wilson to design crewel work bed hangings and curtains for the hotel. It took thirteen women two years to complete them. The group became known as the Nantucket Needlewomen
20TH CENTURY MAKING AND MEANING: Craft
Revivals & Brands
As Nantucket has developed as a summer resort, the clothing and textiles made and designed on the island have come to reflect Nantucket’s identity and communities, developing a Nantucket style that is recognizable on and off island. In the 20th century, Nantucket proved to be a fertile environment for several textile cottage industries, notably during the craft revival of the 1960s when a renewed interest in handcraft coincided with increased marketing of Nantucket as a historical resort town. Many entrepreneurial Nantucketers also created brands and clothing lines with relaxed and high-end looks that embodied the culture and lifestyle for which the island was becoming known, sometimes featuring recognizable island iconography and nods to history and handcraft.
In 1921, Melville B. Melendy (1886–1937) and his wife Eleanor (1879–1967) started Sherburne Looms (later Willow Cottage Weavers) with one loom in the woodshed behind their island summer home, Willow Cottage, and expanded to a dozen hand looms operated by a team of young female weavers by 1928. One of the Melendys’ weavers, Irene B. Walsh, formed Nantucket Weavers in 1938 following Melville Melendy’s death, likely using the same looms. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s Nantucket Weavers advertised handwoven gifts, like the scarf seen here.
Nantucket Looms promotional book page with samples of Jared Coffin House reproductions, ca. 1964. NHA Collection (MS550 OPF-550/1).
Textile historian and practitioner Mary Ann Beinecke and master weaver Andy Oates set up a weaving workshop on Main Street and trained locals to create historic reproduction textiles for the whaling era mansion-turned-hotel, the Jared Coffin House, which was being renovated by financier Walter Beinecke’s Nantucket Historical Trust. The project was a catalyst for textile ventures on island, including Nantucket Looms, one of the island's longest running 20th century textile enterprises that continues to keep its legacy of handwoven textiles alive today.
Right:
Above: Nantucket Blacksmith’s Shirt, late 1970s. Bobbi Wade, maker. Cotton. Gift of Barbara A. Colliander (2024.55.1).
Bobbi Wade began designing and making clothes to order on Nantucket in 1975, initially sewing every piece herself. By the late 1970s, she had expanded to a full line of clothing and hired seamstresses on and off island to assist in the production of more than 1,500 garments a year. Wade’s casual and comfortable styles featured historically inspired designs like the “Nantucket Blacksmith’s shirt” seen here. The brand continued into the mid-1980s.
Right: Nantucket Reds pants, 1980s. Murray’s Toggery Shop. Cotton. Gift of Patricia S. Anathan (2017.24.2).
“Nantucket Reds” clothing from Murray’s Toggery Shop has become synonymous with Nantucket. First created in the 1960s by Philip C. Murray, son of the store’s founder, the iconic canvas cloth garments are made to fade and soften as they are worn. Murray’s Toggery Shop has been in the same location on Main Street since 1945, making the fourth-generation family-owned store one of the island’s longest running businesses.
Below right: Clothing label, Murray’s Toggery Shop, Nantucket. Gift of Suzanne K. Forsyth (2021.8.6).
CONCLUSION
Textiles are everywhere, from the clothes we wear to the fabrics in our homes. Although these items are ubiquitous, they are also more than meets the eye. We hope that taking a closer look at these objects will inspire you to think about the role clothing and textiles play in your life. As embodiments of ourselves, our history, and our world, they are worth seeing and valuing.
Karin Sheppard, daughter of Nantucket Looms seamstress Lia Marks, trained under Andy Oates at the Looms and was a weaver there for twenty years before starting her business Island Weaves. Her ‘Madaket Mall Mats’ are woven with strips of fabric from discarded clothing and towels found at the Take it or Leave it or donated by community members.
The “Take it or Leave it” (aka “Madaket Mall”). Photograph by Amanda Amaral, 2025. Since it opened in 1989, searching for the next great find at the “Take it or Leave it” at Nantucket’s Landfill and Recycling Center on Madaket Road has been an island pastime. Instead of throwing away unwanted but still useful items, people can leave them for others to take at what is essentially a free outdoor thrift shop at the dump. Affectionately called the “Madaket Mall,” this system facilitates sustainable reuse, saving textiles and more from the landfill and giving them new life.
WEAVING AT THE WHALING MUSEUM
This summer, weaving demonstrations are happening at the Nantucket Whaling Museum in connection with the featured exhibition, Behind the Seams: Clothing and Textiles on Nantucket. Local weaver Karin Sheppard is featured in the exhibition and has deep ties within Nantucket’s weaving community. In collaboration with museum staff, Sheppard has organized weavers willing to share their time and talent with visitors throughout the run of the exhibition. Using one of Sheppard’s looms set up outside the McCausland Gallery, weavers are on-site most afternoons, talking with visitors and showing them the weaving process. In this interview, Sheppard shares how she became involved with this project, the range of amazing visitor responses she has received, and the joy (and strangeness!) of spending afternoons weaving under a whale.
How did you get involved with the Behind the Seams exhibition this summer?
I connected with Jennifer Nieling [Behind the Seams guest curator] several years ago when she was on Nantucket doing research. So, when she said she was doing this project, and that it would be great if we could figure out a way to show weaving and have a loom, I said I have five! Why don’t you just use one of mine?
The next question was who would do the weaving? I said there’s like 20 retired weavers here, or other people that I know who might like to come for an afternoon to do some weaving. Maybe we just get a sign-up sheet and whoever comes here to weave gets a hand towel they made on the loom as a thank you for their time. So, this is what we did, and everything has worked out well.
Because of this project, I’m seeing old friends again, people I used to work with. And now we are getting together again. There is just something about weavers; if you know how to weave, or if you used to weave but don’t anymore, you still like being around other weavers. We used to sing a little song to the tune “People” by Barbra Streisand: “Weavers helping other weavers are the luckiest weavers in the world!” There is just some sort of bonding when it comes to weavers.
What kinds of reactions are you getting from visitors?
So yesterday, for instance, I'm down there, and there were three people that said to me separately, “I've never seen anything like this before,” and “oh, I’ve never seen a loom before.” “I've never seen weaving before.” And, to break it down (especially for young people), that all their clothing is made from woven fabric, and all those threads got hooked together in a factory on a larger scale than this, on a big loom with lots of noise, and then that fabric is taken off and made into the clothing that you’re wearing . . . the children just go, “what?!”
Below: Karin Sheppard weaving at the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Photograph by Stan Grossfeld, courtesy of the artist.
[Children] are so enthralled by the simple, basic idea that fabric is woven. They just can't even believe it, because they normally just go to a store and pick up [ready-made] things. There are even adults that are fascinated. And it just surprises me!
There was a group of Boy Scouts that came last week. They must have been 10- to 12-year-old boys. And I looked at them and I thought, oh, they are not going to be interested. And then the troop leader had to say, “Okay, let's move along now,” because they were so interested! They thought it was the most unbelievable thing ever and had so many questions. Not just about the mechanics, but about weaving in general, you know?
So, I showed them how it works; how every other thread comes up when you push down on the pedal, and you put the yarn in, and then you drop them down and bring up the alternating threads . . . and they were mesmerized by how the process builds and makes a fabric! And then, “What is that fabric?” Well, that fabric is going to be used to make a cloth, etc. “What? Like my pants?” And then they are looking at their pants, seeing the threads. And just that concept, that fabric is woven, the simpleness of it, I’m finding people are fascinated and it makes me feel so great!
Some people even ask, “where could I try to do this?” And I ask them where they live and say that I’m sure there's a weaving guild somewhere nearby, where they could meet other people that do this, and someone who could help set them up to learn.
What have you heard from other weavers?
They all seem to really enjoy being here. That say that is it nice to be weaving again, to just sit for a while and weave. And they like talking to people; everyone has been nice. My husband comes and weaves and he has said that he can’t even get out of the Museum sometimes! A family will come by and start asking questions, and he is happy to share. We all enjoy sharing. There is a joy in that.
Some weavers have mobility issues and so may not be able to weave very much, but they have adapted and are still showing how it all works. One weaver brought in her niece and spent time teaching her how to weave. The weaver had some trouble with her back so would
demonstrate for a short amount of time and then let her niece spend time at the loom. And, you know, she helped her niece learn and then also got a dish towel to show for it. It’s just lovely!
How does the process work with multiple weavers? What kinds of things are being made?
In the busy summertime, there is no way that I would have the time to come down to the museum to demonstrate if I couldn’t also work on my own products. So, the projects I set up on the loom and weave myself are all items that will actually go out into the world.
For the other weavers, it works out that that when they finish sitting for an afternoon, they have woven a hand towel.
When each person starts, they mark where they are, adding a tag with their name so it is possible to see how much they wove. It usually works out that when they finish sitting for an afternoon, they have woven a hand towel. I then wash, dry, and sew the edges of each towel, to make sure everyone gets something to show for their time.
Some people may weave less, and the next person weaves more. It just seems to work out. We are all getting something from the loom. I will be shaking things up [in terms of what gets made], but we want gentle weaving. We need to be very thoughtful, because we don’t want noise to be an issue. We can’t weave placemats, for instance, as it takes a harder beat, which is louder. So, the next projects will be dinner napkins, and each weaver may weave a few dinner napkins when they sit. But I’m a lean, mean weaving machine, so maybe I weave six or so. When I’m there, I’m actually working.
Each project on the loom lasts about two to three weeks. When it is all woven, I’ll go in to set a new project. In June we only had a few volunteer slots, maybe three or four days, where we didn’t have someone there weaving. I feel like we are doing really well with people and keeping it up!
While I’m on vacation, another weaver, Cara DeHeart is going to set up a project on the loom. So, when I get back, I’ll be able to weave on her project! This means I get to take something home for myself!
What is it like weaving in the museum with a video of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood playing nearby (in which he visits Nantucket Looms and learns about weaving from Mary Mauldin)? Sometimes, I’m like, oh, let me listen to this part. This is where Mary Mauldin says, “oh, grandma!” and she laughs. Mary was a big part of what got me involved in weaving, because when she was working at Nantucket Looms and I was a little girl, she was the one I would gravitate towards—to spend time next to her and see what she was working on. She was the one that helped me when I first learned to weave. Andy [Oates] was the master weaver, and he and his head weaver, Sam Kasten, taught me in the beginning, but it was the weavers sitting next to you who would tell you what the next step was and that you would be fine. So, Mary was next to me. And if I got stuck, she was the one that guided me.
I now have Mary’s loom, and I want to say that the one I’m using at the museum is hers. I could be wrong (I have two looms that small size, the other belonged to Dorothy Backus), but I think this is Mary’s in the museum. And now I feel like I’m sitting next to her, hearing her voice and hearing her laugh, and I'm probably even sitting at her loom! Even the old-fashioned handcrank winder that we are using to wind our quills, that was Mary’s. I never thought that years later—she’s long gone—that I would be sitting at a loom in the Whaling Museum hearing her laugh again.
I mean, I am weaving under a whale skeleton, listening to Mary’s and Mister Rogers’ voices. And everybody’s happy to see the weaving. It’s like, wow, how did this happen?
What does weaving mean to you?
I love making things that go into people’s homes. I’ve sent things far, far away. There’s a piece of me in South America, and there’s another piece of me in Japan. I’m everywhere!
At the farmer’s market yesterday, a woman came up to me and said, “I think of you every morning when I go into my conservatory. There’s my throw over my couch and there’s the cover you made for my dog.” I'm in these people’s homes. That is one thing about the recycled rugs. I do a lot of memorial rugs (after someone passes away). Some people give me their loved ones’ neckties
or pants, and I'll weave a rug and then they tell me stories about the person afterwards. I will hear from people years later, saying “I get up in the morning and I put my feet down next to the bed, and I always see my father’s neckties that he wore in the rug and think of my father.”
There are heartwarming things that you get from doing work like this. It is great work that I get to do.
As a weaver, I also feel like it is a responsibility to share, to show people weaving and maybe teach them to weave. Because weaving has legs, and if we share, it won’t die out as quickly. So, this is all very fulfilling to me, having time [at the Whaling Museum], passing weaving on to people that may pick it up. Because if you just plant that seed, it may form into a plant somewhere else.
I'm just going out there each day saying—okay, here we go! I have an enthusiasm for weaving, and I get so excited showing people. So, this is my chance, this summer, and that’s why I’m down there [at the museum].
BIO KARIN SHEPPARD
Karin Sheppard trained under Andy Oates at Nantucket Looms and was a weaver there for twenty years before starting her business Island Weaves twenty-five years ago. Her mother was Lia Marks, the seamstress who for decades made the clothing retailed at Nantucket Looms. In addition to handwoven clothing and household textiles in high quality natural fibers, Sheppard is known for her “Madaket Mall Mats,” rugs woven with strips of fabric from discarded clothing and towels found at the Take It or Leave It or donated by community members. She also creates woven memorial rugs and wall hangings made with the garments of loved ones who have passed. Sheppard carries on the weaving traditions of Oates and Anni Albers through experiments in texture and materials and a nuanced color sensibility.
RECENT ACQUISITIONS TO THE COLLECTION
A whale-skin-bound log kept by Josiah Whippy
RL2025.1
Gift of Philip and Karen Carpenter
The log covers 19 years of Whippy’s almost non-stop life at sea. Covering approximately 15 different voyages—3 of which were aboard whaleships— it documents his trips to Cuba, Japan, Italy, California, Sicily, Chile, and Hawaii. To make this acquisition even more unique, the volume is bound in whale skin!
Josiah Whippy was born in 1790 to David Whippy and Keziah Bunker on Nantucket. A lifelong mariner, Whippy served on several different types of voyages but eventually worked his way to be a whaling ship captain. He would die at sea in 1854. In this acquisition, the NHA also received another log kept by Josiah Whippy’s eldest son, William S. Whippy, who followed in his father's steps and also became a whaling ship captain. That logbook contains details from his first two voyages as captain. Both logs are currently being digitized by NHA staff and will soon be available to view and transcribe online.
(Right) Engraved whale tooth by Edward Burdette
2025.18.1
Gift of the Friends of the Nantucket Historical Association, with a partial gift of Whitney Wright
This tooth is the work of the earliest identified American engraver of sperm-whale teeth, Edward Burdett of Nantucket. He was second mate of the ship William Tell from 1829 to 1833 and placed a portrait of the ship on one side of this tooth. The other side depicts the whaleship Friends of New London. The two ships likely met at sea or at a port in the Pacific during 1830. Burdett signed the tooth along the bottom, “Engraved by Edward Burdett of Nantucket Onboard of the William Tell.” You can view this tooth now in our scrimshaw gallery at the Whaling Museum.
Scarf, Cloth Company of Nantucket
2025.36.1
Gift of Patricia Anathan
This colorful scarf was made by the husband-andwife designers Leslie and D.D. Tillett (1915–1992, 1917–2008). They founded The Cloth Company of Nantucket in 1966, where they created a range of printed textiles that drew upon the local history and landscape, including objects from the Whaling Museum. This scarf from the brand features a design inspired by the shingles found on the exteriors of many buildings on Nantucket, while also depicting various types of whales within the colorful paisley pattern. The Cloth Company of Nantucket later became what we now know as Nantucket Looms in 1968, under the leadership of Andy Oates and his life and business partner Bill Euler. Oates would go on to train many weavers who would become leaders in the business.
Cocktail Napkins by Tony Sarg
2025.15.1-8
Gift of Cristina R. Nelson
Featuring iconic images of Nantucket, with scenes including a buoy and ferry, a view of Orange St., Sankaty Head Lighthouse, a horse-drawn calash, and the Summer Street Church, Brant Point, the Old Mill, the Oldest House, and a whaling scene. Tony Sarg, an accomplished illustrator, animator, and designer, bought a property on Nantucket in 1921 after having visited the island the year before, and summered here for many years until his death.
DIGITIZATION UPDATE
Transcriber Q&A: Spotlighting one of our newer and more active transcribers this year, username: jimmcfunk
What initially made you excited about transcription?
The NHA transcription night this past spring is really what got me started, and Quaise asylum as the topic really piqued my interest! It was very exciting to see some of those documents and photographs in person. I spend considerable time on the NHA website and have always seen notes about transcribing. Admittedly, I have wanted to do it for some time, but never felt I was qualified or equipped enough to give it a try. Having that night as a structured introduction to get familiar with it, ask questions, and see all the other regular people transcribing was what I really needed to get started. I find it absolutely captivating to read things in their original hand; however, having the transcriptions alongside them makes them so much more accessible - and searchable! It feels significant to be a part of making these accessible to others. I also get quite a thrill from decoding a word I initially couldn't decipher!
Much of your work has been on the Maria L. Owen Papers. What about them do you find interesting?
I’m most interested in the creator’s interest in the subject matter. She found the information valuable enough to compile and record, and I’m so curious as to what its use may have been. Why did she go to all this trouble? She clearly had a census handy; it's noted on the first page. But also, what did a census from the 1800s look like, and did it need further shaping? I find the organization of the volume to be intriguing: It’s loosely alphabetized with large and prominent families broken up at times. To me, there is a slightly informal feel to this compilation, perhaps suggesting that this was just created for personal use. I really like the feeling of the script becoming less sturdy and quicker in some portions, with an increase in mistakes. It evokes the image of a fatigued Maria as she labors on through this work. It’s a reminder that real people had to hand record information in the days before copy, paste, and spellcheck, which in the grand scheme of civilization are brand new. I’m also intrigued by the names themselves, which are certainly unique by modern trends but commonly used within the community. You can tell the popularity of certain names by their frequent occurrences within and throughout families, as well as the devotion to faith so many had.
Having just started transcribing, what do you find to be the largest hurdles to overcome in a given document?
I do not yet have experience with a variety of documents, so I would say my single largest hurdle is finding and developing my confidence to transcribe accurately. I do feel by the end of these papers that I was considerably more confident than I was at the start. I felt my familiarity with the composition grow as my work progressed, and by the final pages I was really impressed by how sure I was of my interpretations! So I’d say presently my biggest hurdle is just getting settled into the document and getting comfortable with the creator’s style, patterns, and overall groove.
Is there any part of Nantucket's history or particular type of document you would like to transcribe in the future?
I’m a voracious reader with a natural curiosity for the mundane so I will read truly anything! I do have an affinity for record keeping with particular interests in land records and deeds, invoices/receipts, and affidavits, as well as personal records such as birth/marriage/death certificates.
What does Nantucket history mean to me?
This is something I think about quite a bit, and it's very difficult to sum up or articulate. It never seems to have one solid answer; it exists more as a reflection in constant transformation. I, too, think of Nantucket's history as a series of transformations. From the original population of native people to the settlement by European colonizers, the localized pastoral economy that gave way to the global whaling empire, a town of long lineage that became a destination for travelers and seasonal residents. It's evolutions that are happening now and those yet to come. It's a story of pursuing a life in pseudo-isolation and finding a way through no matter the circumstance. It's maintaining your individuality while being part of a community. It's a story of seeking something unique and holding onto it dearly in spite of the odds or the ease (and sometimes in spite of the practicality). A story of resoluteness and desires. Nantucket history, to me, is the history of everywhere - it's the story of human adaptability and perseverance.
Thank you to all our transcribers who have been working remotely to make the many great documents in our collection more accessible. Significant progress has been achieved in the first half of the year!
The log of the Massachusetts 182 pages
The R.B. Spencer Engineering Log 57 pages
The Log of the Clio 102 pages
The Quaise Asylum Records 138 pages
Inside cover of the Log of the brig Clio, 1830. MS220_Log390. Gift of the Stackpole family, RL2008.60.
NEWS, NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS
Properties
International Training Course Continues this Fall
The NHA is once again partnering with the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and Integrated Conservation Resources and Integrated Conservation Contracting (ICR-ICC) to host an intensive course for preservation and heritage professionals.
The program, officially titled International Training Course on Reducing Risks and Increasing Resilience for Sustainable Built Heritage Conservation and Management, will welcome 11 mid-career professionals selected from a competitive pool of over 100 applicants. Participants will arrive on Nantucket at the end of September and spend the next month immersed in rigorous coursework informed by the island’s unique characteristics. They will spend about half of their time in the classroom learning from a diverse group of speakers grappling with preservation and climate questions at both local and international levels. The rest of their time will be dedicated to fieldwork, in which they will apply their expert knowledge to a case study centered around one of Nantucket’s many iconic historic structures. Participants will work in teams to conduct a thorough conditions assessment, practice collecting and analyzing micro- and macro- climate data, and craft a report
summarizing primary risks and best practice response strategies for each site. Their work will culminate in a final public presentation in late October.
Results from past years have been significant and far-reaching, manifesting in both concrete and intangible ways. Participant research has uncovered significant insights about the NHA’s historic structures and informed approaches to their ongoing care. For example, investigations conducted by the 2023 and 2024 cohorts identified weakness and structural instability in the north wall of the Whaling Museum’s Hadwen & Barney Oil and Candle Factory, an observation that prompted extensive repair efforts this past year. But
International training course participants in action during last year's program.
perhaps even more impactful than these material outcomes are the connections that the program continues to foster. Bonded by their shared experience on Nantucket, past participants have continued to maintain meaningful relationships, creating an international community of preservation professionals that freely exchange knowledge and ideas and collectively benefit from one another’s experience and expertise.
The NHA is looking forward to expanding this group further as we welcome our 2025 participants. We will continue to share more about the course, our partner institutions, and our upcoming cohort as this initiative continues to progress.
History Meets Sustainability
The Nantucket Historical Association worked with ACK Smart Solar Energy this past spring to install solar panels at the Gosnold Collection Center. The new system includes 108 panels, installed by ACK Smart’s year-round staff. Factoring in initial system cost, tax breaks, and utility bill savings over the next 25 years, the system will deliver net savings of $422,332. The system saves 50,000 kW per year, reducing strain on our buckling electricity grid, which equates to $12,000 annually, and will pay its upfront costs in under nine years.
NEWS, NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS
Sites Adventure Day
This summer, to encourage families to visit our sites, we held our first Historic Sites Adventure Day on July 9th. The event was held simultaneously at four sites: Greater Light, Hadwen House, Friends Meeting House, and the Old Jail. Each site had an activity, tours, and one to two historical characters, including Hannah and Gertrude Monaghan, William and Eunice Hadwen, a jail keeper, and two Quakers. Participants received passports created specifically for the program with trivia questions, eye spy objects, a word search, and a map to find all the properties. They received a unique sticker at each property to act as a passport “stamp,” and those who went to all four properties received an enamel pin. Several camp groups stopped by, and a fun day was had by all!
Multilingual Day
The NHA hosted its third Multilingual Day at the Whaling Museum this past July, welcoming 70 attendees. NHA Museum Guides engaged with visitors through interactive tours sharing artifacts related to Wampanoag lifeways in Spanish, tours about the whaler’s art of scrimshaw in Portuguese and French, and a grand storytelling of the whaleship Essex in American Sign Language. To ensure this program was accessible for broad audiences, admission was free for all participants, and Museum Guides used microphones to amplify their voices. These lively tours helped create culturally inclusive and accessible spaces at the NHA, and we look forward to growing these offerings in the future.
Community Day
This past August, the NHA hosted its second annual Community Day in celebration of the Summer of Seams and the Whaling Museum’s featured exhibition, Behind the Seams: Textiles and Clothing on Nantucket. The NHA welcomed families to Children’s Beach for the unveiling of the conceptual community quilt, crafts and activities, as well as a historical fashion show featuring iconic Nantucket brands and style. It was a wonderful day of engagement and fun for all ages!
NEWS, NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS
E. Geoffrey and Elizabeth Thayer Verney Fellowship
Rebecca Tolley is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and academic librarian whose work bridges textile arts, material culture, and community history. With advanced degrees in Library and Information Studies and American History, she investigates how embroidery and fiber traditions carry intergenerational knowledge and cultural values. Her creative and scholarly work centers on the role of craft in education, resilience, and storytelling, particularly within marginalized communities. She is currently advancing Stitching through Storms: Quilts of Resilience and Recovery, a community project exploring quilting as a response to environmental trauma in Northeast Tennessee and Western North Carolina.
Research Project:
Homecrafts and Material Culture: The Educational Value of Embroidery in Mid-20th Century America
This research explores mid-century embroidery correspondence courses—pioneered by figures like Erica Wilson, Nellie Bergh, and Mary Ann Beinecke—as a form of distance learning that empowered women to develop artistic and vocational skills from home during the postwar era. By analyzing course materials, advertisements, and personal correspondence, the study reveals how these programs shaped domestic craft culture, gender roles, and economic opportunities, offering new insights into the intersections of education, material culture, and women's history in 20th-century America.
About the Fellowship
In an effort to enhance the public’s knowledge and understanding of the heritage of Nantucket, the Nantucket Historical Association offers an annual fellowship, the E. Geoffrey and Elizabeth Thayer Verney Fellowship. Established in 1999, the award encourages research in the collections of the Nantucket Historical Association Research Library and is open to academics, graduate students, and independent scholars. Learn more by contacting Library@nha.org
Annalie has been with the NHA for almost two years, working in several roles after graduating from Smith College in 2023, where she majored in English and French Literature and minored in the Study of Women and Gender. Growing up in Deerfield, MA, Annalie visited Nantucket with her family every year and moved to the island full-time in May of 2023. She found a passion for museum work when she spent a summer as an intern at Old Sturbridge Village just before her senior year at Smith. Outside the NHA, Annalie would describe herself as a hobby lover and is constantly trying to find more time in the day to play music, read books, conduct history-inspired culinary experiments, and be outside, all while adding new activities to that list. After two years of working as a public programs and visitor operations assistant, she is excited to be taking on a new role as Visitor Experience Coordinator. You may have also heard her on the NHA’s new podcast, The Nantucket Gam, as one of the cast members and researchers.
Jule Hall, Historic Properties Project Manager
Raised on Nantucket, Jule always had a deep love for the island and a strong appreciation for its unique character and natural beauty. She studied Psychology and Criminal Justice in college, spent a year living in Providence, Rhode Island, and ultimately felt the pull to return home. She’s passionate about preserving Nantucket for future generations and enjoys exploring its trails and beaches with her two dogs, Ziggy and Nala. In her free time, she loves to travel, bake, and experiment with new recipes in the kitchen.
Samantha Pillion, Public Programs Coordinator
Samantha has been supporting the NHA with community events this summer and is excited to be returning to her island roots after finishing up a “grownup gap year” spent traveling Latin America. She is a Nantucket native, graduating from Nantucket High School in 2007. Samantha is returning to Nantucket after living in Washington, D.C. for the past 9 years where she worked in Congress, management consulting, and in healthcare. She has previously worked at the NHA the summer after she graduated from Wellesley College in 2011, supporting the development team with the Antiques Show. Outside the NHA, Samantha is a passionate budget traveler/backpacker, loving to immerse herself in the local culture and eat all the street food. When at home, she enjoys cooking, reading fiction, nerding out on personal finance, and quilting – so she was particularly thrilled about the theme of this year’s special exhibition!
Scholarships
2025 NHA Scholarship Recipients
Every year, the Nantucket Historical Association scholarship is awarded to graduating seniors of Nantucket High School who are pursuing a four-year college degree and have also demonstrated a commitment to Nantucket’s community through volunteer time and initiatives. We congratulate this year’s recipients and wish them luck as they begin college this fall.
Katherine Borneman was born and raised on Nantucket. She has a deep appreciation for nature and enjoys spending time outdoors on both Nantucket and in Maine. This fall, she will begin her studies in Zoology at the University of Maine at Orono.
Jake Johnson, a student-athlete, played soccer, lacrosse, and swim competitively. In the summer he works as a lifeguard, which keeps him connected to the ocean while taking on the responsibility of keeping others safe. He will be going to Wentworth Institute of Technology to study architecture.
Molly Parsons is a true Nantucket Native. Over the course of her high school years, Molly participated in the drama production and the Spring Musical, and performed with the select choral group, the Accidentals and Naturals. She explored her passion for diversity by being involved in the Bulgarian, Latin and Spanish Clubs. Molly is excited to attend Providence College in the fall to study Marketing and looks forward to using her degree to help launch her home-based business making Nantucket Lightship earrings, a skill she learned from her father and sister, both of whom are local lightship baskets makers.
Suz Peraner, an exceptional student with a diverse range of talents, selected the NHA for her School to Career program during her senior year. Over the course of the year, she immersed herself in nearly every aspect of this organization, contributing to education, programming, transcription, research, decorative arts, and fundraising. Suz was also honored with the Erwin L. Greenberg Book Award, presented to a senior who has demonstrated outstanding interest and achievement in history. The award, named for a devoted NHA trustee, is selected by the Nantucket High School History Department. This fall, Suz will attend Providence College, where she plans to major in History.
Ja’sir Smith was born in New Jersey and moved to Nantucket, Massachusetts at the age of 11. He quickly adjusted to island living, spending most of his time playing sports and building relationships in the community. During his high school career, he could be found on the basketball court or volunteer coaching and mentoring at the Nantucket Boys and Girls Club. Ja’sir plans to major in Psychology and obtain a Masters in Sports Psychology. His goal is to become a mental health therapist for athletes. In addition, he’s passionate about sports data and strategy, and intends to study Sports Analytics to complement his goals of coaching basketball at the high school or collegiate level. His dream is not only to coach athletes, but also help them grow as individuals—mentally, emotionally, and socially. Ultimately, Ja’sir hopes to return to Nantucket and give back to the community that helped shape him.
Summer Benefit Events
Co-Chairs: Annabelle Fowlkes, Connie Anne Harris & John Sylvia
Baskets, Bubbles & Bourbon, held on Friday, June 27th, was a sell-out event that featured exciting new additions that honored both weavers and collectors. We were honored to recognize collector Max Berry for his outstanding support and dedication to preserving this iconic island craft.
The event had an exclusive showcase of other distinguished basket collectors displaying their treasured pieces. This year, the highly anticipated auction featured a curated selection of exceptional works from today’s most talented artisans—plus select collaborations with other skilled craftspeople with all items selling out! Attendees also enjoyed a new addition of a bourbon tasting alongside our signature bubbles, craft cocktails, and light bites.
The NHA extends a special thank you to the presenting sponsor, Pure Insurance.
NEWS, NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS
Co-Chairs: Marla Mullen and Bill Richards
Nantucket by Design is an annual celebration of art, design, and history that took place from July 15-18. The event brings together world-renowned designers, artisans, and skilled craftspeople to showcase Nantucket’s design heritage. This year’s highlights included keynote speakers Martha Stewart and Fernando Wong, as well as Design Luncheon speaker Patrick Frey of Pierre Frey, among many other talented luminaries. The week included panels, keynotes, pop-ups, and more, while celebrating the theme of Interwoven as a tie to Nantucket textile history and the NHA’s featured exhibition.
The NHA extends a special thank you for presenting sponsors, Woodmeister Master Builders and William Raveis.
Summer Benefit Events
Co-Chairs: Annabelle Fowlkes and Franci Neely
A Nantucket Night, held on Saturday, August 2nd, celebrated the NHA’s featured exhibit, Behind the Seams: Clothing and Textiles on Nantucket, by designing the evening around the island's rich textile history. Guests enjoyed a sneak peek at the community quilt project, silk screening with Tillet Textiles, and celebrated other iconic Nantucket brands that generously supported our featured exhibition this season, including Nantucket Looms, Murray’s Toggery Shop, and Erica Wilson. We thank everyone who attended and enjoyed this wonderful Nantucket Night!
1894 Society
$100,000 and Up
Janet and Sam Bailey
Connie and Tom Cigarran
Amanda Cross
Annabelle and Gregory Fowlkes
Melinda and Paul Sullivan
$50,000 - $99,999
Anonymous
$25,000 - $49,999
Nancy and Douglas Abbey
Elizabeth and Lee Ainslie
Mary-Randolph Ballinger
Susan Blount and Richard Bard
Ann and Stephen Bartram
Maureen and Edward Bousa
Anne Marie and Doug Bratton
Margot Bush
Gina and Colby Crenshaw
Rachel and Jim Dunlap
Shelley and Graham Goldsmith
Mark Gottwald
Rena and Josh Kopelman
Carla and Jack McDonald
Ella Prichard
Mary and MacGregor Read
Gary McBournie and Bill Richards
Wendy and Eric Schmidt
Helen and Chuck Schwab
Janet and Rick Sherlund
Patricia Hambrick and Harry Wilcox
$10,000 - $24,999
Sara and Seth Alvord
Carole and Gary Beller
Stacey and Robert Bewkes
Patricia Nilles and C. Hunter Boll
Jeanine and Alastair Borthwick
Patricia and Barrett Burns
John DeCiccio
Deborah and Bruce Duncan
Tracy and John Flannery
Ola and Randall Fojtasek
Connie Anne and Jeremiah Harris
Ann and John Johnson
Cecelia Joyce Johnson
Diane Pitt and Mitch Karlin
Polly Hallowell and Steve Langer
Suzanne Lingeman
Isabelle and Ian Loring
Debra and Vincent Maffeo
Bonnie and Peter McCausland
Ronay and Richard Menschel
Ashley Gosnell Mody and Darshan Mody
Ann and Craig Muhlhauser
Franci Neely
Laura and Bob Reynolds
Linda Saligman
Denise and Andrew Saul
Christine and Stephen Schwarzman
Georgia Snell
Kathleen and Robert Stansky
Katherine and Peter Sutters
Kate Lubin and Glendon Sutton
Wendy and Colin Sykes
Kathryn Wagner
$5,000 - $9,999
Susan Akers
Patricia and Tom Anathan
Georgeann and Roger Ballou
Eileen Gebrian and Timothy Barberich
Liz and Ben Barnes
Ritchie Battle
Kim Bepler
Jody and Brian Berger
Kay and Peter Bernon
Pam and Max Berry
Anne and Toby Broadus
Olivia and Felix Charney
Beth and Andy Corry
Christina Craighead
Lisa and Nathan Cressman
Ann and Stephen Davis
Kate and Jim Denny
Heidi and Rob Diemar
Elizabeth Miller and James Dinan
Gavin Ford
Kelly Williams and Andrew Forsyth
Cece and Mack Fowler
Regina Gannon
Nan Geschke
Nancy Gewirz
Recognizing donors of $1,000 or more yearly to the NHA Annual Fund. 1894 Society Benefits:
• Guest passes for unlimited entry
• Recognition on the 1894 Society webpage
• Invitations to exclusive programs
• Custom benefits designed to meet your specific interests
Learn more by contacting 1894society@nha.org
Betsey and Charlie Gifford
Jenny and Justin Green
Claire and Bob Greenspon
Lauren and Paul Gudonis
Gordon Gund
Karli and James Hagedorn
Barbara and Ed Hajim
Kaaren and Charles Hale
Cassandra Henderson
Linda Pizzuti Henry and John Henry
Catherine and Richard Herbst
Barbara and Amos Hostetter
Wendy and Randy Hudson
Susanne and Zenas Hutcheson
Mary Ann and Paul† Judy
Thomas Kligerman
Anne and Todd Knutson
Coco and Arie† Kopelman
Jean Doyen de Montaillou and Michael Kovner
Greeley Sachs and Seth Levine
Diane and David Lilly
Paula and Bruce Lilly
Helen and Will Little
George Korn and Thomas Livingston
Laura and Brian Millham
Peyton and Art Muldoon
Carter and Chris Norton
Lorena and Graham O'Brien
Ross Padluck
Tamara and Albert Rabil
Karen Rainwater
Andrew Law and David Rattner
Elizabeth Reilly
Susan and Ken Richardson
Maria and George Roach
Sharon and Frank Robinson
Robin and Mark Rubenstein
Catherine Ebert and Karl Saberg
Laura Brill and Christopher Sands
Burwell and Chip Schorr
Donna Cooper and Karl Schulz†
Gretchen Effgen and Anthony Schweizer
Mary and Don Shockey
Leslee Shupe
Deidre and Joseph Smialowski
Christopher Drake and Will Steele
Ann and Peter Taylor
Garrett Thornburg
Lara Trafelet
Liz and Geoff Verney
Dorothy and Richard Verney
Roselee and Jim Wayman
Mary and John West
Alisa and Alastair Wood
$3,000 - $4,999
Lindsey and Merrick Axel
Lucinda Ballard
Susan and Bill Boardman
Anne DeLaney and Chip Carver
Beth Clyne
Prudence Crozier
Lisa Dawson
Karyn Frist
Elizabeth Georgantas
Page and Arthur Gosnell
Sara Schwartz and Will Hannum
Amy and Brett Harsch
Wendy Hubbell
Lisa and Roger Krakoff
Alice and J. Thomas Macy
Toni and Martin McKerrow
Annalise and Thomas Nelson
Valerie Paley
Kristin and Scott Paton
Candace Platt
Nancy and Bob Puff
Janet Robinson
Margaret and John Ruttenberg
Sally Horchow and John Seitz
Susan Shapiro
Laura and Greg Spivy
Peter Steingraber
Robin Terres
Laura Rosene and Scott Toop
Maureen Wolff
$1,000 - $2,999
Mareta Hamre and Mark Abbott
Carrie and Leigh Abramson
Elizabeth Anthony
Eleanor and Chris Armstrong
Ayesha Khan and Nate Barber
Deborah and Mark Beale
Veronica and Jamie Beard
Jane Beasley
Dennie Doran and Allan Bell
Martha Berlin
Kelly and David Berry
Jodie and Jim Bishop
Karen and Jim Bloomfield
Amanda and James Boening
Gail and Bill Bogle
Veronica and Michael Bonnet
Carol and James Bowditch
Jennifer and Robert Bowman
Katie Potter and Joe Bracken
Diane and David Bradt
Margaret and William Brenizer
Lissy Bryan
Julie Jensen Bryan and Robert Bryan
Brooke and Bill Buppert
Philippa and James Burke
Patricia and Christopher Burns
Mary Fontaine and James Burruss
Christy and William Camp
Patty amd Joe Carrolo
Laurie and Robert Champion
Dorene and Richard Chan
Pamela and James Chapman
Kay Krill and Alan Chapple
Dianna and Richard Chesley
Meredith and Gene Clapp
Catherine and Anthony Clifton
Brenda Williams and Robert Coffin
Ana and Paul Collins
Jenny and Wylie Collins
Janice Compton
Suellen Ward and John Copenhaver
Courtney Cotter and Pepper Frazier
Susan and Christopher Cowie
Cynthia Cross
Maureen and Jeff Crowley
Danielle Rollins and Tom D'Agostino
Katherine and Kell Damsgaard
Janie and Jerry Dauterive
Robyn and John Davis
Benjamin Deaton
Amy Hauk and Scott Dehm
Nancy and Joseph Delogu
Dorinda Dodge
Jennifer and Stephen Dolente
Beth English and Mark Donato
Erica† and Jeffrey Drazen
Helen and Ray DuBois
Lori and Brenton Durham
Liz and Dean Durling
Barbara and Michael Eisenson
Ana and Michael Ericksen
Elizabeth and Nelson Erickson
Bob Felch
Tina and Stuart Fietz
Lynn and Mark Filipskio
Laura and David Finley
Jacquelyn and Michael Finn
Marcia Weber and James Flaws
Tanya and Tom Forman
Jane and Charles Forman
Lauren Fornes
Esther Fox
Tammy and Keith Frankel
Kim and Robert Frisbie
Karen and Chris Gagnier
Cam Gammill
Ann and Jeff Gardner
Blewett S. Gardner
Vera and Richard Gierke
Laurie Gilmour
Carol and Edward Glassmeyer
Elizabeth Graziolo
Stacey Stuart and Peter Greenhalgh
Tamara Greenman
Susan and Timothy Grell
Sabine and Richard Griffin
Joan and Philip Gulley
Ellen Hallock Hakes
Linda and Joe Hale
Kathleen and Robert Hay
Diana Hayden
Maureen and Phillip Heasley
Jacqueline and Robert Higgins
Schuyler and Charles Hinnant
Donna and Christian Hoffman
Barbara and Richard Holt
Sharon Horne
Maureen Phillips and Douglas Horst
Joseph Ingram
Holly James
Mary Ellen and Jeffrey Jay
Carl Jelleme
Ann and Charles Johnson
Robin Gillen and Harvey Jones Jr.
Elizabeth and Stephen Joseph
Caitlin Kah
Kathryn Karol
Amanda Keenan
Diane and Art Kelly
Kathleen Cannon and Brian Kelly
Ellen Lehman and Charles Kennel
Jane and Doug Kern
Teresa Heinz and John Kerry
Kathryn Ketelsen
Etsuko Yashiro and Ken Kimura
Jonathan King
Mary Beth and Adam Kirsch
Nancy Dubuc and Michael Kizilbash
Martha Dippell and Daniel Korengold
Kimberly and Dennis Kozlowski
Jackie† and Bill Kupper
Lisa Todd and Robert Kurtz
Kristyn Vandegrift and Joseph La Barge
Robert Lahey
Karen and Tony LaRocco
Chris Larsen
Katherine and David Lashway
Samuel Lehrman
Jill Lentowski
Kathryn Lieb
Deborah and Ronald Lilly
Thomas Lloyd
Sandy Murphy and Charles Loeb
Christa and Mark Lopez
Sharon and Frank Lorenzo
Richard Lowry
Helen Lynch
Nicole and William Lynch
Mary and Jeffrey Lynch
Carolyn MacKenzie
Holly and Mark Maisto
Kathleen and Chris Matthews
Susan McCollum
Mary McDonald
Molly and David McGrath
Michael McGraw
Lisa and Eric McKechnie
Darina and Allan McKelvie
Abigail Johnson and Christopher
McKown
Katherine and William McNabb
Pat White and Jim Meehan
Susan and Paul Meister
Bunny and Duff Meyercord
Betsy Michel
Tina and Robert Miklos
Miriam and Herbert Mittenthal
Siobhán O'Mahony Moore and William Moore
Jean and Paul Moran
Joyce and James Morgan
Winnie and Chris Mortenson
Jacqueline Moss
Susan and Christopher Mundy
Una and William Murphy
Sally Nash
Laurie B. Newhouse
Jeff Newton
Darcy and Richard Nopper
Sharon and David Northrup
Mary and Al Novissimo
Ann and Hardy† Oliver
Vallorie Oliver
Susan O'Malley
Kathy and Angelo Orciuoli
Maureen Orth
Sandie Owen
Laura and Bill Paulsen
Liz and Jeff Peek
Suellen and Andre Perold
Ellen and Samuel Phelan
Patricia and Joseph Phelan
Melissa and Nat Philbrick
Martha and Charley Polachi
Julia and Larry Pollock
Gene† and Robert Pratter
Lloyd Princeton
Ann and Chris Quick
Suzanne Rand
Katherine and Craig Raphaelson
Hillary Hedges and Jeffrey Rayport
Susan and Harry Rein
Susan Renzulli
Crystal and Rich Richardson
West Riggs
Gretchen and Jay Riley
Danielle and Bob Rizika
Reed and Bradley Roberts
Cindy and Michael Roberts
David Roche
Ken Roman
Marion Rosenthal
Ellen and David Ross
Michele Kolb and Philip Ross
Bonnie Sacerdote
Lisa Gustavson and Chris Sales
Sandi Holland and Alfie Sanford
Gayle Bridgman-Santucci and Joseph Santucci
Brian Sawyer
Pamela Schofield
Amy and Frederic Schroeder
Hana Schuster
Denise and Robert Schwed
Michele Seass
Heidi Cox and George Seyfert
Teckie and Don Shackelford
Sharon and Charles Shaver
Rhonda and Bruce Shear
Sandra and Edward Sheehy
Dorothy Slover
Ami Sokol
Carol and Stephen Spinelli
Sarah Barrett and Kenneth Stanley
Janet Steinmayer
Athalyn and Michael Sweeney
John Sylvia
Merrielou Symes
Lisa and Peter Theoharidis
Judith and William Thompson
Karen Butler and John Thompson
Rachael and Michael Thomson
Jessica Torre
Susan and William Untereker
Kellie and David Urban
Elinor and James Vaughter
Mollie and Kent Wallace
Gail and Robert Ward
Elizabeth Watt
Deborah and Daniel Wayland
Susan W. Weatherley
Denise and William Welsh
Calista West
Bridget and Mark Wiatrowski
Janice Wiesen
Will Willauer
Pamela and Charles Williams
Stephanie and Jay Wilson
Linda Wisnewski
Denise and Peter Wittich
Mary and David Wolff
Margot Young
Ana and Christopher Young
Carolyn Paris and Robert Young
Carolyn Grant Zarrella and Ronald Zarrella
Alison and Scott Zoellner
C.L.W. French Society
C.L.W. French Society
The NHA circle of leadership support
The Nantucket Historical Association established the C.L.W. French Society to recognize individuals who contribute to the NHA at the highest levels.
Named after Miss Caroline L.W. French of Boston, one of the earliest major donors to the NHA. Miss French was one of the benefactors of the NHA’s purchase of the Quaker Meeting House in 1894, under the condition that the Association raise a reserve to purchase the Old Mill should it come on the market. By helping to secure two of the NHA’s most iconic properties, Miss French’s support is felt more than a century later.
Through this prominent giving society, the board of trustees acknowledges the generous total annual giving by our top individual donors to the NHA’s operations.
C.L.W. French Society members contribute $5,000 or more annually to the annual fund, membership, fundraising events, as well as for exhibitions, educational programs, and other special initiatives.
For more information about the C.L.W. French Society, please contact the Development Department at (508) 228-1894 or giving@nha.org.
Qualifying donors are entitled to the following benefits:
$5,000 – $9,999
• A family-level membership
• Unlimited guest passes
• Invitations to exclusive C.L.W. French events
• VIP early entry to Exhibition Openings
• Recognition on C.L.W. French Society donor board
• C.L.W. French Society merchandise
$10,000 – $24,999
• All above benefits
• Invitation to an intimate coffee and conversation with NHA directors
$25,000 – $49,999
• All above benefits
• Private tour or Decorative Arts workshop for up to 6 people, tailored to your interests
$50,000 – $99,999
• All above benefits
• 10% off an NHA event rental
$100,000 and Above
• All above benefits
• Call ahead parking spot for general admission, programs, and special events
Needlepoint Kits by Elizabeth Gilbert
1800 House Exclusive Nantucket Dog Bowl
Nantucket Summer Mug Based on 1925 John Held Poster
