Historic Nantucket, Spring 1992, Vol. 40 No. 1

SPRING

1992

V 0 L U M E 40

Recreation

No. 1

From

The President

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Diane Ucci, Managing Editor Helen Winslow Chase, Historian Bruce A. Courson, Curator of Interpretation Photos: NHA collections unless otherwise credited

Bicycles and Nantucket

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The first bicycle arrived on Nantucket in 1886, and in 1896 the town voted in the first bicycle path to Siasconset. It ran through Levi Coffin's and Sidney Foulger's land from Phillips Run to Bunker Hill.

By Roger A. Young

Early Aviation on Nantucket

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One year after World War I was declared, the first hhdroplanes arrived unannounced.

An old fis erman thought the two planes were seagulls.

his is the first issue of Volume 40 featuring a recreation theme and our new twenty page format. Based on the positive response from our membership to past expanded issues, we are pleased to continue the increased length through this next year. This will enable us to broaden our historical content and include more current happenings at the NHA. Our last reminder for this year's Annual Appeal was sent out at the end of February. To date we have met seventy-five percent of our $70,000 goal, and we are particularly pleased with the generous support of our trustees and advisors.

The original plan for the Museum Support Center had exterior completion scheduled by the end of March . However, the scale of the building to the original site and the various code requirements involved caused us to re-evaluate the location. We have decided on a lot off Bartlett Road and construction will begin in early June.

This season we plan to reopen the Macy-Christian House to the public. The interior is being reinterpreted and the Liberty Street facade will be painted.

Also planned for this season is a new exhibit on the second floor of the Thomas Macy Warehouse, "Changing Landscapes." This is a joint effort of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and the Nantucket Historical Association. joseph]. Mclaughlin THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OFFICERS

By Captain john Lacouture

Departments What's News at the NHA We couldn't do it without you .

Recognition of Our Committed Supporters Museum Support Center Capital Campaign Items of Interest The Museum Shop

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Historic Nantucut (ISSN M39-22i8) is published quarterly and distributed as a privilege of membership by the Nantucket Historical Association, 5 Washington Street, Nantucket, MA 0255i. Secondclass postage paid at Nantucket, MA. Postmaster: Send address changes to Historic Nantuclltt, Box 1016, Nantucket, MA 02554-1016. FAX 508.228.5618

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joseph j. Mclaughlin, President H. Flint Ranney , Vice President Walter Beinecke, Jr., Vice President Ms. Nancy A. Martin Evans, Secretary and Assistant Treasurer Paul A. Wolf, Jr. , Treasurer Maurice E. Gibbs, Executive Director

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mrs . Charles Balas Mrs. C. Marshall Beale Mr. Max N. Berry Mrs . Richard Brecker Mr. Charles C. Butt Ms . Kimberly C. Corkran Mr. Earle M. Craig, Jr. Mr . john W . Eckman Mrs. Thomas H . Gosnell Mr . Erwin L. Greenberg

Mrs. William E. Grieder Mrs. Bernard D. Grossman Mr. Hudson Holland, Jr. Mrs. Earle MacAusland Mrs. William B. Macomber Mrs . Carl M. Mueller Mr. David M. Ogden Mrs . William L. Slover Rev . Georgia Ann Snell Mrs . Bracebridge H . Young

ADVISORY BOARD Mrs . Robert Bailey Mrs . Donna Beasley Ms . Patricia A. Butler Mr. Robert C. Caldwell Mrs. Helen Winslow Chase Miss Nancy A. Chase Mr. Michael de Leo Mrs. Herbert Gutterson Prof. William A. Hance Mrs . Hamilton Heard, Jr. Mrs. Nina S. Hellman Mrs . john G. W. Husted Mrs . Arthur jacobsen

Mrs . jane Lamb Mr . Andrew j. Leddy Mr. Reginald Levine Mrs . Sharon Lorenzo Mrs . Thomas Loring Mr. William B. Macomber Mr. Paul H . Madden Mr. Robert F. Mooney Prof. F . Blair Reeves Prof. Susan Tate Mr. Donald E. Terry Mrs. Mark White Mr. john S. Winter Mrs. joseph C. Woodle

EDITORIAL BOARD Mrs. Dwight Beman Mr. Richard L. Brecker Mr. Gene Horyn Mr. Robert F. Mooney

Ms . Elizabeth Oldham Mr. Nathaniel Philbrick Mr. H . Flint Ranney Mrs . Susan Beegel Tiffney

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WHAT'S NEWS AT THE NHA

Structures Update

Macy-Christian House Reopens

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Y

You may have noticed an odd looking level. He and Michaeljehle, Curator of Colleche 1992 season marks the reopening tions, have also reinstalled the artifacts to of the NHA's Macy-Christian house at appendage at the end of the Old Mill's turning spar. This triangular addition was create a more accurate and interesting display. 12 Liberty Street. Built circa 17 40, the house Water damage from flooding caused by was originally a lean-to that some theorize designed to support the weight oft he 50-foot tail as well as protect the delicate "axle" from October's northeaster prompted the changes may have been moved to its current site from harm during the absence of its wheel. The and improvements. Ventilation and moisture the old town of Sherburne. Thomas Macy Structures Department had been monitoring protection have been built in for protection of was the first owner, and in 1745 he deeded the present wheel's condition and decided to the objects on display. the property to his son Nathaniel, a prosperreplace it before the summer season. The The 1800 House and Greater Light prop- ous merchant and leader in the Society of wheel was built by james A. Norcross, and erties will be given well-deserved attention Friends. has served us well considering that its original during their time off-line this season. RestoraIn 1934, after several changes in ownertion is planned of the crown bullion windows ship, Nathaniel Macy's house was purchased use was "j ust for show." A duplicate working wheel is being constructed by the Witmer and the leaded french doors in the front room as a summer residence by an Episcopal minCoach Shop in New Holland, Connecticut, of Greater Light. Other repair work to the ister from New York, Reverend George P. and should be back in place shortly. house will involve the exterior coverings and Christian. The Christians were admirers of The Old Mill continues to shine in her trimdetails.The1800Househasseen workin colonial furniture and decorative arts and its keeping room throughout the winter they fashioned the house in what is now new designation as a National Historic Memonths. Plaster restoration, interior painting, referred to as the "colonial revival" style. By chanica! Engineering landmark. The groundwork for this award was laid last fall by Mark and some structural work are planned for the creating a warm colonial interior in their W . Fortenberry, Curator of Structures, and remainder of the year. summer home, it became a haven from the NHA member George - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - socialturmoilthatplaguedthe early decades of the twentieth Ingram. Mr .Ingram is also Rich Morcom replacing the flooring in the rigging loft at the Whaling Museum.

Photo: Diane Ucci a member of the American century.

Today, the house is repreSociety of Mechanical Engineers, whose History and sentative of two divergent but Her itage Committee aesthetically similar periods. awarded the windmill this Visitors will be able to see the designation . Landmarks parlor and bedroom as they are existing artifacts repwould have looked during resenting a signi ficant meNathaniel Macy's years of resichanical engineering techdence on the eve oftheAmerican Revolution. The keeping nology. A plaque presentation ceremony will be room and the second parlor, scheduled for later this however, will be decorated in the colonial revival style which year. the Christians preferred. This Rick Morcom, Assiswill present a fascinating optant Curator of Structures, portunity for visitors to comhas replaced the flooring pare and contrast two very in three of the Whaling different periods in Museum's workshop exNantucket's history. hibits on the basement

HadwenHouse Facelift

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s the NHA looks toward its centennial in 1994, much of our attention will be focused on improving the authenticity of our historic properties. The greek revival HadwenBarney-Satler house is one which is currently receiving attention. Our most visible and popular historic house, with over ll ,000 visitors seasonally, the Had wen has suffered from its years of popularity. Today it is a faded gem that needs only a little polishing to

return it to its former brilliance.

During 1992 Curator of Collections Mike Jehle and a group of research volunteers, which include Doug and Elton Burch, Mary Lethbridge, and Martha Groetzinger, will be gathering clues on the original decor. In April, a paint analyst, Frank Welch, will be conductinganevaluation of the interior paint. Through microscopic analysis we will be able to uncover the original colors used to paint the walls and trim. This will help us determine the other colors used in the original carpets and draperies.

The 1992 season will find the interior of

the Had wen unchanged as we pull all of the information together. By the beginning of the 1993 season we will have completed the renovation, and each of the three families that owned the house will be represented in accurately decorated and furnished period rooms.

A detailed renovation of a historic house is a painstaking process, and the slightest clue can help to solve the biggest questions.

If you have any information on the history of the house, or any furniture from the period 1840-60 that you would consider donating, please call Mike Jehle at 228 - 1894.

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. house. From thJ¡s store they dJ¡spensed milk, Week in Nantucket" was the man responsible to 'Sconset in eighteen minutes an d t h my seconds.

Bushway ice cream, penny candy, roasted for the catchy slogan "The Cycle-logical Way C. Warren Austin continued his bicycle peanuts, homemade caramels, peanut brittle, to See Nantucket Island." My father adopted it repair s h op t h rough W or ld W ar I , b u t and popcorn. Theysll.ced potatoes and cooked for his ad in that publication. That was in horseless carriages, better known as automo- their own potato ch ips. My mot h er ren ted 1936. The slogan has been used in every ad for biles, took over as the attraction of conve- roomsinthesummerwhilemyfatherworked Young's Bicycle Shop ever since . nience. The interest in bicycles waned. The as a plumber days and repaired bikes nights.

Harvey A. Young's Bicycle Shop had an inventory of about thirty bicycles and two stock market crash of 1929 marked the end They were busy. of high living and the beginning of the Great In the meantime, my father was purchas- tandems. The bikes were Bay State, made by Depression. ing used bicycles and storing them in the the Columbia Bicycle Company. The tandems My dad, Harvey A. Young, arrived on back shed of our house. When the number of were Colson's, made in Dayton, Ohio. The Nantucket in january of 1929 in response to bicycles exceeded the storage space, he had to sign with the wheel on top was a converted ice jack Ayers' ad in the Boston .--_::..__ _ _ _:....__ _ _ _ _ _ __::____::__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _1 cream sign. My father welded a frame to hold the wheel, Globe for a plumber/ steamfitter. My mother, sisputting fins in the spokes to make the wheel spin in the ter, brother, and 1 arrived in early june. The following year wind. When the wind blew my father went to work for too hard, the sign would W.B. Marden. During the wintopple over. Slats were then terof 1930-31 he was laid off. attached to the feet of the sign.

It was at this time that he These were fine, unless the fixed my brother's and sister's wind blew harder. When it bicycles and put them out in did, the sign toppled. So the the back yard with a sign that cure for this problem was a wooden apple box filled with read "For Rent." The house cement, with the feet of the was located at 45 Pearl Street, at the intersection of Hussey sign in the box. Wind has not and Liberty Streets. blown the sign over since.

Many parents would not Bicyclerentingtothesumlet their children ride bikes in mer visitor became popular. the summer, for they thought Byron Pease of Pease and there were too many cars.

Ayers garage set up a shop.

There were many children This was located in the buildingnowoccupied by Vincent's who had broken-down bikes and priorities were such that Italian Restaurant.john Terry repairing them was out of the and Son set up a shop at his taxi sta nd on Middle Pearl question. Harvey A. Young's idea was simple. "I'll repair Street. A few years later, Earl your bikes for FREE." Now Cook set up his shop in his we all know that there is nothgarage on Charter Street.

Franklin Lamb followed suit ing in this world for free. What he did was to fix their bicycles setting up his shop in his gaand then rent them until rage also on Charter Street.

However, the latter soon enough money was taken in to cover the cost of the repair. abandoned the business.

At that time he returned the Terry gave up bicycles. bicycle to its owner all fixed at Roy Pease had his shop on no cost to the owner.

South Water Street. Earl Cook He then offered them an moved his operation to South opportunity to earn some Beach Street in what was Clint money. If they would let him Harvey A. Young, circa 1942, riding a 56" Columbia.

Folger's garage. A man named keep their bicycles, he would Whitfield came to town and split 50/50 on any money he made renting use the kitchen. At this stage my mother opened up the Nantucket Tennis and Cycle their bikes. A single bicycle rented for twenty- made a valid point. "The kitchen is my do- Club on South Beach Street, right next to five cents per hour, a dollar for twenty-four main and I don't want any bicycles stored in Cook's Cycles. Then there was the BX, better hours, and five dollars per week. This is how it. Find some other place for your bicycles." known as the Bicycle Exchange from CamYoung's Bicycle Shop started back in 1931.

Well, my dad persuaded j. B. Ashley to bridge, Massachusetts. They opened their shop Harvey A. Young actually opened the doors rent his garage at 10 Broad Street, with one in the building that now houses Henry's Sandto a second bicycle craze that has developed stipulation. Mr. Ashley rented space to the wiches. They lasted a year at that location. into an important contribution to our Lindsay family of Hulbert Avenue to keep Then there was john Salvas, who operated in community's recreation and economy. It is their Packard convertible overnight. My fa- 'Sconset. In fact, he was so very friendly that still serving island residents on a year-round ther could rent the garage as long as he moved anyone riding a bicycle from town who needed basis. his bicycles every night so that the Lindsays their tires checked :was charged ten cents per My parents operated a small convenience could park their car. tire . store built on the side of the 45 Pearl Street The publisher of the summer guide" This Young had no balloon tires on his bikes,

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except the tandems. Not having the financial tenant on the farm . Due to this, he had to was the Raleigh 3-speed bicycle dealer in means to purchase the most expensive bi- move off the farm and make his own way. town, and the Raleigh Industries of America cycles, he gradually improved his stock by After his move to this location , Harvey would not allow more than one dealer to a purchasing a Lovell Diamond Lightweight. Young started his collection of high-wheel town.

This was the cheaper model that was manu- bicycles. Today they include a Columbia 54"; To keep up with the competition, Young's factured by the Iver Johnson Arms and Cycle a 56"; an Eagle with the small wheel in front; had to install 3-speed bicycles. Since NanCompany of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It took a couple of Starr's with the ratchets; a wooden- tucket Tennis & Cycle had Raleighs and Cook's several years before Harvey A. Young could wheeled mini-high wheeler; a part of a had Phillips, Young's had to settle for BSA, afford the top grade Iver Johnson Lightweight. chainless; an early Safety, with original tires, Birmingham Small Arms, built in BirmingAlthough balloon tires were popular, he re- dry rotted; and a three seater (one of six made ham, England . These were slowly replaced fused to buy them to rent, for he figured the by the Schwinn Bicycle Company) . with Rudge 3-speed bicycles, a division of more tire frictio n on the road, the more diffiToday Cook's Cycles is the second oldest Raleigh. cult to pedal. A lighter ~~~~'Cp~iยง'T"1W~--IP bicycle to ride mea nt thinner tires and less friction . Cook's Cycle operated with the Columbia models and Whitfield 's had the new fa ngled 3speed imported British Raleigh bicycles.

Finding a permanent home for his bicy cle shop became my fa ther's top priority. One of the first large post-Depression land tra nsactions took place in 1938 , instigated by my fat her. He entered into an agree ment to buy the Murad property, located at Four and Six Broad Street and Twent y-eight Easy Street.

Fou r Broa d Stree t housed the Railway Express Company o ffices for many years. It is now the Nantucket Bike Shop # l. Si x Broa d St reet housed what was previously known as W harf Tavern, run by Fra nk Sylvia . He later set up his own antiques business, which still flouris hes Roger A. Young on a "Star" making his maiden voyage up Main Street during the town's 300th anniversary in 1959. under the direction of his two sons. The building now serves as the main operation of Young's Bicycle Shop.

Twenty-eight Easy Street was formerly the William H. Smith stables. Later this became known as Harbor Light Tea Room . This building was torn down in 1958 and much of the wood saved was used in the construction of Harvey A. Young's personal residence. Today my wife and I make our home there.

The late Grace Henry was my father's lawyer, and she later expressed to me that she thought "your father was crazy to pay so much, but it turned out he was crazy like a fox." I liked that. You see, he was the eleventh of sixteen children and his father died when he was nine. When he reached twenty-one he lost the coin toss to his brother who was the

bicycle rental shop. A few years after Earl Cook moved his operation to South Beach Street, his first wife died . A few years later Earl Cook married Ellen Ring. Unfortunately, Mr. Cook passed away within a short time, but his wife carried on the business. She later married Jim Winters and together they continued to operate Cook's Cycles. A few years later Mr. Winters died . Daughter Lucille Ring Sanguinetti and the grandchildren assisted Ellen in running the business. Since Mrs. Winters passed away, Lucille has left the running of Cook's Cycle to her son Sheddon, who has worked there since 1971 . She has left the bookkeeping to her daughter, Lee Holmes.

Mr. Whitfield opened the Nantucket Tennis & Cycle Club next door around 1936. He

The Raleigh Cycle Company manufactured three bicycles that were identical except for the construction of the front forks and the decals. They were the Raleigh , Rudge, and Humber. The Raleigh bicycle decal denoted that it was "The All Steel Bicycle," the Rudge was known as "Britain's Best Bicycle," and the Humber as the "Aristocrat of Bicycles. " The Raleigh people would not allow more than one distributor of each name in a town, so we opted forthe Rudge 3-speed. When Whitfield's operation ceased, Young's received the Raleigh franchise.

When World War II came upon us, so did rationing. In those days bicycles were shipped in wooden crates that one could see through.

Well, once again, Harvey Young ordered a

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A year after World War I was declared, the first hydroplanes arrived, unannounced, on what is now Childrens Beach

Early Aviation on Nantucket

By Captain john Lacouture

N

antucket's aviation history begins dur- patrol the waters south to the western limit and a maximum speed of 82 miles per hour. ing World War I. On April 6, 1917, of Georges Bank shoals and to the western Homing pigeons were carried on all flights President Woodrow Wilson declared war on tipofMartha's Vineyard. This would protect so that messages could be sent in case the Germany. At the time aviation was in its the large amount of shipping entering and enemy should be contacted or the pilot should infancy, but the United States planned to carry leaving the ports of Boston and New York. It have to set the plane down at sea. In those on the war in the air on a grand scale. Naval was inevitable, therefore, that the first plane early days of aviation engines were very unreaviation was assigned to overcome the German to land at Nantucket would fly out of liable, and none of the planes were equipped submarine threat to our control of the sea, both Chatham. with radio communication. One World War off our coasts and between North America and Early in March Chatham received its first I pilot out of Chatham told the story of sightEurope. A string of air bases was located from hydroplane. After assembly and engine tests inga submarine, of leaning over the side of the the Panama Canal to Massachusetts to provide the aircraft, an R-9, made the first flight from plane to throw a bomb, and of seeing it bounce Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) escort for ship- the new station on March 25, 1918. The R- off the sub without exploding. For the week ping and to conduct searches for German U- 9 was a Curtiss twin-float, single-engine bi- of April6, 1918, Naval Air Station Chatham boats. Of necessity, all escorting was done plane with a crew of two. A Lewis machine reported to the Chief of Naval Operations: six during daylight hours, since night flying in gun was mounted aft of the rear cockpit and R-9 seaplanes assigned and twenty-five flights those days was strictly an emergency opera- bomb racks capable of holding small bombs made. tion. were mounted underneath or on the side of The first hydroplanes to arrive at NanNaval Air Station Chatham, the most north- the fuselage. The plane, which weighed tucket were unannounced. On April 13,]. ern of the bases, was commissioned onj anuary 4200 pounds loaded, was powered by a Franklin Chase, then age nine, was standing 6, 1918, to convoy shipping from Nantucket Curtiss V-2 200-horsepower engine and with some men on the catboat Lillian's pier on South Shoals Lightship to Cape Ann and to could attain a maximum ceilingof9, 100 feet the north side of Steamboat Wharf. He vividly - -- - -- - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - recalls the occasion. He heard On April17, 1918, most of Nantucket came out to Brant Point to see the announced landing of seaplanes from Chatham. an unfamiliar sound, apPhoto by James F. Chase proaching from a long way out. Suddenly he pointed and shouted, "Here come two airplanes!" (He swears there were two, although the Inquirer and Mirror pictured only one at the shore .) Near him an old fisherman growled, "Looks like sea gulls to me," whereupon Franklin asked, "Since when do sea gulls make that noise7" Just then the two R-9s from Chatham flew in over what is now Children's Beach.

The men stopped laughing and agreed that "The boy had been right." The seaplanes landed to the south just off Commercial Wharf. One taxied around and then took off again; the other taxied in to South Beach (where the Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium is now) and remained for a while to

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allow all the curious to get a close-up look and the I&M photographer to get his picture.

The next time seaplanes came to Nantucket, Chatham had notified the town in advance that they would be landing in the harbor on April 17. The schools declared a holiday, and all of the children, along with most of Nantucket, congregated on Brant Point to watch the arrival of the four R-9s.

They saw the last one spin into the shallow waters of the Coatue flats. For most observers, it would be their first viewing of such aircraft.

Starting inJ une 1918 the Curtiss-designed HS-16 and HS-2L seaplanes built by Boeing began arriving in large numbers at Chatham and soon became the standard patrol and hauling flying boats of the Navy. Powered by a Liberty 360-horsepower pusher engine, they could obtain a maximum altitude of 11,000 feet and a maximum speed of88 m.p.h. They had a midship cockpit that could hold two persons and a forward cockpit that could accommodate one person. Initially they all carried a Lewis machine gun and, after the first of August, the large Davis non-recoil, sixpounder gun . They also carried two MK IV bombs containing 120 pounds of TNT, but like the early torpedoes of World War II, about 80% of the bombs failed to detonate.

By July Chatham was making as many as twenty flights a day. During this period wrecks and engine failure were common. On several occasions Nantucket boats came across planes from Chatham downed at sea and towed them back into port. The Inquirer and Mirror reported that on June 8, 1918, a Navy seaplane landed at Quidnet barrier beach.

The plane, with two pilots on board, was lost in the fog, which had set in since they took off.

They had been flying for several hours and had no idea where they were. When told that they were on Nantucket by locals who then directed them to Chatham, they were much relieved and took off on a proper course. By now Chatham was one of the Navy's largest air stations with seventy-five officers, fourhundred-fifty men, eighteen seaplanes, a couple of kite balloons, and two blimps built

by Goodyear and Goodrich.

After World War I ended on November ll, 1918, and winter weather set in, the tempo of flying at Chatham was greatly reduced-a fact of which Nantucketers were well aware. By May 1920 the Naval Air Station Chatham was deactivated, but not without first sending out ten planes on February 25, 1919, to welcome President Wilson aboard the S.S. George Washington on his return from the first session of the Versailles Peace Treaty Conference.

The war, along with the successes of Lieutenant Commander Albert Read's trans-Atlantic flight in 1919 and Charles Lindbergh's non-stop flight in 192 7, as well as that of]ohn

Rodgers' flight from San Francisco to Hawaii the original airline planes to fly in and out of in 1925, all made the nation airplane con- this field. As late as 1932, Tom Never's scious, and Nantucket as well . The American Airport was advertising charters and student public's growing enthusiasm for flying was instruction in cabin-plane Cessnas and openfurther fueled by air meets, air races, para- plane Curtiss Fledglings. chute jumps, and such spectacular aerial stunt In the late twenties and early thirties, demonstrations as playing tennis on the wings before scrub oaks and brush covered much of of planes in flight and ultimately by such the land on Nantucket, there were many level military stunt teams as the Navy's Sea Hawks grass fields and pastures that made ideal landand Flying Fish in the late 1920s. ing areas for small private and passenger Here on the island, most initial flights to planes that did not require long runways for Nantucket and by Nantucketers were made landing or take-off. As a result, it wasn't long in seaplanes. By the mid 1920s on good days before such Nantucketers as David Raub, there would be several hydroplanes moored, Parker Gray, Allen Holdgate, Bert Manning, taxiing, or landing and taking off in Nan- Sandy Craig, Les Bachman, Tommie Gibson, tucket Harbor. One of the piers had a float Richard Marshall, Arnie Larson, Cliff Allen, extension where seaplanes could come along- Jean Cook, Marcel Gouin (Navy pilot), and side to load and unload passengers and bag- several others were flying from Nantucket gage and to get refueled. fields on various and sundry ventures.

Far left, Paul Bennett; middle front, Thomas Gibson; and far right, Albert Manning. pictured with a Curtiss-Pusher in the early 1930s. Other gentlemen have yet to be identified.

Courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Manning,Sr.

On May 17, 1927, a seaplane made the first round trip from Boston toN antucket. Three government hydroplanes came over the same day. On July 2 Boston-to-Nantucket passenger airplane service was inaugurated, and on August 15 the Boston Airport Corporation opened the first airport on the island at Tom Never's Head.

Two 1500-foot grass runways, one east-west and one northeast-southwest, were located just northeast of the present old Navy base. At the time the airport, which was not far from the large Tom Never's Hotel, made joint use of the abandoned Tom Never's railroad station as a passenger terminal.

This airport was bought in 1929 by Curtiss Flying Service and ultimately by the CurtissWright Corporation which still owns the land.

The old Fairchild and CurtissTri-motorswere

In 'Sconset Allen Holdgate had a little field, where he had a small hangar, just west of Lindbergh Avenue. Here he took off low beneath telephone wires and just over Earl Coffin's chicken farm. The annoyed Coffin claimed it scared his chickens from laying, but Holdgate regularly flew passengers out of this field. He, with others, also had a little field on Muskeget Island where they had week-end homes. There was an airstrip on Hummock Pond Road, another at Miacomet just before the Golf Course, and one just south of Sankaty Golf Course.

In all probability Nantucket's four most famous early aviators were: First, Marcel Gouin, a 'Sconset boy who went to the Naval Academy and had a distinguished career as a Naval aviator, a combat

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The Pitcairn auto-gyro in front of the Pacific Club circa 1935.

carrier pilot in World War II, a carrier skipper, a Carrier Division commander, and head of flight testing at the Naval Air Test Center Patuxent (Maryland), finally retiring as a vice admiral.

Second, Parker Gray, who started out in 192 7 as a young radio operator at the Surfside Coast Guard Station. He soon learned to fly and began ferrying old biplanes to the island, landing at a grassy strip just northeast of the present airport building where Rainbow Motors is now located. He soon acquired some planes of his own and started a flying service that blossomed into Mayflower Airlines. To accommodate this airline, he built himself a small field and passenger lounge at Halfway Hill just north of the road to 'Sconset at the fourth milestone . He operated from there from about 1935 to 1938 when he moved his airline back to the old Nobadeer Field .

There are several anecdotes about Gray's flying. During Prohibition days it is said that he flew liquor in and out of Nantucket for one of the local merchants. On one flight, while bringing in freight and passengers, he looked down and saw that the floor of the plane was covered with grease. On landing it was found that he had packed his load too close to the engine, and all the butter had melted .

On another occasion an old timer relates that he "bummed a ride" with Parker from New Bedford on a cold winter's day. En route the engine froze with all the oil congealed .

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Photo presented to Elizabeth Oldham , Nantucket Chamber of Commerce

Gray executed an emergency landing at Muske get and used candles to heat the engine oil lines and oil. He somehow managed to start the engine again and limp back to Nantucket. Parker Gray also used to barnstorm and was considered by pilots who knew him to be one of the best pilots ever under any flying conditions.

Third, David Raub, a licensed mechanic from the Fairchild Ranger factory on Long Island and a former test pilot in Brooklyn, who came to Nantucket in the late twenties to be near his mother. He resumed his flying on Nantucket and soon became an enthusiastic promoter for a new airfield on Nantucket. In 1932 Les Holmes, a young farmer living in his farmhouse (which is still there) at Nobadeer, joined Raub in the decision to plow under some of the cornfields, to smooth over the land with an old stone roller, to plant grass, and together to buy three old planesan old Traveler, a Fairchild, and an 0 X Challenger. They also constructed a small hangar and formed the Nobadeer Flying Service for charter and instruction. Soon their new company was thriving.

Raub taught many of Nantucket's early aviators to fly, including Allen Holdgate, Bert Manning, and jean Adams Cook. Among his frequent charter passengers was Mrs. Ludwig, owner of the White Elephant. For his flying company she even financed a large hangar that still stands at Nobadeer . He was also one

of the enthusiastic founders of the Nantucket Flying Club, which used to feature wingdings at the airport with fly-ins by many off-island aircraft. Featured were aerobatic shows, parachute jumps, etc., followed by a weekend of hangar and beach parties. In 1940 Alexander Haynes bought out Holmes's share of the Nobadeet Airfield and also bought Raub two new Stinson aircraft. Raub had been his personal pilot in Virginia the previous winter. In the winter of 1940 Raub flew awhile for Pan American Airways .

And fourth , Allen Holdgate , who started out as a student pilot in December 1929. He later attended Park's Air College and earned a commercial pilot's license. He returned to the Island and started the Nantucket Flying Service between Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and New Bedford. He began with a Piper Cub and ended up after World War II with thirteen aircraft. He also had many colorful flights and flying adventures.

The 1930s were rich in events of Nantucket's early aviation history. In February 1934 a plane flew from Boston in thirtyone minutes to establish a new record for this flight. In October winter airplane service was instituted by Island Airlines with two roundtrip flights daily between New Bedford and Nantucket with stops at Vineyard Haven and Wood's Hole. On October 16 a large ¡amphibious airplane landed in the harbor . It was one of two planes racing out to intercept an

ocean liner and procure film showing newsTorpedo planes dropped training torpedoes reel shots of the assassination of King at sea against towed targets. There was an airAlexander of Serbia. The plane left shortly to-ground rocket target just west of the old after midnight but crashed 150 miles at sea in Naval Station, and there were several bomban attempt to glide down alongside the liner. ing targets on the small islands west of On July 3, 1935, a seaplane from the Muskeget. In fact, I came up once to inspect German S.S. Bremen stopped at Nantucket to the facilities from Naval Air Station Groton refuel after making a 600-mile trip from the (Connecticut) where I had command of a vessel. On November 28 a plane, flying over fighter squadron. thewestendoftheisland,droppeditspropelOn June 20, 1946, the Navy turned the ler. The plane made a safe emergency landfield back to the Town of Nantucket, and ing, but the propeller severed the Western Northeast Airlines initiated regular passenger Union cable going off island. During these service to Boston and New York. Just prior to early days William Harris used to land in a this, on May 22, the airline had flown several Pitcairn auto-gyro in the form of a flying courtesy flights from the field, taking groups automobile. He would remove the wings and of townspeople for free rides. Jean Adams propeller and drive his "car" into town. One Cook, an excellent pilot in her own right, wonders why they don't have similar devices became the first manager of the airport. At today, but perhaps airport traffic control one time she was president of the 99 Club, an would know the answer. international licensed women pilots organiA seaplane carrying newspaper photograzation that had been founded by Amelia phers on July 26, 1936, was caught in a jean Adams Cook, an excellent pilot in her own Earhart. On August 25, 1946, at its first post"downdraft" while flying over the Queen Mary right, became the first airport manager from war air meet, the field was dedicated by Revnear Nantucket Shoals Lightship and crashed 1946-55. Courtesy of the Nantucket Memorial Airport erend Claude Bond, U.S. Army Air Corps. chaplain and pastor of the First Congregainto the sea. One person died, and eight were rescued by the freighter Exermont. On May and was completed in the summer of the tiona! Church, as Nantucket Memorial Air19 , 1938, the first airmail flight to Nantucket following year. The Naval Auxiliary Air Facil- port . It honored the eleven Nantucket men was instituted with an accompanying colorful ity was established officially on August 6, who gave their lives in World War II and all first-flight envelope. On August 6, 1939, the 1943, with a second hangar, two paved 4000- Nantucket men and women who had served first air meet was held at Nobadeer Airport foot runways plus taxiways, parking ramps, in the armed forces in the war.

Today in the Commonwealth of Massathrough the efforts of Dave Raub. It attracted runwayandtaxiwaylights,landingfloodlights, chusetts, Nantucket Memorial Airport is seca large crowd with many planes participating. and a control tower.

With the advent oftheforties, World War The Navy and the National Guard used ond in volume to Boston's Logan Airport.

II soon dominated Nantucket's aviation his- the field mainly for weapons training. Fighter Several of Nantucket's barnstormers are still tory . Before Pearl Harbor, the Town of Nan- planes had restricted areas at sea where they around to see the burgeoning traffic genertucket had purchased Nobadeer Airport in could shoot air-to-air gunnery against sleeves. ated here by several airlines, charter compaJune of 1941 for $7600. Parker Gray, - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - -- - nies, numerous private planes, and the then head of Mayflower Airlines, had bid David Raub came to Nantucket in the late 1920s and taught well over 100,000 passengers who ar$8500 but later withdrew his offer. On many of the early aviators to fly. rive annually. The Nantucket Airport Courtesy of the Nantucket Memorial Airport Commission oversees the latest $2-milJune l3 the airport was officially transferred to the Town. At the time the field lion terminal improvement project, and consistedoftwosodrunways,onenorthprivate plans for another hangar have -south 2200-foot long and one eastrecently been announced. A $15-million radar system has been installed by west 1600-foot long, with a hangar and service for planes that was available in the Federal Aviation Administration. the daytime only. It was run by Don Aviation is a significant factor in the Allen, who maintained a very successful economic revival of Nantucket. and safe service and repair facility at the However, Nantucket's early pilots, airport for many years before and after along with many of her year-round and the war. summer residents and her present-day flyers, have a great affection for those After Pearl Harbor practically all of Nantucket's early aviators entered the days of open cockpits, stretched canvas Navy or the Army flying service for the wings, biplanes, auto-gyros, and hayfield duration of the war. Of these, only Dave runways kept in shape by an improvised stone roller. The history of aviation on Raub was killed while test-flying a P-38 in the Ferry Command. A supercharger Nantucket is an impressive record of blew up, and a piece hit him in the head, recreation, service, and achievement. killing him instantly. Someone else had been scheduled for the flight, but Raub, ever eager to fly, had talked him out of it.

Captain john Lacouture attended the Construction of Nantucket Airport U.S. Naval Academy and Princeton and under Navy contract began in earnest in Cambridge universities. He was a naval early 1942 (the Navy had leased the aviator for thirty years, and has previously airport from the Town of Nantucket) written for Historic Nantucket.

15

THE MUSEUM SHOP On this past halloween eve a merchant's worst fear came to pass.

With little warning, a major ocean storm slammed head on into Nantucket Harbor with sustained winds clocked at sixty-eight miles per hour.

Shop manager Tom Dickson and his assistant Lorraine Kenward smiling in the fa ce of disaster.

Pho to: Leigh 1St Do n s Simpson

As the windy day began, quiet suggestions of coastal Oooding quickly became nervous calls to batten down the hatches. The high tide was expected to peak that evening to the front door threshold and beyond. Fortunately, NHA staff members rose to the occasion and rushed over to assist at the shop when it was apparent there was no stopping Mother Nature. Hastily, all the shop merchandise was placed as high as possible and the furniture waterproofed by placing plastic bags around the bases and feet.

Plastic was wedged into the door seams but water poured into the Whaling Museum basement. It was decided that everything that could be done had been and it was time to evacuate. As dusk approached staff members remained in darkness to ride out the storm.

Who could imagine thesteamshipwharftumed into an extension of the harbor with the parking area and Yacht Club tennis courts under three feet of water? At one point a large section of the Yacht Club'swharfnoateddownBeachStreeton its way to the Dreamland movie theatre. Liter that evening as the water began to recede, the remaining diehards, having kept the shop dry, waded out of the Whaling Museum to dryer ground.

The next morning the storm had dissipated, and it became all too clear how much devastation had occurred in the harbor. The Museum Shop was fortunate to be one of the few businesses close to the water that did not suffer damage. We were even able to open that day for the noon boat. The Museum Shop thanks all those who showed concern and gave their help during the shop's hour of need.

The Museum Shop Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-century Reproductions and Adaptations Featuring Fine China, Furniture, Brass, and Silver Adjacent to the Whaling Museum, Nantucket (508)-228-5785 Members of the Histori cal Association are entitled to a 10% di scount upon presenting their membership card .