Historic Nantucket, Spring 1993, Vol. 41 No. 1

SPRING 1993

V 0 L U M E 41 No. 1

Precious Moments

From The Editor

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Diane Ucci, Managing Editor Helen Winslow Chase, Historian Shannah Green, Production Photos: NHA collections W\less otherwise credited

One Hundred Years of Water Service on Nantucket

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By David D. Worth

Maurice W. Boyer, Nantucket Photographer

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By Dorothy Boyer Gornick

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Nantucket Goes to War

By Jean Allen Cover Photo: Maurice W. Boyer pholo of 1929 Hospital Fete participants, Edwin Starr Tirrell. (Superintendent of antuclcet Schools 1912 24 and Town Treasurer 1925-41), and jean Fitz Randolph. daughter of antucket judge Reginald Fitz Randolph.

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

Preserving and Enhancing Our Island Treasures

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Items of Interest

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The Museum Shop

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HisWric Nlllltucbt welaJmes articles on any aspect of antucket history. Original reeeardl. firsthand accounts, and reminisceJia!s of island experiences, histmic logs, letters, and photographs are

examples of materials that interest our readers. We expect articles to be entertaining and instructive for a general audience and to adhere to high standards of histaical accuracy. Although Histone Ntmtuckn curftl\lly Jacb the space to print notes or bibliographies, we encourage our authors to use documentation and will make annotated copieJ available at the HA's Research Center. Historic Ntmtuckn strives to publish enjoyable reading that will promote public appredatfon of Nantudret's hiltory and preserve important information about the island's past.

ince I came to the NHA over three years ago and began to work on Historic Nrmtucket, I have thought of it as a "thi rd ch ild"- watching it grow from the old to new format, gaining momen tum and stability along the way.

Initial concern over the changes has given way to support and encouragement. Creative ideas, articles, and themes continue to find their way to my doorstep . Historic Nantucket recently received a publications-design award from the New England Museum Association; no longer a toddler on shaky ground, it is off and running! But lest we get too cocky, remember, the future of the magazine lies in your hands, too. Please complete the readership survey in the centerfold to give voice to your thoughts and feelings.

As I begin to withdraw from my role as managing editor of Historic Nn11tucket, I am left with a bittersweet sensation. Compiling information, corresponding with authors, taking photographs, and interviewing people have been incredibly challenging and stimulating for me. While meeting deadlines, switching gears, and juggling last-minute details and changes have been nervewracking, I feel I leave the Historical Association with more patience and flexibility than I came with. Managing the publication has been a vehicle for tremendous professional and person al growth.

As I move on I cherish the opportunity you have given me and applaud your inspiration.

Diane Ucci THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Ms. Kimberly C. Corkran, Acting President Mr. Paul A. Wolf, Jr., First Vice President and Treasurer Mr. Walter Beinecke, Jr., Vice President Mrs. William B. Macomber, Secretary and Assistant Treasurer Mr. C. Marshall Beale, Acting Executive Director

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mr. Alan F. Atwood Mrs. Charles Balas Mrs. C. Marshall Beale Mr. Walter Beinecke, Jr. Mr. Max . Berry Mrs. Richard L. Brecker Mr. Charles C. Butt Miss Nancy A. Chase Ms. Kimberly C. Corkran Mrs. Thomas H. Gosnell Mr. Erwin L.Greenberg Mrs. William E. Grieder Prof. William A. Hance

Mr. Hudson Holland, Jr. Mr. Gene Horyn Mrs. John A. Lodge Mrs. Sharon Lorenzo Mrs. Earle MacAusland Mrs. William B. Macomber Mrs. Carl M. Mueller Mr. David M. Ogden Mrs. William L. Slover Rev. Georgia Ann Snell Mr. Paul A. Wolf, ]r.

Mrs. Bracebridge H. Young

ADVISORY BOARD Mrs. Robert Bailey Ms. Patricia A. BuUer Mr. Robert C. Cald well Mrs. Helen Winslow Chase Mr. Michael de Leo Mrs. Herbert Gutterson Mrs. Hamilton Heard, Jr. Mrs. Robert Hellman Mrs. John G. W. Husted

Mrs. Arthur Jacobsen Mrs. Jane Lamb Mr. Fran cis D. Lethbridge Mr. Reginald Levine Mrs . Thomas Loring Mr. William B. Macomber Mr. Paul H. Madden Mr. Robert F. Mooney Mrs. William Pullman

Prof. r:. Blair Reeves Mrs. f-rederick Richmond Mr. Alfred F. Sanford Ill Mrs. William A. Sevrens Prof. Susan Tate Mr. Joseph F. Welch Mr.John S. Winter Mrs. Joseph C. Woodle

,_,....., 0139 2248) II.,..,...._.llitlltlrK quutedy as a pd911epcl1110111beahlp by dw Nmtucloet Hilblral (IS5N

A.aciatlan,

5 Wuhlngta\ Sbwt, N.ntuc:lcet. MA 02554 Second-due poetage paid at Nantucket. MA POIIIN*r. Send adclte. c1uongee to~ Nantudcet, Box 1016, Nantudret, MA 0255t-1016.

FAX SOB.2'28.5618

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

Ms. Elizabeth Oldham Mr. athaniel Philbrick Mrs. Susan Beegel Tiffney Mr. David H. Wood

WHAT'S NEWS AT THE NHA Museum Support Center

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f you've been down Bartlett Road recently you know the Museum Support Center is in its final phase. With the exterior completed and weather-tight, the contractors moved inside to construct the wall partitions and stairway openings, followed by coordination of the mechanical systems.

Wiring and pipes were threaded through open-studded partitions and ceiling joists, while sprinkler-system spray nozzles and security-system motion detectors were put into place. MVM Mechanical Contractors, Inc., of Acushnet, Massachusetts, are the sprinkler-system contractors, and Rick Greenwood, owner of Greenwood Alarm & Key Company, helped design the fire and security systems. Rick's company has upgraded nearly all the NHA's security systems over the last five years, and will now add the Museum Support Center to its list. The gypsum ceiling and wall surfaces were installed and the last touches of window and door trim, paint, plumbing, and electrical fixtures were added.

The Museum Support Center in mid-February.

Photo: Diane Ucci

During the winter, the climatecontrol system design was re-evaluated and its parameters favorably modified by electing to use slightly different equipment as its power source.

Additional equipment was added to provide the second floor with more controlled parameters that would complement those on the first floor. Philip Morrison of New England Solar Corporation in Wareham was instrumental in bringing about these changes.

The Structures Department's conservation workshop on the first floor of the Support Center is coming together, along with the arrival and construction of the Collections Department's shelving units, art-storage racks, and flat files. Installation of the mechanical system's propane storage tank and air-conditioning units will soon be completed, leaving only the final grading around the building, landscaping, and the gravel parking area.

during the restoration of the house, and eventually became the full-time NHA Curator of Structures. Restoring a national treasure such as the Oldest House, utilizing state-of-the art techniques, and working with professionals from all over the country was the high point of Mark's career with the Historical Association. However, maintaining and restoring the NHA's historic sites, working with homeowners on structural surveys of their houses, and training docents in the proper security measures for our buildings have also been enjoyable for him. Mark's most recent project is overseeing the long awaited Muse,¡rn Support Center on Bartlett Road.

Though the process differs from restoration, Mark feels privileged to be involved in building a structure that will house and preserve the NHA's vast collection of island treasures.

Diane came on board a little over three years ago to help with public relations. She then became director of education and subsequently took over as managing editor of Historic Nantucket, dual

roles that she performed with style and competence. Hiring, training, and supervising over forty people as docents during the season has been a particularly rewarding challenge for Diane. She says of the docents, "They are people of all ages with diverse backgrounds, and they bring so much to the NHA . Knowing them has truly added another dimension to my life."

Writing and photographing for Historic Na11tucket are other tasks that have allowed Diane to utilize and enrich her capabilities.

The "Living History" program she orchestrated for local children and visitors was a natural progression from her earlier teaching career.

Mark and Diane, who married in a private ceremony at the Oldest House in September, feel it is time to move on both professionally and personally. For them, working at the Nantucket Historical Association has been an opportunity to forge new professional interests and augment their skills. They will be sorely missed by NHA members and the community, and we wish them the best of good fortune in their new endeavors.

Duo Departs

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t the end of April, Curator of Structures Mark Fortenberry and Director of Education Diane Ucci head south to relocate in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina.

Mark has been on the staff of the Historical Association for over five years.

A specialist in historic preservation, he originally became involved as a consultant after the lightning strike at the Oldest House, went on to be the project manager

Director of Education Diane Ucci and Curator of Structures Mark Fortenberry depart at the end of April.

Photo: Rick Morcom

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In 1878 the vision of twenty-five-year-old Moses Joy)r., brought water pumping and distribution to Nantucketers.

One Hundred Years of Water Service on Nantucket

By David D. Worth

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he background for Nantucket's water story begins with the water on earth. Water, that most vital resource, without which we cannot live, is earth's most abundant substance. Water covers three-quarters of our planet. Huge quantities are stored in our oceans, frozen in glaciers, and trapped in underground rock formations. Water makes up two-thirds of our bodies, and is the main substance found in all living things. Without water, there would be no life on earth today.

There is no more, nor less, water today than when the earth was formed. It constantly moves through the hydrologic cycle wherein it falls to earth as precipitation in all its forms. The water runs into our rivers, lakes, and oceans. It is absorbed by the soil, or it seeps into underground formations called aquifers. The sun heats land as well as water surfaces. Water evaporates from the oceans, lakes, forests, fields, animals, and plants. The evaporated moisture is carried into the a tmos- Moses Joy, Jr., founder, then owner and manager of tile ph ere and falls back to earth as rain, Wannacomet Water Company from 1878 to 1882. snow, or fog. And so it goes, which brings us back to our island water.

On Nantucket we have two aquifers, pumping from since the early 1900s. The both created by the glaciers. We have wells in this aquifer average 42 feet in what is known as the perched aquifer, depth and are small in diameter. The largwhich rests upon a clay layer, and a deep er well we drilled later in the century aquifer, which lies below the clay layer. draws our water from the deep aquifer .

When we drilled our deep well in 1983, we However, the story of water service on penetrated that clay layer. In so doing, we Nantucket predates the tum of the century. entered a formation that yielded tiny The year was 1878 and whaling was a pieces of sea shell, estimated to be some thing of the past. Gone were the days of 10,000 years old, and a large quantity of whaleships, cooperages, candleworks, water at a depth of 117 to 140 feet. ropewalks, boatyards, and most of the The perched aquifer is the one the ancillary businesses that flourished during Wannacomet Water Company has been the Golden Age of Whaling. Now, the

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All photos courtesy of the Wannacomet Water Company

sidewheel steamer was to be seen in the harbor, transporting goods and merchandise, bringing the summer visitor to Nantucket, and ushering in a new era on the island.

Living in the community in 1878 was a young man named Moses Joy. Then aged twenty-five, he had a vision of pumping and distributing water to every home on Nantucket. This vision, or dream, was the cause of considerable opposition from a fair number of people in the town who were firmly convinced that water could not be made to run uphill. Through persistence and hard work, however, the Wannacomet Water Company began to take shape, and the lands around Washing Pond (later to be known as Wannacomet Pond) were selected by Joy as the watershed area.

At the southeast end of the pond he constructed a steam-pumping station made of brick, the remains of which can be seen today. On the top of the hill a 25,000-gallon, elevated storage tank was erected.

From the facilities at Wannacomet, 11,156 feet of eight-inch pipe were laid all the way to the center of town; 5,130 feet of six- and four-inch pipe were set in various streets. A sixteen-inch intake pipe was installed, extending out into the pond and connecting to what we now call Well No.1, at the shore's edge, and at the south end of the pond a filter was also installed. With all components of the facility in place, it was time to start up.

By now it was late 1879, and on line and ready for service were sixty-three customers.

Prior to the existence of the water company, the townspeople had obtained their

Work being done on tire fire cistern on New Street in Apri/1898.

water by catching rainfall in various types of containers or from pumps at neighborhood wells. Water for fire fighting was pumped from cisterns located throughout the town that were filled by rain that landed on roofs and was diverted to them.

In succeeding years, during the summer months, it would be necessary for wagons from the water company to top off the cisterns because of leakage through bricks into the ground. The carts would also water down the streets to settle the dust.

The wagons covered areas of town that didn't have mains, where they would fill smaller cisterns that had been constructed under homes for domestic use.

A familiar sight in the summertime was the Wannacomet ice wagons that traveled through the town and delivered blocks of ice to houses wherever the driver saw an ICE sign in a window. The ice had been cut from the ponds in the winter, then dragged by horses up ramps to be stored in large buildings on the shore of the pond. A covering of sawdust and hay wrappings served as insulation to hold the ice over the winter.

As time went by, Wannacomet Water Company grew. Starting with the sixtythree original customers in 1879, the number had risen to 357 five years later. Fire hydrants in the system increased from three in 1879 to thirty-one at year's end in 1884. Little by little, acceptance of the system and the concept of "making water run uphill" caught on, and Moses Joy was able to complete the installation of an eightinch line down Cliff Road into town; he installed the first fire hydrant on Centre Street in front of the First Congregational Church.

Joy declared that he could pump water over the steeple. This met with considerable doubt on the part of the townsfolk, and when he sought to obtain a fire hose from the local fire companies, he was turned down and was required to go to New Bedford to purchase or borrow a hose. When he returned, he set up to run his test and proceeded to pump water over the church. All the pumps must have been running and, probably, just about jumping off the floor. Needless to say, Moses Joy made believers out of a great many people

that day.

As the years passed, plans got under way for building a standpipe to replace the 25,000-gallon tank that had become obsolete. Work on the new 411,000-gallon tank started in August of 1908, and was completed in late November of the same year. But with its successes, the company was not without problems.

Because of the poor quality of the water from Wannacomet, cleaning the mains became almost a yearly ritual. During the work week, according to the records, one could almost count on three requests a day to dig up and clean out the corporation stop, or shut-off valve, as it had apparently become clogged with vegetation from the pond. When the mains were cleaned, flows were increased considerably and crowds would gather to observe the improvements.

During the next few years, particularly in the summer, the water in Wannacomet Pond took on an objectionable odor and an unbearable taste, caused by the temperature of the water and the growth of algae.

The water's iron content was also very high and created considerable discoloration.

These unacceptable conditions prompted the company to drill several two-inch wells around the perimeter of the pond in hopes of obtaining water of a decent quality to mix with the pond water in order to get by during the warm months. But mix-

The original location of the Wannacomet Water Company office wns on lower Main Street.

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A 20-horsepower engine that weighed over three tons was moved to Wyers Valley 011 June 12, 1913. ing well water with pond water did not materialize as planned, and prospecting for a new source to augment the supply at Wannacomet started in 1910.

Documentation of why Wyer's Valley was chosen as a site is unclear. Perhaps the existence of a natural valley that runs from the head of Miacomet Pond to the harbor creeks was the determinant; the valley receives water from the highlands on either side and channels it to the ocean.

A program to drive two-inch wells was started at Wyer's Valley in 1912 and water was pumped into the system that year. It was intended that Wyer's Valley would be used only in the summer months, with Washing/Wannacomet Pond utilized for the rest of the year. But the quality and quantity of the supply at the valley was so superior that by 1922 the entire production came from the well fields at Wyer's Valley.

Over the years, as both year-round and summer population has grown, the com-

First president of the water company, Charles H. Robinson, meeting with foundation con-

tractor Arthur Williams on October 1, 1908.

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The exact chain of managers is not very clear, but apparently following William Codd came John H. Robinson, who, incidentally, was the founder of the U.S. Parcel Post system. It was during his managership that the company passed into offisland ownership. Company holdings were bought by the Community Water Service, which held them until 1936 when American Water Works Company purchased them. Mr. Robinson retired in 1947. He was followed by Edgar F. Orpin, who guided the company until his retirement in 1970 when I took uver. On March 31, 1988, the full swing back to local ownership was made when the Town of Nantucket purchased company assets.

Wannacomet Water Company's record of reliable water service spans more than a century. However, protecting the earth's water is a responsibility to be shared by both the water utility and the public.

On March 18, 1921, a crowd gathered on Mnin Street to watch the cleaning of a four-inch pipe. pany has upgraded its equipment. The two-inch wells were retired and replaced with the two-and-a-half-inch wells from which we now get our water. The present number of these wells has increased to eighty-eight. They have been replaced from time to time, and today they are augmented by one deep gravel-packed well.

Spanning the years, Wannacomet Water Company has moved from local ownership to off-island ownership and back to local ownership, but always with local membership. Moses Joy was the first owner and manager. He, in tum, sold to a group of local investors, with Charles H. Robinson as president. Then came William F. Codd, a man well skilled in engineering, who was responsible for establishing Nantucket's sewer system. In the early years he also directed the Water Company.

OnNantucket, Wannacomet Water Company regularly monitors our water for quality and ground-water level. Everyone is expected to guard against hazardous materials entering the water supply and to use it wisely. We must all play our part in protecting Nantucket's water so that this resource, most vital to our health and survival, will continue well beyond the first hundred years of Wannacomet stewardship.

David Worth, n Nantucket native, has been manager of the Wannacomet Water Company for the last twenty-three years. He has written for the New England Waterworks Journal nnd been n speaker for the American Waterworks Management Seminar and the New England Waterworks Association.

The son of a 1ninister and a dressnzaker left behind a precious photographic legacy of early twentieth-century life on Nantucket.

Maurice W. Boyer, Nantucket Photographer

By Dorothy Boyer Gornick

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he photographer freezes time instantaneously. His tools are the cameras and film available in his day. Each photograph that results is influenced not only by its creator and the quality of his tools, but by the interpretations of its viewers, contemporary and future. These considerations help us to focus on my father, Nantucket photographer Maurice Weimar Boyer, and on his extensive work.

The son of Reverend Levi Weimar and Ellen (Porter) Boyer, he was born in Fiskdale, Massachusetts, on September 20, 1875. He came to Nantucket at the age of ten months when his father became rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. In 1880 the family moved to Ashtabula, Ohio, and lived there until his parents separated in 1885.

He returned to Nantucket with his mother and grandmother, Mehitabel Porter, both dressmakers. They lived on the second floor of an apartment on Centre Street near the Methodist Church.

His first camera was one of the Harvard instruments offered by the Youth's Companion magazine in about 1890. Virtually nothing but a tin box, painted black, it was a queer little outfit with a lens in the front, but without a finder or a diaphragm.

Father started to learn the printer's trade in the office of Maurice W. Boyer, Nantucket Photographer, 1926. the Nantucket Journal, but soon All photos by Maurice W. Boyer, with the exception of this portrait by an unknown found that he was more inter- photographer.

ested in the camera than the printing press. He became a protege of HenryS. Wyer, who specialized in portraits, landscapes, postcards, and photographs of island houses taken just before the turn of the century. He taught his young assistant such techniques as retouching portraits, adding clouds or pictorial views, and removing unwanted subjects by cropping or by airbrush.

Father then went for more formal training in Boston where he was apprenticed to the Ruby French Company.

When he returned to Nantucket, he rented the Main Street studio formerly occupied by Josiah F. Freeman, and later by Edwin B. Robinson, both photographers.

On October 8, 1906, Maurice W. Boyer married Zetta Folger Smith, daughter of William Henry Harrison and Lydia (Folger) Smith. My brother Sherwin was born on August 12, 1907, I on September 1, 1911. We lived in the former "Kite House" up on Vestal Street where we had five acres of land. At the time my parents purchased it, the location was considered "out of town."

My father steadily enlarged his business.

He photographed many island events, and his artistic skill developed over the years. On September 24, 1920, he gave up the Main Street studio and purchased from Miss Cora Stevens, the Sw1shine Shop, a

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gift and souvenir store on Federal Street, and built an addition behind it. His portrait work was excellent, and he was adept at photographing his subjects in natural poses. He had various props as well as suitable scenes painted on canvas that could be unrolled to provide background.

His portraits of children were a specialty. Their favorite prop was his glass paperweight, which had a paper turtle with movable legs embedded in it; they loved to hold it while he took their picture.

His popularity with young people, enhanced by the proximity of his studio across the street from St. Mary's Church, probably helped to corner the market in confirmation pictures. He also took annu-

al photographs of each class at the Academy Hill School, the South School, and the 'Sconset School. The students considered "picture-taking day" a big event.

Father photographed and framed many island scenes.

He enlarged his pictures and tinted them with watercolors.

His popular postcards of the island's picturesque spots were displayed in racks in all the hotels and boarding houses . When my brother and I were in our teens, it was our job during the summer to go

Above: Postcard made from Boyer's photo of the original Nantucket High School location at Academy Hill, prior to 1928.

Courtesy of Dorothy Boyer Gornick.

A group of Massachusetts Tercentenan; celebrants in July 1930.

Courtesy of Dorothy Boyer Gornick.

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to all these places twice a week to refill the racks. I can recall the thrill of going to the Sea Cliff Inn to do this and to mingle with the "summer people."

In 1926 Maurice W. Boyer took the first aerial pictures of the whole island for the Island Service Company president, Henry Lang. This set of sixteen large shots was received with great interest. They can be seen today at the Nantucket Historical Association's Research Center in the Peter Foulger Museum.

That same year he took a course at Columbia University in New York and became the first X-ray technician at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, then on West Chester Street. In order to concentrate full time on his studio work and X-ray

appointments, he sold the Sunshine Shop to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Oddo in 1929.

Evidence that he ran the hospital's department economically appears December 4, 1931, when he obtained authorization from the board of trustees to purchase a reserve X-ray bulb.

Although my father was not a Nantucketer by birth, he considered himself one, and was keenly

This photo of the frozen harbor in February 1934 was enclosed in a letter from Maurice W. Boyer to his daughter Dorothy.

Courtesy of Dorothy Boyer Gornick.

interested in all community activities. My parents first met when they both sang in the choir at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and over the years they continued to be active in the parish. In 1909 Father was Master of Union Lodge, F. & A. M., and served forty years as its treasurer.

Later he was Worthy Patron and my mother was Worthy Matron of Sherburne Chapter, No. 182, Order of the Eastern Star. He was one of the last members of the old-time Board of Firewardens, and he served as assistant chief of the Nantucket Fire Department from 1914 to 1920. He was a member of the School Committee from 1916 through 1928.

After my father died on July 15, 1938, all his photographic equipment was sold to the Ruby French Company. My brother Sherwin, a locksmith and a lightship-basketmaker, took over the studio to continue the framing work.

Maurice W. Boyer left a photographic legacy of Nantucket portraits, social rites, events, celebrations, buildings, streetscapes, scenery, farms, businesses, vehicles, and local curiosities. The first third of twentieth-century Nantucket is well documented by his work.

Dorothy Boyer Gornick, daughter of photographer Maurice W. Boyer, graduated with Nantucket High School Class of 1928 and atteuded Simmons College. A world traveler, she and her husband Tony now live on ranch land in Allyn, Washington.

A 1934 wedding photo of groom Rolf C. Sjolund and his bride Eunice Worth. The matron of honor was Agnes Worth Sylvia and the best man was Raymond Rot haul.

Courtesy of Mrs. Agnes W. Sylvia.

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Class of 1928

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n June 20, Maurice Boyer photographed the Nantucket High School Oass of 1928. It was the last class to graduate from the Academy Hill location, and razing of the building began the following day. Graduation ceremonies were Courtesy ofDorotlty Boyer Gornick. held in the First Congregational Church.

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Front Row: (lqt to right) Mm:leleine KRram, Josephine Folger, Mtzrgaret Syloi4, Erla Bickerstaff, Catherine Chtlmbers, Caroline Sylvia.

Second Row: Mary Syluia, Alma Killen, Emily Coffin, Marion Rszmsd,ell, Eugene Brooks, Thelma Speare, Charlotte Worth, Eunice Worth.

Third Row: Irene Chase, Dorothy Boyer, Htael Appleton, Allen Holdgate, Flortnce Wamn, Agnes Worth, Vera Clarkson, Emily Leial.

Fourth Row: Arthur Howes, Franklin Chase, Harry Cathcart, Joseph Perry, Fred Pelletier.

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Historic Nantucket Readership Survey We included a readership survey in this issue of Historic Nantucket because it is the first issue since the format changed that is not centered around a single theme. We want to know how you feel about that as well as other parts of the magazine. l.

How much of Historic Nantucket do you read?

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Read all or most of every issue Read portions of every issue Occasionally read an issue Never read the magazine

2. How long have you been a reader of Historic Nantucket?

D D D D D

Fewer than six months Between six months and a year l-2 years 3-4 years 5 years plus

3. On the whole, how would you rate Historic Nantucket?

D D D D 4.

How would you rate the design (layout, typefaces, use of photographs, color, etc.) of Historic Nantucket?

D D D D D

5.

Of consistently high quality Of fair quality Varying in quality Of consistently low quality Have no opinion

How would you rate the content (selection of topics and themes) of Historic Nantucket?

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6.

Very interesting Interesting Of limited interest Do not read

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Do you prefer an issue with a theme, or one with articles of unrelated topics?

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Issue with a theme Issues without a theme Vary both issues with themes and issues without Have no opinion

7. How would you rate the quality of writing in Historic Nantucket?

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8. On what subjects would you like to see more articles in Historic Nantucket?

9.

Why do you read Historic Nantucket?

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For pure enjoyment To learn more about Nantucket's History To learn more about the Nantucket Historical Association All of the above

10. What age group best describes you?

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14. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about Historic Nantucket?

We welcome any comments.

During Nantucket's whaling era, her young men often gammed on foreign shores.

How appropriate that during a worldwide conflict, on a distant Pacific island, five Nantucket men would find themselves, for a brief time, sharing a meal and a few thoughts of home.

Nantucket Goes to War By f ean Allen

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n a warm day in September 1991 I made a trip to the Town Building after school. As I walked down Federal Street, I glanced at the World War II monument and the words "served 1941-45" leaped out at me. December would be the 50th anniversary of our entry into World War II. Since I teach American History at the Nantucket High School, I thought this would provide me with a "hook" to catch my students' attention. I did not anticipate that the hook would catch me as well.

If you were handed a sheet of paper headed by "The History of World War II," what would you write beneath the title?

For many of us, dates such as December 1941 or August 1945 and names like Normandy, Anzio, Okinawa would be written down, but what would follow?

Memories of your picture taken with your father, uncle, or brother in uniform?

Rationing? Church bells announcing the

Roger Young enlisted in the Navy in 1942 during his senior year in high school.

Courtesy of Roger Young.

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war's end? Personal memories would one out of four of its draft¡age population crowd in upon the dates to give them into World War II. meaning . Each would be a story rememAs I continued my resea rch, I conbered through different . - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , senses. By bringing personal Nantucket memories of the war years into focus, I knew I could accomplish two things: teach my students about what happened here where they live, and also give them an historical perspective on the elders they see in town, perhaps as heroes and heroines in their midst.

Armed with a blank book, I set out one October afternoon to copy all the names of Nantucket veterans on the Federal Street monument plaque. Writing quickly, I copied name after name down one column and up the next. Late afternoon shadows set in before I completed the list of 400 names. Four-hundred sons and daughters sent to war in 1941 from a population of approximately 2,700 was an astonishing statistic, in light of a school enrollment of 600 plus, and allowing L - - - - - - - - - - = :=-'---__:: for the very young, the Ruth Chapel Grieder's father, James Everett Chapel, chief pet/:1; offiwomen, and the eldercer in the Coast Guard in 1942. ly. Nantucket had sent Courtesy of Ruth Chapel Grieder

Dunhams; five Gibbses; Department Store, and Louis Coffin Dry four Holdgates; four Goods. The Inquirer and Mirror came out Peases; four Perrys; four on Saturdays back then. The December 6, Rays; four Ryders; five 1941, issue would be printed with no Swains; five Sylvias; inkling of the next day's events. On that four Vieras; and four quiet Sunday in December, however, Wheldens, to name just involvement in the war already two years a few. Some names I old in Europe was not totally unexpected. could attach to faces, In the fall of 1940 selective service, or "the others I did not know; Draft" had begun, and eligi ble still others were not Nantucketers received numbers. Bundles familiar "Nantucket" for Britain was active.

As the sounds of war grew louder, family names anymore.

Fifteen were young events on the island pointed to preparawomen who went to tions for the worst-case scenario, should it war, some of whom occur. The Nantucket Red Cross Grey later became nurses at Ladies held fundraisers in the summer of Nantucket Cottage 1941. Some twenty women received their Hospital, while others certificates for Red Cross nurse training. married and raised fam- Registration for joining the Red Cross was ilies . How many of so large that it was moved to the Legion their children knew that Hall. The female residents of Our Island "Mother wore army Home worked steadily for the Red Cross, ~~-------------------------' boots"? The list was a making scarves and afghans. Though few Henn; Huyser served in Africa and Italy series of revelations as I read the names of in number, the 'Sconset branch of the Red during the war. Photo taken between 1943 doctors, ministers, Nantucket's former Cross produced baby and children's and 1944. state representative "Sid" Conway, busi- clothes. By October of 1941 the annual Courtesy of Henry Huyser. nessmen, carpenters, and so on. I felt a real tacted Manny Machado, Nantucket's sense of loss when I Veterans Administration agent, who hap- realized that the names pened to be on his way to the military which had checks beside archives in Boston to check on the names them were of those who of three Nantucketers that had seemingly had passed away. Their been omitted from the World War II ros- stories now exist in the ter. I also spoke with my colleague memories of their loved Charlie Flanagan, who informed me that ones. his wife, Ruth Ann Murphy, and her To acquire first-hand mother were in Pearl Harbor when it was information about bombed. Ruth Ann's father had been sta- Nantucket's involvetioned there, and she and her mother actu- ment in the war, I startally saw the Japanese bombers flying over ed an oral-history probefore they hit. It seemed that even ject and assigned my Nantucket dependents were involved in students to veterans in the war. As a thirteen-year-old living in the community. One the exotic territory of Hawaii, Ruth Ann young man had the luxMurphy would be a Nantucket witness to ury of choosing which a quiet Sunday that turned into "a day of grandfather to interinfamy," with 110 minutes of bloody air view, while others were attack. At first, Ruth Ann thought the assigned persons they planes were being flown by Americans, didn't know at all. The coming in so low they would be in trouble Cape Cod Consortium with their commanders. Realizing the funded the cost of our planes were Japanese, the family fled recording equipment, toward shelter, while Ruth's dad headed and the students created for the base. a basic list of twentyAfter my conversation with Charlie five questions that could Flanagan, I again checked with Manny be expanded upon.

Machado to see what he had gleaned from While interviews his Boston trip, as well as any other infor- were being conducted, mation he could share. He gave me a list we also looked at clipof thirty-seven Nantucket names, and I pings from the was struck by the repetition. Brothers and December 1941 Inquirer cousins were fighting the war together. and Mirror, along with L - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ' There were five Barretts; five Chases, ads from Ash ley 's Byro11 Dunham kept n dinn; of his nm:al experiences during the war. including two women; four Coffins; four Market, Wing's Courtesy of Byron Dunham.

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The war found Robert W. McGrath, Sr., known as "Bob," stationed 011 the Ticonderoga.

The photo was taken in 1944.

Courtesy of Robert W. McGrath, Sr.

Red Cross meeting reported that its clothing quota was met and that $2,500 had been contributed to the War Relief Drive.

Little did the Grey Lady realize that two months later it would be making supplies not just for British allies, but for its own sons and daughters.

A quick reading of the newspapers in 1941 provides an insight into the astounding innocence and honesty of the times.

The Yankee Division went on maneuvers in the South, and when it returned its exact route, numerical strength, unit commanders, etc., were published in the papers. It seemed we were oblivious to the possibility that such information was just what our soon-to-be enemies were looking for.

Once the war began, dramatic changes took place on Nantucket. Coast Guard sta-

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tions were located at Muskeget, Tuckernuck, Madaket (two stations), Low Beach, Sankaty, Coskata, Great Point, and Brant Point. Several Nantucketers in the serv ice were well over draft age; Jam es Chapel was fifty-four when he joined the Coast Guard . He and his boat Alice went into service in May 1942, only days before Japanese soldiers hauled down the American flag on Corregidor. Two other Nantucket men and their boats "enlisted": Arthur McCleave and S. Balfour Yerxa.

Their assignment was to patrol the island waters at all times in all weather, armed with a radio and a rifle. As were all inductees, this "older" group was sent to boot camp in Provincetown. Given the rank of chief petty officer, Chapel had a memorable first day on patrol. He and his crew of three brought in three boatloads of

survivors from a vessel torpedoed by a German submarine. Those rescued were temporarily put up in Bennett Hall until they were moved to the mainland.

Island Doctor Wylie Collins was in his forties when he enlisted in the Army. He became post surgeon at Fort Screven, Savannah, Georgia. Eighteen months later he was promoted to the post of commanding officer and chief surgeon at the 328th Station Hospital on Attu in the Aleutian Islands. His hospital there was a Quonset hut buried in the snow.

David Raub lived on Nantucket for ten years before the war began. During those years David was a pioneer of sorts who helped bring aviation to Nantucket. In 1932 David persuaded farmer Leslie Holmes to clea r some of his land at Nobadeer Valley for an airfield. By 1939 the Town of Nantucket acquired Nobadeer airport, but David Raub leased and ran it until 1942 when he donned an airforce uniform . Initi a ll y he was a pilot and instructor on B-26s. Later David ferr ied planes to the Pacific, Gulf Coast, Scotland, and India. In Dece mber of 1943 Dav id was a te s t pilot flying a P-38 when it crashed into a frozen swamp. He died at the young age of 31, leaving behind his widow, Kathryn Cady Raub, and a twomonth-old daughter.

By and large, the Nantu cketers serving in World War II ranged in age from 18 to 38 . From all the veterans interviewed it beca me clear that all these men a nd women volunteered to serve their country.

They did not wait to be drafted. The United States needed help and they chose to step forward .

Like Nantucke t youngsters today, Robert Pitman Grimes took a boat trip to the mainland du ring Christmas vaca tion, 1943. His friend Bob McGrath went with him. They didn't go shopping though; they enlisted in th e Navy . Pit was 17 at the time and it was only his second trip off island. He was playing basketba ll with Charlie Fisher across from Cyrus Peirce school on December 7, 1941, when news of Pearl Harbor came. The next two-and-ahalf years of his life would take him across the Pacific to action off Iwo Jima, at Saipan and Okinawa, and eventually to Ja pan after the surrender. The war and his travels left him feeling "that Nantucket is a great place to live. You appreciate where you come from."

Roger Young was a 17-year-o\d student in 1942. He decided to enlist in the Navy during his senior year of high school. After basic training at Great Lakes Training Center, Roger was assigned his first ship, the USS Tarbell. He says he became an artist at scraping and repainting. Between ships Roger made a trip home and

couldn't believe the changes the war had made. Shades were pulled low to block the lights at dusk each evening. Should evening bombers come, there was no point in letting them know they had reached U.S. shores. Automobiles drove with lights half blackened, and worst of all, many of Roger's high school girlfriends were getting married! Assigned to a new ship, the USS Hancock, Young went to Casablanca, Bermuda, and through the Panama Canal to the Pacific.

Locally, Nantucketers were being trained in what to do when the air raid sirens sounded. Ruth Chapel Grieder remembered being given charge of two younger children in her neighborhood when the sirens went off; Ruth was to get her two youngsters and race home with them. In school at Academy Hill, students were told to sit under their desks if the siren sounded. By this time rationing was in full swing on the island and there were long lines as people waited for a quarter of a pound of butter or a piece of meat. A United Service Organization was established where Hardy's is today. Jane Lamb's parents helped run the USO. The younger girls on the island "swept, mopped, made beds and served coffee and

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donuts." A coke was five cents, donuts were free. Wednesday and Saturday were dance nights from 9 to 12 p.m. Saturday dances featured three- to seven-piece bands. On other nights there were movies, but on Wednesday and Saturday everyone went to the Dreamland Theatre first, and then on to the dance.

Many island families opened their homes to servicemen. At one time men from every branch were stationed here.

Sandy Craig's mother Maggie held open house and offered Sunday dinners to many of the servicemen. Other Nantucket women, including Mrs. Chapel, willingly gave up precious ration stamps to feed Nantucket boys home on leave a special dinner before they returned to war.

Driving toward the airport along Old South Road today the sign "Key Post Corner" indicates a small collection of businesses. During World War II, "key post" had an entirely different meaning.

Coast Guard men patrolled the perimeter of the whole island on foot, around the clock. As the men passed different "key posts" around the island, they had to punch in on a time clock. They wore the "key" around their neck and, should they be late punching in, the worst was to be

suspected-that somewhere a German sub had landed, preventing the check-in.

Some of today's Nantucketers first saw the island when they were stationed here during the war. Bob Sherman was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but came to Nantucket with a Navy crash crew. He recalls that during those years Navy planes flew over the island daily, dropping "dud bombs" on the target range. Bob married a Nantucket girl and was allowed to live off the Navy base. He remembers that a shipment of bananas caused excitement and long Jines in the grocery stores just to get a few.

In keeping with the "black-outs," the gold leaf atop the Unitarian Church was covered over and black-out curtains became the decor of everyone's home. For many Nantucketers, the war's major Jesson was the self-discipline taught by the example of the armed services. Whether it was Henry Huyser serving in Africa and Italy, Lawrence Cahoon on the Alcan Highway in Alaska, or Myles Reis along the Rhine, the themes of discipline, selfrei iance, and dependence on one another to survive repeated themselves over and over. Young men of seventeen and eighteen who volunteered to serve learned that

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Pen and ink sketch by Ruth Haviland Sutton of the Servicemen's Club, which was on South Water Street where Hardy's is now located.

Courtesy of Mrs. Jane Lamb.

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"you grow up quickly," according to Peter Gomes. He was eighteen when he volunteered for the Navy, and would serve in the South Pacific on and around New Guinea. While there Peter remembers "a few of us went to the mess hall and helped ourselves to some bread for a late night snack. We put the bread down, went for some other stuff and when we returned it was gone. Japanese snipers got it before

Caldwell, having enlisted in the Coast Guard in April of 1941, was at sea when Pearl Harbor came and would be in those seven teen convoys on the Spencer.

Throughout his time at sea, Bob kept a log of ships and his military life, with accounts of torpedoes being avoided, of the sinking of the Alexander Houlton, and of the deaths of the first Coast Guardsmen. The young men Nantucket sent to war often expressed loving thoughts of the sea.

Byron Dunham began the diary of his Navy experiences: "This story was written by an observer on his first trip across the ocean and the first time he set foot on foreign soil." A poem by Barry Cornwall follows: I love, 0 how I love to ride, on the fierce, foaming, bursting tide.

Not two weeks after the diary began, Byron Dunham's ship lost the other ships in the convoy during the night. "With no ships in sight everyone is getting a little uneasy. When you are in a convoy, you feel pretty safe and secure, but being out on your own you get very uneasy." The feeling of uneasiness continued as no ships were sighted the next day either. All guns were manned as the waters were sub infested. An SOS was picked up from a ship in the convoy that had been torpedoed.

Jane Lamb's mother and stepfather Dorothy On January 27 Byron was on deck in and "Doc" Westcott, pictured here in 1943, balmy 60-degree weather, standing watch started and helped run the usa. with the second mate, when the ship was Courtesy of Mrs. Jane Lamb. rocked by a terrific explosion. Torpedoed!

They were amidships, starboard side, at we got back ." While Peter was in the 1345. Byron ran below, grabbed his life South Pacific, Manny Machado was busy jacket, pen, and diary. He ran and got the in Panama, Central America, and the mate's chronometer, donned a rubber lifeGalapagos Islands. His job was to set up saving suit, and began helping shipmates the latest in aircraft tracking technology- down the life nets. He then followed them radar. It was brand new and highly secre- into the oily waters. The entire crew, so it tive. Up and down the Central American seemed, made it to rafts or lifeboats. coast, down into South America, radar When the crew was about a thousand feet towers were set up. Later the towers went away, the sub fired another torpedo, up even on the Galapagos Islands, made breaking the ship in two and sinking her. famous by Charles Darwin.

In Byron's words, "One thing I must say in With the coming of war to the Pacific, their favor, that is, they let everyone get war came to the Atlantic as well. By off before they fired the second torpedo."

January of 1942, German subs began to Once all the rafts and boats were tied sink merchant ships off the Atlantic coast. together a count of the crew was taken.

The Coast Guard had been escorting ships Three men were missing. They went through the dangerous portions of the down with the ship. The German sub surNorth Atlantic since the summer of 1941, faced and proceeded to pick up what but now ships were being sunk almost at cargo was floating. The radio operator our shores. The most valuable ships being sent an SOS. The wounded were cared used for high-seas escort work were 327- for; then everyone waited. Crammed into foot, high-endurance cutters of the Secre- the rafts the way they were, when one tary class. Seven of these were built in man moved, everyone became uncomfort1936-37. One of them, the Spencer, would able. Water splashed into the rafts conescort seventeen convoys across the stantly, and even with rubber suits it was Atlantic and become one of the most deco- bitter cold. Sleep was impossible. Cold rated ships in the Coast Guard. Bob and hungry, the crew eagerly anticipated

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dawn and their first issue of rations since the day before. At 4:30 a.m., a light was seen on the horizon. The officer in command started sending up flares. Minutes later a Portuguese destroyer drew near and took all the survivors aboard. Several days later the destroyer, the Lima, put in at St. Miguel, Azores.

By January 1945, Byron Dunham was in the Pacific theater on an LST (Landing Ship Tank) group that "had the honor of being the assault wave that hit the beach" at Luzon, Philippine Islands. For two days before the beachhead was established, he had seen hundreds of bombers on runs over Luzon while the fleet blasted Lingayen. By June of 1945, Byron was on Guam for the second time. On this trip he met Joe Terry, who was stationed there, and Bob McGrath and Kenny Lewis, both of whom were stationed on the Ticonderoga. Walter Swain was also on Guam at the time, attached to an LST unit.

During Nantucket's whaling era, her young men often gammed on foreign seas and shores. How appropriate that, during a twentieth-century world war on a distant Pacific island, these five Nantucketers would find themselves together for a brief time, sharing a meal and a few thoughts of home.

When news of the Japanese surrender came, the crew on Dunham's boat celebrated with a water fight. Back home in Nantucket a community victory service had been held when Germany surrendered. It was held at the Federal Street Honor Roll, followed by services in every church on Nantucket. With the victory in the Pacific, the war was finally over and the boys could come home. Young men of seventeen and eighteen, young women in their twenties, men in their thirties, fathers in their forties and fifties had all served their country. These Nantucketers learned something, and in the words of Everett Lamb, USMC, "Americans can do anything if they pull together ...."

Jean Allen is a graduate of Fordham U11iversity and teaches Social Studies at Nantucket High School. Before coming to the island in 1963, she worked for McGraw-Hill Publishing Company in New York. She is the mother of six grown childreu, and has written for the Boston Herald and the Nantucket Beacon. She wishes to thank the Cape Cod Educational Consortium, her enthusiastic students wlto conducted tlte interviews, and the veterans for their time and contributions to the project.

Artists Come to Life

Mark Beale familiarizes himself with the NHA 's history and day-to-day operations.

Photo: Diane Ucci

A Lion's Share olunteers come in different shapes, sizes, and capacities, each giving what they can. C. Marshall Beale, better known around town as "Mark," took on a lion's share of volunteer tasks when he first came to the NHA in early December, bringing a strong business background with him. He graduated with a B.A. in business administration from Suffolk University in Boston and he was business manager for the Nantucket Conservation Foundation for eight years. Prior to that he was membership coordinator for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

Mark's appreciation of Nantucket and its history began over fifty years ago when he started summering in Polpis with his mother's family. His father's mother, Katharine Beale, daughter of Martha Summer Hayes, was born in Sconset.

Mark and his wife Deborah have been year-round residents since 1983. They left the island for a short time in 1991 and lived in Florida. Soon after they returned in the spring of 1992 Deborah was appointed Artistic Director of the Nantucket Chamber Music Center.

When they came back to Nantucket, Mark was looking for a challenging way to utilize his skills. Deborah is on the board of the Historical Association and

she suggested he might point his talents in our direction. Mark's expertise has been invaluable, not to mention his subtle sense of humor. After being here a while Mark feels he would "like to improve island involvement and perception through memberships and visits to our properties."

Mark was appointed Acting Executive Director in late February.

During what might have been a grey and dreary winter, Peyson Potter spent some time at the Research Center uncovering information about Nantucket artists prior to the twentieth century. There was a wealth of information on some of them, not so much on others. Peyson compiled what she found and stored it in the NHA's computer so that it can now be easily accessed by researchers.

Peyson started coming to Nantucket when she was a child, staying with her grandmother, Mary Armstrong, who was very active in the community. Like so many others, Peyson got hooked on the Grey Lady at an early age and returned to make a life here after attending Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

Art on Nantucket has always been a focus for Peyson, as she was intrigued by the artistic community here and all its facets. That, combined with a desire to contribute to the Historical Association, brought her to volunteer at the Research Center. Though Peyson is currently working full time at Vaughan, Dale & Philbrick, she hopes to continue to be involved with the Historical Association in some capacity.

Minority Voices The Nantucket Historical Association's Research Center has recently received its fifth grant from the Axe-Houghton Foundation, established by E. W. Axe to promote preservation of the spoken word .

The grant will enable the NHA to continue its oral history program and will focus on recording the thoughts and memories of minority groups on Nantucket. Past grants from Axe-Houghton have supplied the Research Center with recording and listening equipment and have prompted others to contribute to the oral history program.

Without the ongoing generosity of the foundation, Nantucket's precious resources of cross-cultural influences and personal experiences would be lost to its history.

Volunteer Peyson Potter enjoys delving into the histonJ of Nantucket artists.

Photo: Diane Ucci

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Preserving and Enhancing Our Island Treasures How You Can Participate Gifts of funds, securities, historic artifacts, and real estate can be accepted by the Nantucket Historical Association to help carry out its delicate mission of preserving the island's historic past.

Contributions may be made to the Nantucket Historical Association, designated a 501(c)(3) organization by the IRS.

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The Friends of the Nantucket Historical Association are underwriting the entire cost of refurbishing the Had wen House formal parlor. Charles Donato, of James Tyler, Inc., was one of the crew that completed the wallpapering in Februan;.

Photo: Diane Ucd

CONTRIBUTION OF FUNDS: Cash contributions may be immediately applied to the pressing needs of structure maintenance, collections, and operating funds. Should you wish to contribute to the fixed endowment fund or a special category, contact the Executive Director. All inquiries will be held in the strictest confidence.

CONTRIBUTION OF SECURITIES:

Many members and friends find it advantageous to contribute securities to NHA.

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We suggest you consult your lawyer or broker for advice on the tax advantages and procedures in all cases of planned giving.

BEQUESTS: A number of distinguished citizens have left important family collections and significant financial gifts to the Association for its important work. We hope you too will consider this unique way of helping your community preserve its priceless history.

FRIENDS OF THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION¡ The Friends are an organized group of active supporters who seek to acquire additional articles of historical value for the NHA's collections, as well as assist in funding restoration of existing pieces.

Please give some thought to how you might assure the Nantucket Historical Association's future. For further information, please contact the Executive Director at (508)228-1894.

ITEMS OF INTEREST Publications Award

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n December, Historic Nantucket received an award in the New England Museum Association's (NEMA) 1992 Publications Competition, entered by forty-four member institutions. It took third place in the journal category, among more than onehundred and thirty entries in a total of ten categories. Entries were judged on "a variety of elements within the parameters of great design." Consideration was given to aesthetics, cost, clarity, form, and function. Sometime in 1993, NEMA will sponsor a publications workshop where the winners will be displayed and their award-winning characteristics discussed.

Up &Coming April IS

"Men's Gam," with David Wood as moderator. Whaling Museum, 7:30p.m.

MayS Mark and Ellie Gottwald, owners of the Ships Inn on Fair Street, will host a reception there from 5:30 to 7 p.m. as part of the ongoing celebration of Lucretia Coffin Matt's 200th birthday this year.

May 20 "Reflections on Traveling with the Carnival to Nantucket as a Child," lecture

by Tricia Vita . Whaling Museum, 7:30 p.m.

June 18

NHAand Community Loses True Friends Leroy H. True, administrator and president of the Historical Association during 1970-83, died in December. More recently, "Roy" had managed his beloved Whaling Museum where people made repeat visits just to hear his lecture. Roy will also be remembered for his years as administrator at the Nantucket Cottage Hospital and as teacher in the Nantucket school system.

He was talented and patient and had a subtle but wonderful sense of humor that worked wonders under pressure.

Anita Stackpole Dougan, who also died in December, was a woman of many interests and abilities. In addition to being a docent at the NHA, Anita was active in the children's program at the Atheneum. She and her husband Ed both had a keen interest in history which they shared through their lectures and slide presentations. They also had an appetite for adventure and travel that led them to some exotic parts of the world, such as the San Bias Islands. Anita's creativity and zest for life will be missed by aJJ those who knew her.

"A History of the Lighthouses of Southern New England," lecture by Sarah Gleason, author of Kindly Lights, Whaling Museum, 7:30p.m.

June 23

"Making Big Rocks into Useful Rocks," illustrated lecture and demonstration of flint knapping, by Dr. Tim Lepore, in honor of Massachusetts Archaeology Week, June 19-27, Whaling Museum, 8 p.m.

Shenjl MacHardy assists Jacqueline Haring and Betsy Tyler with a myriad of duties at t he Research Center. Sheryl started out <â&#x20AC;˘olunteering a11d joined the staff of the Research Ce11ter in September.

Photo: Diane Ucci

Property Openings April9

Whaling Museum reopens. Call 228-1894 for hours and lecture times.

April23

Thomas Macy Warehouse reopens weekends, 11-3 p.m.

May28 Most sites open 11-3 p.m., seven days.

Call 228-1894 for more information.

June 1-3

Docent Training. All sites closed for training except the Whaling Museum and the Old Mill.

June 4

All sites reopen 11-3 p.m.

June 11

All sites open 10-5 p.m.

July 2

Thomas Macy Warehouse also open evenings 7-10 p.m.

Corrigendum:

Leroy H. True, NHA administrator and then president from 1970 to 1983.

Courtesy of Roy's daughter, Mrs. Lois Thomson.

David Wood has asked us to correct the caption of the centerfold photo in the winter issue: Back row, left to right: Miss Alice Albertson, Miss Emily Weeks, Miss Florence Bennett (not Barrett), "a stranger." Front row, left to right: Miss Elizabeth Austin, Miss Caroline Swift, Miss Anna G. Swain, Miss Gertrude King.

David and his mother, Mrs. Allan D. Wood, spotted the incorrect Bennett/Barrett identification.

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THE MUSEUM SHOP

With the opening of our tenth season and the upcoming centennial oft he Nantucket Historical Association in 1994, the Museum Shop has a unique opportunity to have special commemorative items produced exclusively in limited editions. The shop is currently considering brass, pewter, and china offerings as well as prints and woven pieces, including rugs and chair pads, and many other items.

The anniversary selection will be highlighted by a reproduction ship's table from the Tupancy House. This is the latest of several antiques from the Nantucket Historical Association's fine collection reproduced by the Eldred Wheeler Furniture Company. Along with our exciting new gifts, we will continue to feature a complete variety of Nantucket crafts, artifacts, toys, and books. The shop invites you to visit during the 1993 season and enjoy our new and old merchandise.

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 Historical Association are entitled to a 10% discount upon presenting their membership card.