Nantucket Official Guide 2014-2015 | Page 23

©Garth Grimmer

A repository of this abundant and varied
history, the Nantucket Historical Association
and its meticulously preserved properties
chart the island’s evolution from a small 17th
century farming community to its heyday
as the capital of the American whaling
industry, to its current incarnation as a
premier resort destination. The Nantucket
Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum – as well
as the The Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin School
and Egan Maritime Institute – pay homage
to the island’s rich maritime history, while
the Lightship Basket Museum explores the
heritage of a true Nantucket icon which –
transformed into a distinctive and elegant
handbag – proudly graces the arms of ladies
hither and yon. Another historic property,
the African Meeting House, remains one of
the oldest African American church buildings
in the nation, a lasting tribute to the history
of “New Guinea”, a sector of Nantucket
where people of color resided in the early
19th century. The home of Maria Mitchell,
America’s first female astronomer – who
discovered a comet from a telescope perched
atop the Pacific Bank building – is lovingly
preserved adjacent to the Maria Mitchell
Natural Science Museum. Our public library,
the stately Atheneum, is one of the oldest
public libraries in continuous service in the
United States. To gain further insight into
the history, architecture – and paranormal
activity (yes, ghosts!) – that make Nantucket

a unique travel destination, take a leisurely
self-guided walking tour, or join one of
the many tours led by knowledgeable
local guides.
For gourmet food lovers, the island boasts
cuisines to satisfy the most discriminating
palate! Acclaimed culinary establishments
abound, with not one, but two Restaurant
Weeks – in spring and autumn – to celebrate
imaginative, delectable fare by offering
three-course dinners at affordable prices.
A “Junior Chef” competition also encourages
budding culinary “artistes.” Oenophiles
are drawn to Nantucket in May for the
eagerly-anticipated Wine Festival Weekend.
Prestigious wineries from around the globe
showcase their vintages in a series of gala
events, including Grand Tastings, a Harbor
Gala, and educational seminars.
If you’re a naturalist, Nantucket offers
a wealth of discovery. Birders – pardon
the pun – flock to the island for a peek at
the rare species that inhabit our expansive
topography. Flora and fauna – including
sand plains, grasslands, heathlands, salt
marshes, rosa rugosa, and beach plum –
are quite diverse and unique to our shores.
For those with an interest in astronomy, both
the Vestal Street and Loines Observatories
offer public stargazing, weather-permitting.
The Aquarium on Washington Street exhibits
marine life and leads ecology and beach
discovery field trips, while the Maria Mitchell

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