Nantucket Official Guide 2014-2015 | Page 28

NA N T U C K E T ’S Historical Sites The Nantucket Historical Association, 15 Broad Street Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street The Whaling Museum features a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton, the newly redesigned Hadwen & Barney Oil & Candle Factory, and top-quality exhibition halls. Visitors are treated to daily screenings of Nantucket, the awardwinning film by Ric Burns. Museum guides bring the island’s history to life through popular multimedia presentations and storytelling. Additional galleries highlight a world-class collection of scrimshaw, paintings and more! Check out the museum’s rooftop observation deck for a one-of-a-kind view of Nantucket harbor. Open year round. Visit www.nha.org or call 508-228-1894 for hours and information. ©Jeffrey Allen The Nantucket Historical Association, founded in 1894 to preserve the island’s remarkable history, invites you to visit its flagship Whaling Museum, Research Library, and iconic historic sites. Located throughout Nantucket town, the NHA’s historic sites convey how islanders lived and worked throughout Nantucket’s transformation from a small 17th century farming community to the capital of the American whaling industry, and ultimately a 20th century art and resort colony. Visit www.nha.org for information, hours and admission prices, or call 508-228 -1894. offered daily from May 24-October 13, 2014. Visit www.nha.org or call 508-228-1894 for hours and information. Oldest House & Kitchen Garden, 16 Sunset Hill The Jethro Coffin House – known as the “Oldest House” – was built as a wedding gift for Jethro Coffin and Mary Gardner in 1686, and is the sole surviving structure from the island’s 17th century English settlement. The Kitchen Garden is a reconstruction of a circa 1700 garden that features raised beds of vegetables, herbs and flowers typical of the period. Guided tours are 26 • 2014 Official Guide to Nantucket ©Michael Galvin ©Jeffrey Allen Old Mill, 50 Prospect Street The Old Mill, built in 1746, is the oldest operating windmill in America. Used as a gristmill until 1892, it is a popular attraction for visitors, and retains its original handcrafted wooden gears that harness the wind’s power to grind corn. Guided tours are offered daily from May 24-October 13, 2014. Visit www.nha.org or call 508-228-1894 for hours and information.