News and Events for Nantucket Island
By all outward measures, Richard Russo has had the kind of literary career many writers only dream about — a Pulitzer Prize, an Oprah’s Book Club selection, beloved novels adapted for film and television, and a body of work spanning four decades that has made him one of the defining voices of working- class American fiction. But spend time with the author and you understand that none of it came easily, and none of it was guaranteed.
Theatre Workshop of Nantucket’s production of Eureka Day, written by Jonathan Spector, follows the executive committee at a private school as it navigates a mumps outbreak among its students. Tensions rise as they are left debating vaccination policies, and the audience gets a taste of the range of opinions among […]
The author of eight New York Times bestsellers, winner of the National Book Award and the George Washington Book Prize, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, islander Nathaniel Philbrick is one of America’s most celebrated narrative historians. And on July 10, he will be the recipient of the Nantucket Atheneum’s 2026 Luminary Award.
Right now is the perfect time to go on a hunt for one of Nantucket nature’s treasured beauties, the pink lady’s slipper orchid.
The pink lady’s slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) is Nantucket’s most popular orchid (or the one most often seen), likely because it is hard to miss when in bloom. As the name suggests, the bloom resembles a small, pink ballet slipper fit for a squirrel. This orchid is locally common with each plant growing a single f lower. These individual f lowers tend to grow in clusters, so where you see one, you may see several. This grouping lends itself to magical thinking, imagining a dancing troupe of forest creatures. And while this isn’t a fairy tale, there is something magical about orchids and where they grow. It’s nearly impossible to duplicate the conditions necessary to cultivate these lady slippers. That’s why seeing them in the wild along a trail can feel so special.
Well would you look at that: Memorial Day weekend was a few days ago and Nantucket is insta-busy. Not surprising, of course, but it does feel often sudden this year. Perhaps it’s due to the lack of any real warm weather. Or maybe it’s that this national holiday was celebrated a week earlier than usual this year. Whatever it may be, it’s busy! Joggers, bikers, e-bikers, rental cars, Ubers, summer neighbors, people riding scooters or those crazy big wheel skateboard thingies – the island is very people-y all at once.
The Nantucket Historical Association is beginning the next phase of restoration work on Nantucket’s iconic Old Mill, built in 1746. The NHA purchased the mill in 1897. In 1992, it was designated as a historic mechanical engineering landmark and is believed to be the oldest working windmill in the United […]
By Suzanne Daub Tucked away on our small island 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, one of the most consequential craft preservation programs in the country is carrying on traditions that stretch back centuries. The Heritage Craft program, operated by the Nantucket Historical Association, is making Nantucket a focal […]
Since 2005, the Geschke Series has brought some of the most distinguished voices in journalism, science, literature, education, and culture to the Nantucket Atheneum, continuing its legacy of thoughtful dialogue dating back to 1834. More than just a series of talks, the Geschke Series is a carefully curated intellectual experience. […]
by Dr. Sarah Treanor Bois, PhDDirector of Research & Conservation at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation Nantucket is home to many rare plant species, but few bear its name. Nantucket Shadbush (Amelanchier nantucketensis) is a globally-rare shrub that was once thought to be limited to our island. This small shrub […]
by Steve “Tuna” Tornovish Sing it with me, my fellow fishing types: “It’s the most miserable time of the year…” We Nantucket fishers have been watching for weeks as the striped bass migration moves slowly north from the Chesapeake Bay. Then into the Connecticut River. Throughout the Rhode Island costal […]
