The Nantucket Historical Association is proud to honor Arie L. Kopelman with the official naming of the Whaling Museum’s Scrimshaw and Decorative Arts Gallery, Arie L. Kopelman Gallery, in his honor. Kopelman’s passion for decorative arts and Nantucket history, as well as his tremendous support of the Nantucket Historical Association […]
Tag: Nantucket History
Don’t Call Them Widows’ Walks
As you walk through the streets of Nantucket you will see surrounding the chimneys of several houses seven- to eight-foot wooden platforms with wooden railings. These platforms are often called “widows’ walks”—a term which conjures up images of women in long skirts and bonnets gazing forlornly toward the harbor. You […]
A Nantucket Rainbow Reminiscence
“The Rainbow Fleet should sail this summer sixteen strong.” The year was 1922. Clarence Gennett, Vice-Commodore of the Nantucket Yacht Club was beginning to realize his dream. Gennett was one of three brothers who, with their father, Henry Gennett, owned the Starr Piano Company and its subsidiary, Gennett Records. The company laid the cornerstone for the recording of American jazz, blues, and country music.
Celebrating 235 Years of Saving Lives
Egan Maritime Institute invites the public to join in commemorating the 235th anniversary of the United States Coast Guard on Monday, August 4, 2025, from 4 to 5 pm at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum. This free, family-friendly event honors the proud history and ongoing service of the U.S. […]
Reviving a Beloved Island Landmark
Along the Washington Street side of the building at 16 Main (the current location of the island’s Ralph Lauren store) is one of downtown Nantucket’s most popular spots to be photographed: the Compass Rose Mural.
NHA Community Day
This Wednesday, August 6, from 9 am to 12 noon, the Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) is hosting a special Summer of Seams Community Day at Children’s Beach, when all ages can participate in a tradition of community connection that is part of the tapestry of life on Nantucket. The fun […]
Full Circle: Respoke Founder Uncovers Island Ancestral Ties
When Chris Bartick first sailed into Nantucket, it felt like more than just a trip—it felt like fate. The artist and founder of luxury fashion brand Respoke was drawn to the island by a feeling he couldn’t explain. “It was like the island was calling me before I understood why,” […]
Secrets of the Ditch
The Madaket Ditch…it doesn’t have a very sexy name, but it is one of the most fascinating and vital parts of the western end of our island. For something so essential to the water quality of Long Pond, it is an often-missed feature of the landscape. Most islanders and visitors have never even seen it.
It’s a Family Tradition
“It’s in his blood.”
“He comes by it naturally.”
How many times do we hear someone say things like this? I’m guessing that these are common refrains if you’re hanging out around the University of Texas football field, watching young Arch Manning warming up. Arch, projected to be one of college football’s better quarterbacks this season, is the son of Cooper Manning. Cooper was a football player at one time as well, destined to play for Ole Miss, but a diagnosis of spinal stenosis caused Cooper to leave the game. Cooper went on to have a successful career as an entrepreneur, a slight variation of the quarterback business.