Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-09-08
QUAINT OLD NANTUCkET.
70 the Editor of tho Free Press:

10 the Editor of tho Free Press:
We arrived at quaint old Nantucket
| nearly two weeks ago and are nicely
located at the Point Breeze hotel'
where we stopped for eight vacation
seasons. previous to adopting Muskokh
lakes as our summer resort. Inc hotel
| has been enlarged to twice its former
size ana is now the most complote
hosiery on the island. At present IL
| enjoys the distinction of having as non
| ored guests Admiral Rodly Evans ana
| Admiral f. ]. Higginson.
Nantucket was once a thriving hsh-
ing village, but now summer resort
| growing in popularity.
1t is indeed picturesque in its decay,
| handsome villas line its bluffs and Gle
| giant yachts supplant its old whaiers,
while some ancient customs still en-
| dure.
| Some queer types of characters
caused by long intermarriages among
| the Islanders are to be seen.
1t has been well said that the island
| OF Nantucket lies in the Atlantic ocean
in shape suggestive of n rams horns.
| that Is TO say it is very crooked ana
Whlle big at one end and little at the
other swelis roughly in the middle. In
the hollow of the horn is "A big Stretch
OF water called Great I1arbor and at the
opening of this lies the town of Nan
| tof1caI place on the coast Its origin
atty however has been somewhat inter-
! Tered with since our last visit five
years ago by the elements which wash
ed out the end of the island near Wau-
| Winet dividing it into two islands but
! the same elements have again nearly
| closed the opening by pilinE up the
| sand INTO q sort of . WinroW and the
! prospect ii is will be entirely closed in
| inc near future, so no action Is likely
| 10 he taken as to naming the part set
! off by the wind and waves.
This outlying territory now belongs
TO the state Of Massachusetts,
but 1t was. over 200 years ago, under
| the direct authority of the state of
| New York and was then called Shcr-
| hurne under which name it is called the
| ola time stories of the ocean. In 1905
| after the island had become the proper
| ity OF Massachusetts it was named
! Nantucket.
The population of the island 100
years ago was about 10000 while now
| leaving out the summer visitors and
other temporary soiourners its inhabi-
tants number less than 5000 souls.
| In the carly days the fame of tho
| Nantucket fishermen and the reputa-
| ton OF of its gallant sailors were CO.
extensive with the known ends of the
earth, Now the last ship which bore
/ them on the bosom of the ocean contend
ing with its mighty waves is decaying in
! in idlcness. except as the large ocean
steamers come and go twice each a hours
ana occasionally 4 strange ship or private
yacht lands alongside the ancient land
mark. and the graves of the heroes OF
Shipwreck and battle arc COMMUNICATED
! by monument at the head of the prlnci-
! pal street of the town.
The sign that decorates the corner of
| two street when we were last here
Carpets taken up. grease spots re-
removed and, like the grease spots have
removed and like tho grease spots, has
has not been put back again.
The Athencum" is enc of tho most
cherished semi-publc buildings. on one
word" Museum on the other pillar is
tree reads:
admission Is cents, please wipe
your feet"
Another sign nailed to a near by
tree reads:
| Museum now open"
The great sperm whales jaw II feet
long in perfect condition, all the teeth
| in place is among the attractive fca-
lures of the museum. Also n model OF
the Camels with a ship in their embrac,
an interesting reminder of the palmy
days Of the Nantucket whale fishery
There are human fragments of old
! Nantucket sitting about the steamboat
wharf and gazing at the decaying piers
| they once ran alongside to be greeted
| by sweetheart, wife and children and
friends when recurring home from long
voyages, but the are few and are fast
getting fewer.
There are a half hundred carriGa cs
drawn up Just beyond the walk. They
look like private conveyances for sum
mer use, but they are public and can b,
chartered by the hour. trim or wee i