Exhibitions at the Nantucket Historical Association

Digital Exhibitions

	“Sometimes think of me”: Notable Nantucket Women through the Centuries, Embroidered Narratives by Susan Boardman with biographies by Betsy Tyler. This exhibition focused on the colorful lives of thirty two outstanding women across four centuries of Nantucket history and was the NHA’s first large-scale exhibition exploring the history of the island’s remarkable women. In this digital exhibit, meet the artist, Susan Boardman, view her exquisite embroidered narratives, and watch the special video production telling the stories of some of the remarkable women Mrs. Boardman honors in her work.

	Visions of Her: Portrait Photography by Nantucket Youth This exhibition features modern portraits of Nantucket women captured by teens from the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club and Nantucket High School. The photographs showcase the essence of women the young photographers admire, as well as the island itself. Bonus film interviews offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative spirit of the project.

	Nantucket Presidential Documents American presidents have been concerned in the affairs of Nantucket island from the days of the nation’s founding. In recognition of election year, this exhibition highlights some of the more remarkable presidentially signed Nantucket documents. These include shipping papers, appointments of postmasters, customs officers, military commissions, and even a casual note dashed off to a Nantucket friend.

	Beloved and Honoured Parents: Reuben Pinkham Letters from Nantucket 1827-1838 Nantucket readers of these letters, written by Reuben and Lydia Pinkham, will recognize many things as familiar. There are complaints of the cost of living in Nantucket, the lack of selection, and the school committee having major conflicts. There is also plenty of new information - how to cook eels, for instance, and interestingly, lots of gossip of Nantucket relationships. Constant throughout the letters is the expression of affection, respect, and love for each other.

	Landmarks of Nantucket! What favorite Nantucket places would you miss if they suddenly vanished overnight? See what seventh graders at Cyrus Peirce Middle School photographed.

	Views from the South Tower: Unitarian Church, 1809-2009 This exhibition celebrates the 200th anniversary of the South Church on Orange Street through artwork, posters, and historic photographs. The South Church Preservation Fund, Preservation Trust, and the NHA are collaborating on this celebration of the church's anniversary.

	Keeping Time in Sag Harbor: Photographs by Stephen Longmire The photographs and texts in this exhibition are drawn from Stephen Longmire’s book Keeping Time in Sag Harbor, which marked the 300th anniversary of the New York port in 2007.

	'Sconset 02564: A Patchwork Village Presented in the summer of 2008, this exhibition features the history, architecture, personalities, and “character” of this unique village at the eastern end of Nantucket, often described as the most charming in America, following its evolution from a fishing village to a world-renowned summer resort.

	Susan Veeder's Journal of the Ship Nauticon From September 1848 to March 1853, Susan Veeder (1816-1897) sailed with her husband, Captain Charles A. Veeder, on a whaling voyage aboard the ship Nauticon. Presented here is her journal is total.

	Landmarks! Over thirty Nantucket sixth, seventh and eighth graders participated in the NHA’s first student-curated photographic exhibition. Landmarks of Nantucket! showcases what the students consider to be their cherished Nantucket landmarks. This collaborative exhibition was organized by the NHA, Nantucket Preservation Trust and Sustainable Nantucket and displayed in the Whaling Museum over the summer and fall of 2007.

	David Wood Collection The donation contains scores of lightship baskets, Nantucket silver, numerous eighteenth-century documents.

	Moby-Dick by Janet Ball McGlinn. Janet (Ball) McGlinn (1915–88) was one of the most talented postwar artists working on Nantucket. Her stunning print series, created in 1972 and first exhibited in 1980, vividly highlights key scenes and characters from Melville’s whaling epic Moby-Dick.

	Eliza Brock Log Eliza Spencer Brock (1810-1899) wife of Captain Peter C. Brock (1805-78), kept a journal aboard the whaleship Lexington during a voyage from May 21, 1853, to June 25, 1856. The journey took her to the Azores, Cape Verde Islands, New Zealand, Hawaii, and throughout the South Pacific. In her journal, Brock expressed the isolation she felt at sea, noting poignantly, ". . . if it was not for hope the heart would break."

	The Nantucket Art Colony, 1920-1945 Features the work of the group of painters and teachers who came to Nantucket and formed the “paradise and dream come true” for artists that became the Nantucket Art Colony. They worked from artists’ studios and gallery spaces created from the relics of Nantucket’s long-vanished whaling past – the cluster of shacks, shanties, boathouses, and old buildings that lay soaking in the sea air along Nantucket’s waterfront. In collaboration with the Artists Association of Nantucket (AAN)

	Nantucket Nightmares: Editorial Cartoons by Atropos Richard C. Maloney was a teacher who retired to Nantucket in 1970, and began creating a series of editorial cartoons that appeared in the Inquirer and Mirror under the signature “Atropos” (one of the three sister Fates in Greek mythology). His cartoons provided satirical social commentary on Nantucket’s burgeoning development issues, from housing, to automobiles, to new buildings, to tourism. Many of his cartoons still have a strong resonance today, with the island still facing the difficulties that were beginning to appear in the early 1970s. The collection of original Maloney drawings and clippings included in the exhibition was generously donated by the artist’s granddaughter Catherine Maloney.

	Susan Boardman's Embroidered Narratives of Notable Nantucket Women The Nantucket Historical Association has been proud to host two exhibitions of artwork by Susan Boardman. The first was on display June-October 2002, and the second was on display June-December 2006, both in the Whitney Gallery of the NHA Research Library, 7 Fair Street. Digital exhibitions based on these displays are available here. Whitney Gallery Exhibition: June - October 2002 Whitney Gallery Exhibition: June - September 2006

	WWII 356th Fighter Squadron This collection of photographs contains images donated by Robert L. Young, Nantucketer and former member of the World War II 356th Squadron (the Red Ass Fighter Squadron) of the 354th Fighter Group, (the Pioneer Mustang Group). It includes portraits of members; distinguished visitors, including General Patton and President Eisenhower; honor ceremonies; the "500th Kill Party" in Rennes, France; and a Young family reunion.

	Signs of the Times: Nantucket Signs An exhibition of nearly one hundred Nantucket business signs representing an encapsulated history of life on Nantucket, from the late nineteenth up to the late twentieth century, includes some of the most recognizable and fondly remembered establishments: The old Downyflake, the North Shore Restaurant, Andy's Diner, the Gordon Folger Hotel, Tavern on the Moors, Straight Wharf Theatre, Northeast Airlines, and numerous others.

	Aerial Views of Nantucket Views from 1940, 1957, 1975, 1993 are included here.


	Nantucket's Greatest Generation: William W. Coffin's Nantucket WWII Servicemen A Whitney Gallery Exhibition, November 2005-May 2006 An exhibition of thirty hand-colored photographs of Nantucketers in World War II.

	Tony Sarg in Nantucket The NHA is privileged to house many books, manuscript materials, and photographs of Tony Sarg. The guest curator of this exhibition will be George Korn.

	Scallop Season: A Nantucket Chronicle A Whitney Gallery Exhibition October-December 2003 Text written by Jim Patrick and featuring photographs by Rob Benchley. Patrick and Benchley followed Nantucket’s scalloping community through one typical season, 1999-2000. As the season unfolds it quickly becomes evident that almost everyone on the island has some connection to scalloping in their life, and the thread of community soon began to weave its own tale.

	Nantucket Roots: The "Vine and Hearts" Family Registers A Whitney Gallery Exhibition In the mid-eighteenth century family members created illustrated registers to commemorate a marriage, record a child's birth or to memorialize a recent death. Registers typically appear as watercolor paintings with the names of the couple celebrated and the date of their marriage are shown in twin hearts planted in a mound of earth, while the names and dates of their offspring adorn the buds and leaves shooting out from the vines above.

	Jag! Cape Verdean Heritage on Nantucket A Whitney Gallery Exhibition 5 October 2002 - 28 February 2003 An exhibition documenting the lives and history of Nantucket’s Cape Verdean community.



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