Everett U. Crosby

“ We would like to say, however, that fixing a precise year date for the building of a house is most difficult here in Nantucket, just as it has been found to be, for those attempting to do so, in respect to old houses at off-island locations. There is no evidence of building material being derived from trees growing on this Island except by the early settlers. Statements found in early writings speak of house frames being brought from the mainland. There is knowledge of much timber and lumber and shingles being brought, principally from Maine, but also from New Hampshire and Massachusetts. ”

“ So far as more room and modern comforts are concerned, an architect or builder knowing his old Nantucket can usually plan to provide them in “doing over” an old house and still not harm its exterior. But all hope is lost if the roof lines are spoiled by large shed-roof dormers or a dormer room, and only less disfiguring are large “sun parlors,” piazzas, exterior chimneys, or flat roofed ells or projections, built where visible from the front. ”

“ This phrase was used by a writer several decades ago to describe the dwelling house architecture of the old town of Nantucket, and since then has been generally accepted. It symbolizes the state of mind of most people who come to this remote island town, traverse its streets and view its houses. They all sense that there is something in the mass or total of dwelling houses that is different from what they are accustomed to elsewhere. ”

“ Yet one can ride a hobby too hard. The complete purist is often impracticable. One living in an old house wants to be comfortable and to have adequate space. There is hardly an old house in town which has not on its visible exterior—at least somewhere on its four sides—the marks of modernizing as made by succeeding generations. Fortunately the fronts as a rule have been but little marred.
Nantucket can be kept “95% perfect” only by not adding to the visible detractions on its old houses, and by not building new types amidst the old. ”

“ From an investment viewpoint alone an old or old-style house sells or rents much more readily and for higher prices than a modern-type structure. Many prospective customers will not look at the latter.
There is a surprisingly large number of competent local carpenter-builders, masons, painters, plumbers and electricians resident on the Island. They can undertake and properly execute practically any work that is likely to be specified. Many of them are glad to assist in carrying out the old Nantucket traditions, but there have been some who frankly had no love for the old ”

“ Manifestly this was a generalization to crystallize an impression, yet our census analysis of 365 houses in the old districts shows but 46 modern or mixed type, intermingled; say 121⁄2%. On the old houses we find various added modern detractions, frequently several kinds on one house, but many of them not serious. So let us estimate that these old-district dwellings are still 85% perfect—an astonishingly large percentage of unharmed oldness to be found in this day and generation in over 400 closely grouped houses. We have much to be thankful for. ”

“ In altering very old houses it has been [Pg 28] found on the exterior of the beveled boards which were the outside of the wall when no shingles or clapboards were used.
Blinds. The louvered (slanted slat) blinds on exterior walls at windows and front doors began to come into use about 1840. They certainly do dress up a house but otherwise have little or no use at Nantucket. A really old house is in the best of taste without them and with a saving of expense. Always (on an old house) they should be painted a dark green. ”

“ We have a precious inheritance in this large group of old houses. Every effort should be made to keep from harming them when making changes, and to keep from building dissimilar types of new houses in the old built-up sections. There is ample room outside of the old districts or elsewhere on the Island for those who determine to build a place of modern appearance. ”

“ Hence, second-hand building material was saved and used again and even again, including window-sash and doors. Houses were frequently moved in whole or in part. There are many larger and more expensive houses on the sites of smaller, older ones. Occasionally houses were removed to make room for lawns and to give more light and air to the remaining houses. In the years after the decline and demise of the whaling industry, great numbers were taken down and the material shipped away, often to distant points, or used for local firewood. ”

“ They are built generally upon the street. The almost total want of trees, houses and fences in the interior part of the island makes the road very uninteresting. Once in every two or three miles a single farmhouse appears, surrounded by half a dozen dwarf cherry trees. Such an assemblage is a wood on Nantucket, where there is not a tree of native growth. We dined with Dr. and Mrs. Easton.”
1807—A writer, under date of Aug. 1, 1807, (Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll.) states:
“The town stands on the west side of the harbour and is a mile and a half in length and a third of a mile in breadth. ”

“ The vast majority of old Nantucket houses are of one type. Therefore it is this type that must largely make the picture of the town. This is it:
Wood walls, covered with shingles or clapboards, with the shingles weathered gray or painted. The colors of shingles (when painted) and of clapboards and trim are white, cream, gray, yellow or brown. White predominates. The exterior window and front door blinds (shutters) are painted dark green.
Basement is high with walls of brick, painted or plastered and with windows of considerable size in these walls. ”

“ This high basement is a distinctly Nantucket characteristic.
Or to a somewhat less extent, the basement is low to the ground or somewhat so without any or sizeable cellar windows.
The house is two stories in height with attic.
Roof is gable type without dormers. The pitch of the gable roof is generally 9”, to 12” horizontal measurement but not less than 8” pitch.
The chimney is brick, plastered or painted gray, massive, usually containing six flues, located near the ridge and at the center or to one side of the center. ”

“ The next arbitrary division is the architecture of the Colonial and early Federal times, approximately, as far as Nantucket is concerned, dating from prior to the Revolutionary War to about 1830. Most of our old dwellings belong in this division.
Finally, the Classic period. Commencing about 1830 and continuing to about 1860, after which there was not much building of consequence of any dwellings which need to be considered here.
DOING OVER OLD HOUSES
Each year people from off-island, yielding to the lure of Nantucket, buy old houses, or occasionally build new ones, for seasonal occupancy. ”

“ If these persons had carried away with them their part of the poor it would have lightened our burden, for we now have 215 widows, of whom not thirty are able to support themselves without the assistance of friends and neighbors and some are maintained by the town. We have besides a great number of poor, but we have a considerable number of able and industrious men who carry on the whale fishery. ”

“ The gardens, as well as the flapping clothes lines, the additions and the extensions, are at the rear; usually out of sight from the street. These rear (and side) ells and projections are a general characteristic of the old houses. Similar new additions if done in the proper way, with gable roofs or lean-to roofs, can be most pleasing.
Third—Uniformity in architectural type, style, material and colors, within a limited range, is quite general and more responsible than any other single feature for the exceptional and unique ensemble. ”

“ Many of the stores, as on Centre Street, were rebuilt quickly in an intended temporary manner, but the decline of the whaling industry and its attendant prosperity coinciding with this time, much of the temporary remained permanent. Fortunately, the numerous new styles had not arrived in 1846 and many of the dwellings built anew in the burned area were in the old taste, attractive and dignified. ”

“ Those who possess the greatest fortunes at present belong to the Society of Friends. They yearly go to different parts of this continent, constantly engaged in sea affairs. Sometimes they have emigrated like bees. ”

“ Main chimneys were always of brick, generally with six or less flues, now plastered or painted above roof and located at or near the ridge at interior of building. Modern Detractions—noted occasionally in the 319 old houses: Modern windows of four or two sheets of glass—50 Modern piazza or porch, generally with flat roof—51 Modern front door—odd panels, golden oak, plate glass, etc.—46 Modern bay window—35 Slim chimneys—23 Hood over front door with fancy gingerbread detail—13 Large lattice arbor obscuring front door—8 Conspicuous “sun parlors”—12
Other features. ”

“ Some have settled on the famous river Kennebeck, clearing the heaviest timbered land in America, and instead of entirely consuming their timber as we are obliged to do, some parts of it are converted into useful articles for exportation, such as staves, boards, hoops, barrels, etc. ”

“ Walls—wood 311; brick 8. Exterior Surface of Front Wall—shingles 179; clapboards 132; brick 8. Exposed Foundations—brick 246; stone 65; modern replacements 8. Height of Foundation above Ground, viz., height of first floor above ground— High (generally with 3 or 4 panes of glass vertically in basement windows) 140. Low (generally 1 or 2 steps to first floor; without basement windows) 97. Intermediate (between high and low) 82. Number of Stories—two 271; one and one-half 30; one 16; three 2. Roof Type—gable 287; lean-to 19; hip 8 ”