National Historic Landmark

Nantucket Historic District

Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts
Listed
November 13, 1966
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000772

About this property

The Nantucket Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District that encompasses the entire island of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The original December 13, 1966 listing on the National Register of Historic Places included only the historic downtown core and the village of Siasconset, but was expanded in 1975 to include the entire island, as well as the islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget. At over 30,000 acres, it is the largest conventional National Historic Landmark District by area in the contiguous United States. Much of the district was originally designated as a local historic district in 1955, making it one of the earliest historic districts in the United States, along with the Charleston Historic District in Charleston, South Carolina, the Vieux Carre Historic District in New Orleans, and the Old and Historic Alexandria District in Alexandria, Virginia. Since 1955, the Nantucket Historic District Commission has been the governing authority charged with overseeing the island's preservation.

Location

Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts
41.30477, -70.07728

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Nantucket Historic District

This page lists Nantucket Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Brant Point Light Station
Colonial
1.3 mi
Coffin, Jethro, House
Colonial
1.9 mi
Sankaty Head Light
Industrial
5.9 mi
Monomoy Point Lighthouse
Industrial
18.1 mi
Cape Poge Light
Industrial
21 mi

Questions about this property

When was Nantucket Historic District listed on the National Register?

Nantucket Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Nantucket Historic District?

Nantucket Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Nantucket Historic District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Nantucket Historic District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Nantucket Historic District?

The period of significance for Nantucket Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Nantucket Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Nantucket Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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Massachusetts history

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