Do You Know Where This Is?
This is the front door latch of the Mitchell House and the mahogany used to make it came from a shipwreck ̶ the Queen. The wood is apparently from items in the cargo of the ship. The Queen was a vessel that was broken in two when it came ashore in the area of Nobadeer on January 4, 1813. An English ship, this was certainly a prize – it came into action with the American privateer, General Armstrong – the cargo of the Queen was supposedly strewn about the shore from Siasconset to Miacomet. Her cargo was invoiced at about 100,000 British pounds. New Englanders – and certainly Nantucketers – were very good at creating something useful out of something else and of salvage – the original recyclers. In fact, something that was repaired and made into a new use or repaired using materials other than what the item was originally made for was referred to as a “make-do” and I have blogged about those before. This door latch was installed in the Mitchell House before the Mitchells inhabited it but think of all the times it was opened by the family, including Maria.
JNLF
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