Let There Be Light!

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • Jan 25, 2021

 As you may or may not know, most of the MMA’s buildings date from the very early twentieth century and down into the late eighteenth century – we span 1790 to 1930 if you don’t count Loines Observatory (1968) or Drake Cottage (2000).  It is a challenge to keep them in tip-top shape and to make sure they can properly support our 21 st century programming – but we do it!  We do it with donations, some monies from programming, and of course lots of grants from state, federal, local, and private foundations and entities.  It keeps us busy!  But it is all worth it and we are most grateful to everyone for their support.

 Recently, we have made a few more much needed updates to our “Astronomer’s Cottage” – a circa 1830 house that the MMA acquired in about 1922.  It is located immediately adjacent to the Maria Mitchell Vestal Street Observatory (1908).  We had recently completed some grant funded work to this site and had a few more items to work on.  One of these was electrical work – updating some lighting and wiring and adding some lighting to the cellar which was lit by well, not much – let’s say, one light bulb.  It has always been a basic storage place for the MMA so it didn’t need a lot of light.  Until, the electrician entered, said “Yes, I can provide some more lighting down here,” and then oh my mercies of lighting marvels, I went down to check, flipped on the switch and TADAH! the cellar went from a dungeon to a very pleasant, well-lit space where I can see EVERY nook and cranny, every corner, and now I can work on some items that I need to go through down there!  (With apologies to my English teacher Mother – run-on was purposeful to denote my excitement.) What a difference lighting makes!  I don’t have to wear a headlamp to work.  I can see everything !  It is actually inviting.  What a difference a little (read a lot) of light makes!

With a big thank you to Jeff Schneider and Ellis and Schneider Electricians!

JNLF

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Shards

By Jascin N. Leonardo FInger • 06 May, 2024
I have written of my love for sea glass and pottery shards in the past and the recent replacement of the sewer and water lines on Vestal Street created a small shard collection over the last month. Since the work required the asphalt to be completely removed (all twelve inches of it!) and the road to be dug up multiple times as they worked to remove pipe, relay new pipe, hook up the water meters, and install drainage and manhole covers, this resulted in the earth in the street being tossed about quite a bit. And, with that, came the shards! Some of these likely came from the sewer line (yes, yuck) but others came from being simply in the dirt of the road – which was not paved until 1946/1948. Pieces were likely tossed out at times, made to act as filler in holes, or simply tossed. So I found all sorts of pieces I will keep here at the Mitchell House. They included: a lovely piece with a red floral, many pieces of plates, glass, the top of a late nineteenth or early twentieth century (medicine) bottle, glass shards, a flattened spoon, a brass knob (found by a neighbor) some nails, a spike, pieces of a larger container or two based on the size and curve and coloring of the shards, and possibly a Wampanoag stone tool. One person’s trash is another one’s treasures! JNLF

Is That A Wrap?

22 Apr, 2024
Yes. Well, almost. After about a month of working – and some living (staff and or neighbors) – on Vestal Street with all the sewer and water replacement work, the paving happened today (April 17, 2024). This is the first “layer” – a three-inch binder coat. In the fall, once time has passed, they will return for the final one inch of the finish layer. Some of the other things along Vestal Street will also be repaired and updated between now and the final coat – and a bit after that. But we are very happy, after all these years to have a modern system of piping – and all new drainage we never had before! While the curator in me loved the old clay pipes, they were riddled with roots from the trees, holes, and in some places, collapsed, and the twelve inches of asphalt had to go. Vestal Street was only paved in about 1946/1948 – and has not been paved in maybe twenty years so that is a lot of asphalt in about fifty years! And with climate change and the increase in how much rain we get in these heavy rain events, all that water rushed down Vestal Street with nowhere to go – except our cellars. I am sure the neighbors are happy too! A thank you to the Town of Nantucket’s Sewer Department, especially David Gray (who may regret giving me his cellphone number forever), N&M Excavating and Utilities (Dean, we appreciate you being so nice when we had too many questions), Victor-Brandon Corp for paving, and numerous others. We are looking forward to great flushing, powerful hose lines, and rainwater being whisked away via the new, never-before-had storm drains! JNLF And to all the N&M workers who wondered why I was constantly looking down as I walked along Vestal Street, you should see the trove of porcelain shards, glass, old nails, a bottle neck, 19 th century spoon, and even possibly a Wampanoag stone tool I found!
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