The Librarian Is Coming! The Librarian Is Coming!

Website Editor • May 02, 2022

(With my apologies to Mr. Benchley, the librarian, and all librarians – it was the first title that “Popped!” into my mind.)


Truly, a librarian is coming for a visit to Nantucket. And by this posting, she has come and gone. (And yes, there are librarians on Nantucket) This librarian is from the US Naval Observatory and she and I were coincidentally connected via Harlow Shapley’s granddaughter working on a large research project about Shapley – the director of the Harvard College Observatory and quite the astronomer with a long list of accomplishments. During her work at the US Naval Observatory, Shapley’s granddaughter was introduced to a box of images that at some point came to the USNO via someone connected to Margaret Harwood. As you may remember, she was the MMA’s first astronomer and director of the observatory. 


And given the wonders of the Internet, ZOOM, and ye old telephone, we all connected. They didn’t know who was in the box (i.e. the images) or what some of them were of. Many of them are of the MMA and people associated with the MMA and astronomers and others who visited – including Cecelia Payne Gaspochkin (who you see here – and the image is small and crooked as they are meant just as a record – not something we will use)! So, the USNO librarian acted as the courier to bring the images here so that we can photograph them for the MMA to have copies and I can help to identify the people and places. It was a lot of fun – and we discovered some images that I do not think the MMA has – but we do now! And of course, it was a lot of fun to meet and work with a new collaborator. Here is to more!


JNLF



Image Courtesy of the US Naval Observatory

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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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