Preservation
Protecting historically and/or architecturally significant structures
A core part of the Trust’s mission is the preservation of historically important and architecturally interesting buildings in and around the village. ’Sconset is blessed with an extraordinary collection of antique homes and buildings. Many have survived intact due to our remote location, as well as a preservation aesthetic that has developed and attracted summer residents over the last one hundred years. However, due to a shift in current tastes favoring more living space, modern conveniences, and subdivisions of land, great pressure is now being exerted on our 17th and 18th century cottages and our 19th century Victorian and shingle style summer homes and surrounding spaces. Existing historical protections (Nation Historic Register and HDC, for example) are helpful but insufficient. During some renovations, historic fabric has been lost forever. In response, the Trust sponsors multiple initiatives to draw attention to this issue, educate homeowners on the importance of elements of their homes, and build legal protections for important architectural assets:
Architectural and Historical Reports (“House Profiles”)
The Trust’s Preservation Committee launched an initiative in 2019 to work on house histories by bringing together a modern-day team including historian and writer Betsy Tyler, preservation architect Marsha Fader, and Michael May, former executive director of the NPT. This effort has been maintained by the Trust and supported by the Judy Family Foundation and generous anonymous donors.
Homeowners also can commission this expert team, through the Trust, to prepare a House History of their property to highlight its important architectural features and evolution, as well as the record of ownership and significant relevant historical events. The Trust hopes these House Histories will encourage current and future owners of historically significant houses to preserve important interior and exterior building features for future generations through the use of Preservation Restrictions. Currently we have completed 27 of these reports, adding more each year. House Histories may be viewed on our website (see Learn More), at the Trust’s office or at the Nantucket Historical Association.
Preservation Restrictions
Owners of ’Sconset’s historic buildings are the stewards of the Village’s greatest resources, its architectural heritage. Today a Preservation Restriction is the best tool available to ensure the long-term integrity of a building as well as its place in the community, as it protects the architectural integrity of the property by restricting future alterations of important interior and exterior building features. By creating a Preservation Restriction, homeowners can protect their property’s historic features for future generations. A similar Conservation Restriction can be used to protect adjacent plots of land.
To help preserve and maintain the character of the historic village of Siasconset, the Trust stands ready to assist homeowners in assessing the appropriateness of tools like these, and will work with homeowners wishing to create a Preservation Restriction within the scope of the laws of the state of Massachusetts. These tools may also provide important tax benefits to the homeowner.
The Trust currently holds Preservation Restrictions on Atlantic House (27 Main Street) and The Siasconset Union Chapel and a Conservation Restriction on Hedged About (10 Sankaty Road).
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Building with 'Sconset in Mind
In 2023, the ‘Sconset Trust published Building With ’Sconset in Mind, by Michael May. This landmark publication provides building recommendations that apply specifically to ’Sconset and its individual neighborhoods, supplementing the Historic District Commission’s Building with Nantucket in Mind, published in 1978 and updated in 1995. We thank the numerous individuals and organizations who contributed to the content. This book has been shared with various governmental and nonprofit groups and free printed copies are available at the ’Sconset Trust office thanks to the generous underwriting of Art and Diane Kelly and the Judy Family Foundation