Jump to content

Siasconset, Massachusetts

Coordinates: 41°15′45″N 69°57′58″W / 41.26250°N 69.96611°W / 41.26250; -69.96611
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by InternetArchiveBot (talk | contribs) at 07:33, 8 June 2020 (Bluelink 1 book for verifiability (refca)) #IABot (v2.0.1) (GreenC bot). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Siasconset
Post Office, Siasconset Massachusetts
Post Office, Siasconset Massachusetts
Location in Nantucket County and the state of Massachusetts.
Location in Nantucket County and the state of Massachusetts.
Coordinates: 41°15′45″N 69°57′58″W / 41.26250°N 69.96611°W / 41.26250; -69.96611
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyNantucket
Elevation
52 ft (16 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total205
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
02564
Area code508 Exchange: 257
GNIS feature ID616962[1]

Siasconset is a census designated place (CDP) at the eastern end of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, United States with an elevation of 52 feet (16 m), and a population of 205 at the 2010 census.[2] Although unincorporated, the village has a post office, with the ZIP code 02564.[3]

The various spellings of its name, 'Sconset, Sconset, Seconset, Siasconsett, or Sweseckechi led the Board on Geographic Names to designate its official spelling in 1892.[1][4]

History

Dexioma House in Sconset

The area was settled as a fishing village in the 17th century. The core of one of the older fishing shacks known as "Auld Lang Syne" is believed to date from the 1670s, potentially making it one of the oldest houses on Nantucket. Various other cottages date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the houses were haphazardly expanded, contributing to the unique look of these Nantucket cottages.

In the 19th century a whaling station was present in the village. In 1877 Edward Underhill from Wolcott, New York, bought land in the village, and constructed new cottages in the fashion of the original fishing shacks, and then rented them to summer tourists before they were sold after his death.[5]

In the early 20th century, Sconset was a summer retreat for an actor's colony which included Digby Bell, George Fawcett, Joseph Jefferson, Charles Penrose, Hassard Short, William H. Thompson and his wife Isabel Irving, DeWolf Hopper, Frank Gillmore and his daughters Ruth and Margalo Gillmore, among others.

Etymology

Siasconset is a Wampanoag Algonquian term for “place of great bones.” Si from missi, meaning “great;” ascon from askon, meaning “horn or bone”. [citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b "Siasconset, Massachusetts". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  2. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  3. ^ Zip Code Lookup
  4. ^ Karttunen, Frances Ruley (2005). The Other Islanders: People Who Pulled Nantucket's Oars. Spinner Publications. pp. 304. ISBN 0932027938.
  5. ^ Karttunen, Frances (July 3–9, 2008). "Sconset's Sanguine Genius". Today's Nantucket. Yesterday's Island. Retrieved 2014-04-15.