Our History

Surveyed and laid out in 1678, Centre Street is the oldest street in Nantucket.  Following the Great Fire of 1846 the dwelling on 30 Centre Street was rebuilt and occupied from that time until 1893 by Captain William Jernegan.  At age thirteen Captain Jernegan made his first whaling voyage to the Pacific and later commanded the whaling vessels Rebecca Sims and Levi Starbuck.  In 1868, he outfitted the Bark R.L. Barstow and sailed from Nantucket on the last whaling voyage made from the island, returning home to Nantucket in 1873.  Nantucket town records refer to Captain Jernegan as Master Mariner, the highest accolade that could be paid to an island seafaring man.