Nantucket -- The brick structure with a Greek Revival portico was founded by British Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin for the descendants of one of the original nine full sharers, Tristam Coffin. The school moved here in 1852 and most kids on the island had the right DNA for admission. The school adhered to Lancasterian Monitorial System of Education which meant older kids taught the younger ones. It currently holds the Egan Maritime Institute which promotes Nantucket arts and history. By the time this brick building was erected, hard times had descended upon the island and many of its whalers were in San Francisco. Nantucket was starting to lose what would be a 60% of its population. in 1869 the last whaler left harbor, never to return. The population then was about 4,000. Our master mason Christopher Capen who had been to San Francisco to seek his fortune and who had returned to the town he helped build on Nantucket finally moved his family to Connecticut as he could no longer make a living here.
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