A Story Centuries in the Making

The History of John Swain House

You're not just renting a house. You're staying in a documented piece of American history—one that's been thoughtfully updated for modern families. Here's the story of where you'll be sleeping.

This home has witnessed the rise and fall of the world's greatest whaling port, survived the great transformations of the 19th century, and stands today as a testament to Nantucket's enduring spirit.

I

The History of Nantucket

From Wampanoag Homeland to Whaling Capital of the World

Before the English: The Wampanoag

Long before European sails appeared on the horizon, Nantucket was home to the Wampanoag people, who called the island Natocket—meaning "faraway land." For thousands of years, they lived in harmony with the island's natural rhythms, fishing its waters and harvesting whales that washed upon its shores.

1659

English Settlement Begins

Nine original purchasers—including Tristram Coffin, Thomas Macy, Christopher Hussey, and Richard Swain—bought the island from Thomas Mayhew for thirty pounds and two beaver hats. These founding families' names still echo through Nantucket's streets today.

1690

The Birth of Whaling

Ichabod Paddack arrived from Cape Cod to teach the craft of whaling. The Wampanoag, already skilled at harvesting beached whales, became essential crew members. What began as hunting from shore would soon transform the island's destiny.

1715

Deep-Sea Whaling Begins

Nantucketers ventured beyond the sight of land, hunting sperm whales whose oil burned brighter and longer than any other. The development of shipboard tryworks—furnaces for rendering whale blubber at sea—meant voyages could last months instead of days.

1750s

Whaling Capital of the World

At its peak, Nantucket was home port to over 125 whaling ships. The island's fleet dominated the global hunt for sperm whales, and Nantucket became synonymous with whaling excellence. Fortunes were made, and grand houses rose along its cobblestone streets.

1791

Into the Pacific

Nantucket whalers rounded Cape Horn and entered the Pacific Ocean for the first time. Voyages now stretched to two, three, even four years. Ships returned laden with oil from the far reaches of the globe—the Indian Ocean, the coasts of Japan, the islands of the South Pacific.

The Golden Age and Its End

The early 19th century was Nantucket's golden age. Wealthy ship captains and merchants built elegant Federal-style homes. The China trade brought exotic goods—porcelains, silks, and tea—to this small island thirty miles out to sea. But change was coming.

The Great Fire of July 13, 1846, devastated the town center, destroying over 400 buildings and causing a million dollars in damage. Though the island rebuilt, the whaling industry was already declining. Larger ships couldn't navigate the shallow harbor. New Bedford, with its deeper port, rose to prominence. And in 1859, petroleum was discovered in Pennsylvania, spelling the end of the whale oil era.

By the 1870s, the last whaling ships had departed. Nantucket slipped into a quiet decline—which, ironically, preserved its historic architecture. While other towns modernized and demolished their past, Nantucket remained frozen in time, its 18th and 19th century streetscapes intact.

"Nantucket! Take out your map and look at it... a mere hillock, and elbow of sand; all beach, without a background."
— Herman Melville, Moby-Dick (1851)

Preservation and Renaissance

In 1966, Nantucket was designated a National Historic Landmark District—the largest in the United States. The National Park Service called it "the finest surviving architectural and environmental example of a late 18th- and early 19th-century New England seaport town."

Today, Nantucket welcomes visitors from around the world who come to walk the same cobblestone streets once trod by whaling captains, to admire homes built with fortunes from the sea, and to experience a place where history is not merely remembered—it is lived.

II

The History of India Street

A Name That Speaks of Global Trade

Origins: Wesco Acre Lots

The land that would become India Street was first laid out in 1678 as part of the "Third Squadron of Wesco Acre Lots," in an area known as Micah's Pond. These early land divisions, made just two decades after English settlement, established the framework for Nantucket's future growth.

Originally called "India Row," the street was later renamed Pearl Street before eventually returning to its original name. This geographic instability reflected the rapid changes sweeping through the young settlement.

The 1799 Street Names

During the presidency of John Adams, all American towns were required to provide the federal government with official street names. In 1799, Nantucket's assessor Isaac Coffin devised exactly one hundred names for the island's streets.

The Quaker population was unenthusiastic about patriotic names like Washington Street, Jefferson Street, and Federal Street—but they stuck nonetheless. India Street, however, spoke to something close to every Nantucketer's heart: the global reach of their maritime commerce.

Why "India"?

In 18th and 19th century maritime parlance, the "India trade" referred broadly to commerce with the East Indies—the vast region encompassing modern-day India, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and beyond. Nantucket's whaling ships regularly sailed these waters in pursuit of sperm whales.

Streets in New England seaports often commemorated trading destinations: Federal Street spoke to patriotism; Orange Street to the House of Orange; Centre Street to geography. India Street declared Nantucket's connection to the wider world.

The families who built their homes along India Street were intimately connected to this global trade. Many derived their fortunes not only from whaling but from the lucrative exchange of goods—whale oil shipped out, and silks, porcelains, and spices shipped home.

The India Street Neighborhood

Today, India Street is recognized as one of Nantucket's most architecturally significant thoroughfares. Sixteen houses built between 1785 and 1836 form a continuous historic façade along the north side of the street.

These homes share common characteristics of late 18th and early 19th century Nantucket architecture:

  • Two-story construction with weathered shingle exteriors
  • Gable roofs running parallel to the street
  • Off-center entrances—a distinctly Nantucket feature
  • Central chimney cores for efficient heating
  • Restrained Federal-style ornamentation

The India Street Neighborhood Study (MASS-1013), conducted by the Historic American Buildings Survey, documented this remarkable streetscape as "an example of the typical Nantucket residential architecture that existed at the beginning of the nineteenth century."

Notable Houses of India Street

15 Captain William Stubbs House
17 Obediah Wood House
18 Silas Paddack House (c. 1767)
19 Zaccheus Hussey House
21 John Howland Swain House (c. 1785)
23 Captain Reuben Baxter House
25 Daniel Coffin House
27 Robert Folger House
III

The History of John Swain House

21 India Street, Circa 1785

The Swain Legacy

The house at 21 India Street is known officially as the John Howland Swain House, named for its original owner and builder. The Swain family was among Nantucket's founding dynasties—Richard Swain and his son John were two of the nine original purchasers of the island in 1659.

The Swains, like other founding families such as the Coffins, Macys, Folgers, and Husseys, were deeply involved in Nantucket's transformation from a farming and fishing community into the whaling capital of the world. Their name appears throughout the island's history—as ship captains, merchants, and civic leaders.

Construction: Circa 1785

The house was constructed around 1785, during a pivotal moment in both Nantucket's and America's history. The Revolutionary War had ended just two years earlier, and Nantucket—which had suffered greatly during the conflict due to its dependence on maritime trade—was beginning its recovery.

Within a few years, Nantucket whalers would round Cape Horn into the Pacific, opening vast new hunting grounds and ushering in the most prosperous era in the island's history. The house at 21 India Street was built on the cusp of this golden age.

Architectural Character

Typical Nantucket Form

The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS MA-1052) describes 21 India Street as "a typical Nantucket house with off-center door and chimney"—the distinctive asymmetrical arrangement that characterizes island architecture of this period.

Federal Period Details

Built during the early Federal period, the house exhibits the restrained elegance favored by prosperous Quaker families: quality craftsmanship without ostentation, durability over display.

Evolved Over Time

Like its neighbors, the house has been "modified to the changing tastes of a succession of occupants" over nearly 240 years—yet its fundamental character remains intact.

Part of a Larger Story

The house is documented as part of the India Street Neighborhood Study, recognizing its role in one of America's most significant historic streetscapes.

Through the Centuries

The walls of 21 India Street have witnessed the full arc of Nantucket's story:

  • The 1790s-1840s: The golden age of whaling, when fortunes were made and India Street's residents lived at the center of a global industry
  • 1846: The Great Fire devastated downtown Nantucket, destroying over 400 buildings—though many houses on India Street survived the flames
  • The 1850s-1870s: The decline of whaling and Nantucket's transition from commercial hub to quiet backwater
  • The late 1800s-1900s: The island's reinvention as a summer retreat, attracting artists, writers, and vacationers
  • 1966: Nantucket's designation as a National Historic Landmark District, ensuring the preservation of houses like this one
  • Today: A beautifully maintained historic home that welcomes guests to experience Nantucket's living history

Recent Preservation

In recent years, 21 India Street has been thoughtfully updated to meet modern expectations while honoring its historic character. The kitchen and primary bedroom have been renovated with contemporary amenities, and new furniture has been added throughout—yet the fundamental bones of the house remain true to its 18th-century origins.

The large private garden—a rare treasure in downtown Nantucket—continues to offer the same peaceful retreat it has for over two centuries. When you sit beneath its shade trees, you occupy the same ground where generations of Nantucketers found respite from the bustle of the whaling port just steps away.

"A typical Nantucket house with off-center door and chimney."
— Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress

Experience History Firsthand

When you stay at 21 India Street, you become part of a story that spans centuries. Walk the same floors that witnessed Nantucket's transformation. Sleep in rooms where the lamplight once came from the very whales hunted by your neighbors. Wake to the same island breezes that filled the sails of ships bound for the far corners of the earth.

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Sources & Further Reading