Nantucket Live Cam

• North South

Nantucket History

Nantucket is an island located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) off the coast of Massachusetts, and it has a rich and unique history. Originally inhabited by the Wampanoag Native American tribe, the island was discovered by European explorers in the 16th century and was eventually settled by English colonists in the mid-17th century.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Nantucket was a major center of the whaling industry, with the island's skilled sailors and shipbuilders playing a key role in the development of the industry. Nantucket whalers sailed around the world in search of valuable sperm whales, and the island's prosperity grew as a result.