Name "Nantucket" is adapted from similar Algonquian names for the island, but is very similar to the endonym of the native Nehantucket tribe that occupied the region at the time of European settlement.
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14 Facts About Nantucket
2.
Nantucket probably takes its name from a Wampanoag word, transliterated variously as natocke, nantaticu, nantican, nautica or natockete, which is part of Wampanoag lore about the creation of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
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3.
The original purchasers needed the assistance of tradesmen who were skilled in the arts of weaving, milling, building and other pursuits and selected men who were given half a share provided that they lived on Nantucket and carried on their trade for at least three years.
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4.
Nantucket was formed by the outermost reach of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the recent Wisconsin Glaciation, shaped by the subsequent rise in sea level.
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5.
Island and adjoining islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget comprise the Town and County of Nantucket, which is operated as a consolidated town and county government.
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6.
Nantucket's climate is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, which helps moderate temperatures in the town throughout the course of the year.
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7.
Nantucket receives on average 41 inches of precipitation annually, spread relatively evenly throughout the year.
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8.
Nantucket's elected executive body is its Select Board, which is responsible for the town government's goals and policies.
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9.
Nantucket is in Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, which has existed since 2013.
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10.
Nantucket has several noted museums and galleries, including the Maria Mitchell Association and the Nantucket Whaling Museum.
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11.
From 1900 to 1918, Nantucket was one of few jurisdictions in the United States that banned automobiles.
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12.
Nantucket can be reached by sea from the mainland by SeaStreak, The Steamship Authority, Hy-Line Cruises, or Freedom Cruise Line, or by private boat.
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13.
Nantucket is served by Nantucket Memorial Airport, a three-runway airport on the south side of the island.
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14.
Nantucket waters were the site of several noted transportation disasters:.
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