Aside from its history and beauty, Nantucket has long been known for its many beloved artists and eccentric characters. One such fellow was Elisah Pope Fearing Gardiner. He was a soldier, sailor, and Union Spy during the Civil War. He lived in the “Poet’s Korner” house on the southern side of town, and he and his home became a tourist attraction. Elisah was known for entertaining people by wearing funny hats, reciting poetry, and selling peanuts to the people who traveled over to meet him. He had quarky signs all over his on his house, wagon, fence, and self, one of which simply read “This is I” which he occasionally would change up with another sign which read “This is Me.” Until his death in 1913, photographs of him were turned into popular postcards that island visitors mailed all over the world in the early 1900s. Collectors still seek them out in auctions to this day even though most people don't know who he is and what his story is.
Other treasured islanders who became tourist attractions include:
Frederick Parker - the poor philosopher farmer known as “the Hermit of Quintnet”
Captain William Baxter - his homes and barn were adorned with carvings taken from the sides of ships.
Billy Clark - the town crier who was a bit rough around the edges and spent much of his time upon the clock tower.
Billy Bowen - the old flirty sailor of Sconset who acted as the island’s weatherman.
Mildred Jewett - aka. Madaket Millie, the gruff woman saved sailors’ lives, trained military dogs, killed a shark, and sold ice cream.
About this geocache: This *geocache is hidden near the side of a busy road and bike path where many people stop and stare. Use caution.
*The open-cache container and log have been recycled.
The cache area is fun for kids to look at, but it is safer to let the grown ups retrieve the container.