In the 1850s what is now known as Lost Farm, was a group of vegetable farms belonging to John Wilson, Thomas Gibbs, Albert Chase, John Bartlett, and Joseph Grouard. They were members of an organization seeking to change Nantucket’s misfortune.
After the decline of the whaling industry, the Great Fire which burned most of the downtown area, the Gold Rush. Most of the island residents were packing their bags and moving west. Nantucket’s Agricultural Society tried to change the direction of Nantucket’s decline. They attempted to persuade their neighbors to remain on the island and plow the soil by fostering a sense of pride and confidence in themselves and their neighbors. In 1859 the society's first president, Edward W. Gardner said:
“Our great staple, oil, is sliding away from us at a very rapid pace . . . I am led to believe that we have but the alternative to embark in agriculture or the mechanic arts, or embark for a less congenial home than the one which we now enjoy on our native island. Farmers, manufacturers and merchants, does it not arouse you to adopt some decided course of action, or will you wait for the better times that will never come, unless you improve the resources which you have within yourselves.”
Agricultural Fairs were organized and well attended, but the realities about the poor quality sandy soil were unavoidable. Like their pilgrim ancestors, the farmers turned to raising livestock and showing them off at the fairs. In the end the Nantucket’s Agricultural Society’s fairs both succeeded and failed their intended goal. The organization instilled hope and pride back into the islanders and promoted those with artistic and practical talents. But the fairs attracted so many visitors, that they proved that tourism, not farming would be the main staple of the island’s economic future and put the island back on the map. In the end it was the island’s photographers and writers who were credited with propelling the island’s rebirth. Their published books and postcards promoted the island’s beauty, history, ideal summer temperatures, and fun yearly events.
Today the “Island Fair” is still a yearly occurrence that attracts locals and visitors to gather and delight in displays of farmed veggies, handmade goods, livestock, and farm equipment. Sadly it goes by a bit under appreciated due to all the other special events the islander’s have created including: the wine festival, restaurant week, film festival, daffodil weekend, demolition derby weekend, crafts show, maritime festival, charity walks, bike and running races, Christmas stroll, etc.
Link to image of a map of Nantucket’s 1850 farms: http://www.nha.org/history/hn/HN-gardner-farms2.htm
For more historic farming images, visit the Nantucket Historical Association library’s image archives.