[3][4] Nantucket is a uniquely preserved New England seaport, largely developed during the late 18th and early 19th centuries when the whaling industry dominated the town's economy.

Also during this time, the formation of sand bars prevented the increasingly larger ships from entering Nantucket Harbor, forcing the industry to shift to nearby Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard.

Thus, the existence of Nantucket's historic buildings is largely due to the island being forgotten for more than half a century, as its architecture survived through neglect.

In the period that followed the American Revolution, with the rise in whaling wealth, more ornate buildings were constructed by sea captains and merchants in the Federal style.

In 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation placed Nantucket on its 2000 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, noting that while "Nantucket has a long history of commitment to preservation, an upsurge in the destructive practices of "teardowns" and "gut rehabs," along with the inappropriate sizing and siting of new homes, are dramatically altering the heritage, cultural landscape, and quality of community life on the island.