There once was a whaleship from Nantucket
by Phyllis Wright

Many don’t realize that in early 1800s America, commercial whaling was a multimillion-dollar business.  Millions of gallons of whale oil were used in America and Europe for lamp fuel and lubrication, in addition to dozens of other uses: It was a fundamental element of paint, varnish, and soap.  Perhaps the main center of the whaling industry in North America was Nantucket, a small island off the coast of Massachusetts inhabited mainly by Quakers. Continue reading →