“‘Quarterboards”
September 8 and September 12 Segment
Nantucket Carving and Folk Art
(Nantucket business which makes hand carved quarterboards)
Did you know that in the early 1800s maritime law required that each ship be identified with boards bearing their name? These signs were placed on the ship’s stern and along the quarter panel of the bow– hence the name quarterboards. In later years, with the decline of whaling many of the ship quarterboards were removed and were displayed on island houses, thus beginning the tradition of naming Nantucket homes. Today no Nantucket home is complete without a clever name proudly displayed on a quarterboard out front!