Greater Light of Nantucket

The house at 8 Howard Street is known as the Greater Light and is now a property of the Nantucket Historical Association.  The home once belonged to Gertrude and Hanna Monaghan, two Quaker sisters from Philadelphia who converted the livestock barn into a summer home and art studio in the 1930s.  The Greater Light lovingly illustrates the era of Nantucket’s history when an art colony thrived in the aftermath of Nantucket’s whaling era.  When you take a close look at this unique home you can see that they were collectors of cast-off architectural elements—including twelve-foot-high wrought-iron gates, Italian gilded columns, decorative church windows, and exotic adornments from around the globe.  An eclectic mix of architecture and decorations it’s character is truly a reflection of their love of art.