Old Gaol

Nantucket is perfect for exploring on foot or by bicycle (bicycles may easily be rented from one of the many shops near the ferry landing). The Nantucket Historical Association sells combination tickets to the historic houses and museums it manages, which include the Whaling Museum, the Old Mill (a 1746 windmill still being used to grind corn), Old Gaol (the original jail with its four cells), and the Oldest House on the island. Tickets are available at any of these locations. Dating back to 1696, Nantucket's first jail was home to many visitors as the seaport town was a stopping point for many transients from around the world. A new jail was later built in 1805 for the equivalent cost of building a whaling ship ($2090.00). If the town was willing to spend money that could have been used for whaling there must have been a pressing need. The jail last served as a functioning home for criminals in 1933.