Steamship Island Home Stuck in the Ice, Nantucket Island Massachusetts

Steam Machines, Engines, Locomotives. In 1781 James Watt patented a steam engine that produced continuous rotary motion. Watt's ten-horsepower engines enabled a wide range of manufacturing machinery to be powered. The engines could be sited anywhere that water and coal or wood fuel could be obtained. By 1883, engines that could provide 10,000 hp had become feasible. The steam engine was one of the most important technologies of the Industrial Revolution.

The mission of the Nantucket Historical Association is to preserve and interpret the history of Nantucket Island and foster an appreciation of its historic significance. We maintain over 20 historic sites, including the Nantucket Whaling Museum. The Nantucket Historical Association Research Library is a special collections repository of primary resources focusing on Nantucket history. Our collections contain more than 5,000 volumes and 50,000 photographs, as well as archival documents such as ship's logs, account books, family papers, and scrapbooks.