14 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



The walks upon the roofs of the houses usually at- 

 tract a great deal of attention, sometimes being mis- 

 taken for band stands and other arrangements equally 

 ridiculous. 



These walks, so called, are wooden platforms en- 

 closed by strong railings built upon the tops of the 

 houses, entrance to them being gained by means of a 

 square hole cut through the apex of the roof. They 

 are simply lookouts or places of observation. 



In the earlier days, ships were constantly arriving 

 and departing, and of course everybody was interested 

 in the sight; consequently the highest point of observa- 

 tion was sought, which was necessarily at the top of 

 the house. Many well-to-do people, finding the ac- 

 commodation of the small, square hole which is cut 

 into the roof of every house for use in case of fire, and 

 denominated a " scuttle," very limited even for one 

 person, added these walks to their houses, thus giving 

 ample room for the whole household to walk back and 

 forth on the top of the house and see all there was 

 to be seen. 



The dwelling-houses are generally of wood, there 

 being but ten brick dwellings upon the island, and all 

 but two of these are upon Main Street. Upon the 

 same street, however, are many brick blocks for busi- 

 ness purposes. The Ocean House, which was origi- 

 nally built for a dwelling-house,* is also of brick. 

 There is only one swell-front building in the town, and 



* 1839 Jared Coffin built this house for a residence previous to 

 the great fire of 1846, an addition being subsequently made for 

 dining hall when altered to a hotel. 



