QUIDNET . — RAILROAD . 267 



erally respected by old and young. He died in 1854, 

 aged eighty-two years, mourned by all who knew him. 

 There is a fine oil painting in the Athenaeum, showing 

 him at home. 



Quibnet. 

 This place was formerly quite a village, and fishing 

 was carried on to a considerable extent. Of late years 

 it has been noted as the place of residence of the cel- 

 ebrated (?) hermit, Frederick Parker, now deceased. 

 The land was originally included in the territories of 

 Sachem Wauwinet. 



Eailroad. • 



On page 290 of Macy's History of Nantucket will 

 be found these words: " In 1841 quite a movement 

 was made in reference to a railroad to Siasconset." 

 The movement does not seem to have amounted to 

 much, for it was not until the past year of 1881 that 

 the whistle of the locomotive echoed along the classic 

 shores of Shimmo and the Goose Pond, and even up to 

 the present time the movement towards 'Sconset is 

 rather tortoise-like. 



In 1879 Mr. Philip H. Folger of Boston — a native 

 of Nantucket — conceived the project of building a 

 railroad to 'Sconset. He associated himself with a 

 number of gentlemen who were interested in the mat- 

 ter, and in May, 1880, ground was broken and grading 

 commenced. On July 4, 1881, the first three miles of 

 the road were completed, and a grand celebration was 

 held at Surfside. During the summer — according 

 to the report to the railroad commissioners — 30,135 



