More of a New England SUmmer

As I mentioned in my previous post, we spent last summer in New England, and I cannot express how much I loved it! My favorite places were, by far, Boston and Nantucket. I love cities so much, and Boston is truly one of the most fascinating places in the United States. I also cannot survive too long without the beach, so I loved the coastal chic of the island of Nantucket. This beach town was so unique, with its own unique housing, as well. I can already envision myself in these beachside cottages, complete with shingles and all. Apparently, when building on the island, houses must have pitched roofs and unpainted shingles. This is how they keep the uniformity. Shingles or not, you will definitely see me there!

the shingles of Nantucket

During the building process, the houses are covered in tan-colored shingles, not the well-known grey ones. After surviving the harsh weather conditions in Nantucket, the new houses’ tan shingles turn grey (Goldberger). Only after weathering do they get their well-known coloring. This material is either white pine, oak, or cedar. These hard woods are naturally resistant to rot and insects and hold up well to the salt air (“Shingle Siding New England”). In the end, these shingles are both great materials for the Nantucket environment and culture! See you there!

Works Cited

“Shingle Siding New England.” Buildings of New England, 8 Aug. 2021, buildingsofnewengland.com/tag/shingle-siding-new-england/#:~:text=The%20home%20is%20clad%20in,amazingly%20well%20to%20salt%20air. 

Goldberger, Paul. “A Rigid Building Code Preserves Nantucket.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Aug. 1987, www.nytimes.com/1987/08/02/arts/architecture-view-a-rigid-building-code-preserves-nantucket.html#:~:text=You%20cannot%20build%20as%20you,survived%20their%20first%20Nantucket%20winter.