Coffin-Athearn Stores, 2 Union Street, Nantucket, Nantucket County, MA

Significance: Two early nineteenth century stores, the brick walls of which survived the Great Fire of 1846, and the municipal building from 1836 until 1966. These two brick buildings are among the oldest commercial structures on the island, having been erected as stores prior to 1836. Thomas Coffin, who built the south store, sold it to the town in 1836, and thenceforth it served as the Town Building until 1966. The north store, which was built by James Athearn, was sold to the town in 1884, and the two buildings were then joined. Though both buildings were damaged considerably in the fire of 18416, the masonry walls survived.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-213
Survey number: HABS MA-906
Building/structure dates: 18t1 Initial Construction