Hadwen & Barney Candle House, Broad & South Streets, Nantucket, Nantucket County, MA

Significance: Built as a brick candle-house, it is one of the half-dozen remaining commercial buildings of whaling days. This building was erected in 1847, a year after the Great Fire of 1846, by the firm of Richard Mitchell & Sons for use as a candle house. Indications reveal that it was quickly constructed, utilizing many salvaged materials from the Great Fire. Shortly afterwards, it was purchased by Messrs. W. Hadwen and N. Barney. They used the building as an office, a warehouse, and a sperm oil candle factory, employing a spermaceti press which still exists as the only remaining one on Nantucket. In the 1920's, this building was purchased by a Mr. E.F. Sanderson of New York who sold it to the Nantucket Historical Association for use as a whaling museum. The present museum was officially dedicated on July 24, 1929.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-202
Survey number: HABS MA-907
Building/structure dates: 1847 Initial Construction