Originally built as a Quaker Meeting House, this building then became a straw hat factory, then an assembly hall. Next it was moved to Brant Point to become part of the Nantucket Hotel. Later, it was floated back across the harbor to become the Dreamland Theater. Courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association.

The Nantucket Hotel, built in part using the former Quaker Meeting House building, in its original location near Brant Point. Courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association.

Floating the building for the Dreamland Theatre across the harbor, from the Nantucket Hotel at Brant Point, 31 January 1906. Courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association.

Dreamland Theatre, showing movie posters for the films Vengeance and Sky Hawk, both released in 1930. Renovated and reopened in 1922, the Dreamland served as Nantucket’s primary entertainment venue for over 80 years, eventually showing first-run movies. Courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association.

Today, the Nantucket Dreamland is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural and intellectual life of Nantucket by providing year-round films, educational programs, and a venue for community activities that engage Nantucket in the evolving world of entertainment and education. The Dreamland’s state-of-the-art facility may be brand-new, but the theater has been a part of Nantucket’s cultural history for over 180 years, continuing a long tradition of serving as the arts and community center of Nantucket. (Photo by Theo Kinsella)

Following a screening of the film “Coskata-Coatue: A Reguge on the Edge”, the Trustees and Nantucket Conservation Foundation offered a panel discussion moderated by ReMain Nantucket’s Executive Director Cecil Barron Jensen, at the Dreamland Theatre. The documentary and following conversation showcased the wonders of the refuge, the vulnerabilities associated with climate change, and how The Trustees and Nantucket Conservation Foundation are working together to build resilience.

The multifunctional Studio Theater highlights the historic elements of the old Quaker Meeting House, including refurbished trusses, re-purposed floor boards and original windows that have been preserved and restored. (Photo by Will Kinsella)

The north side of the Dreamland during a flooding event. Many of the cultural and historic institutions threatened by coastal hazards are concentrated in the Downtown Historic Core. While these facilities contribute to wellbeing and safety on Nantucket, there are aspects of Nantucket’s built and natural heritage that are also at risk. It is also important to acknowledge the significance of these places to the community in providing education and other services. (Photo Courtesy of Envision Resilience)

Research commissioned by Nantucket Preservation Trust and ReMain Nantucket in 2022 estimates that 4,500 tons of that construction and demolition waste could be salvaged for reuse if Nantucket implemented deconstruction, not demolition, of buildings. (Photo by Will Kinsella)

The brief period between the establishment of Nantucket's local historic district in 1955 and its island-wide expansion in 1972 resulted in some of the island's most captivating architecture. 2 Highland Ave (built in 1969 by long time Director of the Yale Building Project and shown being torn down in 2022) was one of the last surviving examples of modern architecture on Nantucket. (Photo by Will Kinsella)

The two remaining NISD cottages are in the process of being rehabilitated in their new locations and will become the Offshore Artist Residency, maintaining NISDA’s traditions and ensuring the survival of these midcentury structures. Not only were the cottages saved, but the Town’s plans for coastal resilience adaptations were helped by the acquisition of the land on Washington Street. (Photo courtesy of NISD)