Publisher's Note

The one constant in life is change, and as 2007 comes to an end there are plenty of shake-ups on the island landscape for readers to consider.

One of the saddest pieces of news is the closing of Congdon’s Pharmacy on Main Street. For over 150 years this island icon has served up ice cream sodas on one side of the store while men and women in white coats filled prescriptions in the back. Baby boomers remember Congdon’s as the place to be during their teen years to sip a Coke and flirt with the opposite sex. Downtown workers valued it as a place to grab a quick and tasty lunch and walk away with change in their pockets. Congdon’s closed at the end of September, but not before scores of customers wrote down their remembrances in a memory book during the store’s final days. Turn to page 24 to read more about the history of Congdon’s and learn the building’s fate.

Sankaty Lighthouse moved to a safer location last month, 280 feet from the crumbling bluff that lost ground with every winter and spring storm. The Sconset Trust funded the move that brought experienced movers from International Chimney of Rochester, N.Y. to the island at the end of September to set up the nine-day move in early October. The lighthouse now sits not far from the fifth hole of the Sankaty Head Golf Club. Turn to page 30 to see photos of the move and learn the story behind it.

The end of the year marks the festive holiday season, and while you’re poring over favorite seasonal recipes, we encourage you to try some new ones offered up by the chefs at Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, island native MJ Mojer and pastry chef Joanna Polowy. Mojer, whose mother Madelyne Perry was one of the island’s most celebrated cooks in her day, gives us inspiration for some new side dishes (Tomato Crème Brulée and Roasted Corn Madeleines) in addition to the popular Campbell’s Soup classic Green Bean Casserole. Mojer and Polowy also offer an array of different desserts to serve at Thanksgiving that are fun as well as filling.

When off-islanders meet islanders for the first time, the conversation inevitably gets around to the perennial question, “What do you do in the winter?” We’ve examined that question, taken a few polls and given you some answers that may give some insights into life on Nantucket in the winter.

Every year during the Christmas Stroll, puppeteer and general good guy Joe Zito brings out his puppet Grunge to greet the holiday throngs. Turn to page 72 to find out what brought Joe to Nantucket and where he finds creative inspiration.

Marianne R. Stanton

Editor and Publisher

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