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Nantucket
Home » Massachusetts » Massachusetts Major Cities and Regions » NantucketNantucket was not always part of Massachusetts as it is now; until 1691, much of the little-known place was part of New York. However, it is now a household name, though often part of nursery rhymes. Historically, Nantucket was the world's leading whaling port; in fact its prominence is mentioned in Moby Dick. However, the Civil War's negative impact on whaling caused all of the islanders to suffer and many to leave. In the '70s, Nantucket, with Martha's Vineyard, tried to secede from Massachusetts and become the 51st state, a movement prompted by legislation that would reduce their governmental representation. Obviously, they did not succeed.
The island of Nantucket along with the islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget make up the Town and County of Nantucket. The county as a whole has an area of 786 km². Most of this is water. There are around 9½ thousand people living on the island, and the median family income in 2000 was about $66,800. The entire Nantucket school system has about 1,200 students, and 400 of those are in high school. Major locations on the island are Madaket, Surfside, Polpis, Wauwinet, and Siasconset.
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- Western Massachusetts
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- Martha's Vineyard
- Nantucket
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