Brotherhood of Thieves

The name of this legendary local hangout - The Brotherhood of Thieves - is a nod to the title of an 1844 pamphlet written on Nantucket by Stephen S. Foster, in which Foster vigorously attacked those who continued to support the institution of slavery, even as the tide of abolition rose. Diversity and strong opinion have always found a tolerant home on this island. During the Revolutionary War, the Patriots, Tories, and Quaker pacifists coexisted here and unsuccessfully pleaded for neutrality. A unique spirit grew in Nantucket’s host environment committed to nurturing uncompromising independence, strength of character, and the fostering of a potent distillation of the early American genius. Exemplary of that is Benjamin Franklin, the son of Nantucketer Abiah Folger. That spirit provided fertile ground for women’s rights for Lucretia Mott, first president of the American Equal Rights Association, and Maria Mitchell, an American astronomer and a pioneer for women in science. Today, here on Nantucket, rugged individualism, personal liberty, and the fostering of eccentricity not only exist, but happily, continue to thrive – especially at the Brotherhood of Thieves!