Press Release ·
US Navy Commission for Interior Quarterboards Aboard the USS Nantucket (LCS 27)
By Andrea Gollin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE · Media Contact nantucketsigns@gmail.com
(Nantucket, Mass) November 16, 2024 — The Nantucket Quarterboard Company created thirty quarterboard signs for the interior of the USS Nantucket (LCS 27). The ship was commissioned today at Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston Harbor.
The signs were made on Nantucket and feature the names of popular island locations, including Madaket, Quidnet, Jetties, Monomoy, Nobadeer, Quaise, Cisco, and the Cottage Hospital. The signs are painted white with Nantucket blue for the letters and trim except for three signs for the officers’ quarters, which have gold leaf lettering.
“It was an honor and a privilege to create these signs for the USS Nantucket. I’m so pleased that GHYC chose me to do this job,” says Kelly Emery, founder and owner of Nantucket Quarterboard Company. “The ship’s nickname is ‘Grey Lady of the Sea,’ and I think it’s really special that they named spaces on the ship after Nantucket spots. I hope the signs help give the Navy sailors a sense of connection to the island.”
The quarterboards were jointly supported by the Navy and by Polly Spencer, the ship’s sponsor. Ms. Spencer is a businesswoman, former year-round Nantucket resident, and the wife of Richard Spencer, the 76th Secretary of the Navy.
The USS Nantucket is 388 feet in length, displaces 3,500 metric tons, and can achieve 47 knots, making it one of the fastest ships in the Navy. The littoral combat ship (LCS) is a new family of surface ships for the Navy, designed for operating in coastal waters. The Navy calls the ship “a state-of-the-art warship, designed for speed, agility, and versality in today’s dynamic naval environment.” It is home-ported in Jacksonville, Florida at Naval Station Mayport.
This is the third U.S. Navy ship and the fourth ship to be named USS Nantucket. At its 2021 christening, Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Harker noted that the ship honors the maritime history and spirit of Nantucket. He said, “I have no doubt the sailors of USS Nantucket will carry on the proud legacy from generations past in preserving sea lanes, countering instability, and maintaining our maritime superiority.” Prior to this, the first Navy ship named USS Nantucket was active during the Civil War, serving the Union side after being commissioned in 1862. The second was a Navy gunboat that had multiple names before USS Nantucket, entering service in 1876 and serving in World War I. The Lightship Nantucket (LV-112) can also be included as it was designated as the USS Nantucket during World War II.
About Quarterboards
Quarterboards displayed ships’ names and are called quarterboards from their position on the aft quarter of ships; after the war of 1812, the US government required ships to have their names affixed to distinguish legitimate vessels from pirate ships. The large number of shipwrecks off Nantucket led to islanders salvaging ships’ signs and displaying them, which evolved into today’s practice of ornamental quarterboards with house names.
About Nantucket Quarterboard Company and Kelly Emery, Founder and Owner
Nantucket Quarterboard Company was founded in late 2020. Emery created his first sign, a gift for his father, in a makers’ lab in Colorado, where he spent part of lockdown before moving back to Nantucket. Establishing his own business was inspired both by Nantucket’s strong tradition of craftsmanship and by his parents, who both created businesses on island—his father founded Indian Summer Board Shop in the late 1970s (now Broad Street Surf Shop) and his mother founded and ran the Nantucket Sewing Center on Main Street for more than thirty years. Emery is also a professional musician (trumpet) who has taught and performed on- and off-island for decades. He is a member of the local reggae/rock band Foggy Roots and performs frequently. He previously made outdoor instruments, including an aluminum xylophone that he installed at Tom Nevers Field in 2019.
For Further Information and/or Images Contact nantucketsigns@gmail.com.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who made the quarterboards on the USS Nantucket?
Nantucket Quarterboard Company, founded by Nantucket native Kelly Emery, made 30 quarterboard signs on Nantucket for the interior of the USS Nantucket (LCS 27).
What do the USS Nantucket quarterboards look like?
They are painted white with Nantucket blue lettering and trim, and each is named for a Nantucket place such as Madaket, Quidnet, Jetties, Monomoy, Nobadeer, Quaise, Cisco and the Cottage Hospital. Three signs for the officers' quarters have gold leaf lettering.
Can I order a quarterboard like the USS Nantucket signs?
Yes. The same white board with Nantucket blue letters and trim can be designed in the online Quarterboard Design Studio at quarterboards.com, with gold leaf available as an upgrade.