Martha's Vineyard
District Guide

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The island of Martha's Vineyard, 20 miles long and nine miles wide at its greatest width, is bounded by Vineyard Sound, Nantucket Sound, and the Atlantic Ocean. Only five miles off Cape Cod, this very special triangular-shaped island is noted for its varied geological landscape, the individual character of its towns and residents, and its noted visitors, some of whom, charmed by the ambiance, settled permanently.

The Sea
The most enduring factor that has shaped the character of the island has been the sea and the beaches. At first the sea was the highway for trade, commerce and sustenance. It was the primary way early residents earned a living as well as the way they communicated with the outside world. In recent years it has been their source of income as visitors came increasingly to this developing resort area for rest, recreation and renewal. Some of the famous include veteran newsman Walter Cronkite; journalist Mike Wallace; and, of course, the president of the United States, Bill Clinton and family.

The Geological Landscape
In the west there are high rolling moors and in the north, a ridge with many boulders, shaped by the melting glacier responsible for the island's formation some 18,000 years ago. In the middle there are forests and out-wash plains. On the south shore, finger-like ponds push inland. There are four fine harbors on the sides facing Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds. Though the interior remains stable, the shoreline, which has extensive bird and marine life, is being changed gradually by action of the sea, just as it has been throughout the past centuries.

First Inhabitants
The Wampanoag Indians lived on the island for thousands of years before the white man arrived. The local Aquinnah tribe is still headquartered on its ancient land near the Gay Head Cliffs. In addition, Christiantown, the community established for the first converts to Christianity on the island, can be visited, though all that remains is a tiny chapel and many graves marked by field stones.

Early Newcomers
There are many reminders of the first settlers. The Place By The Wayside, where Thomas Mayhew preached to the natives; Old Mayhew Schoolhouse in Vineyard Haven; the early religious retreat of Trinity Park in Oak Bluffs; the tiny building beside Mill Pond in West Tisbury that was a factory for making sailors jackets from sheep wool; and Fulling Mill Brook in Chilmark, once the site of a mill that thickened wool cloth.

The Architecture
Homes of sea captains and masters of whaling ships abound. Built with money earned on voyages of sometimes three and four years, they are examples of the successes of these efforts. It is said that there are seven types of island homes, from the early Cape-style of the Vincent house to the Federal and Greek Revival-styles in Edgartown. Later Victorian-style cottages of Oak Bluffs and still later shingled-style houses at East Chop and West Chop, and even the practical fishing shacks, portray different manners of living.

Resort for People of Color
At a time when there was segregation in the South, it is interesting to note that Oak Bluffs had a resort that catered to African Americans. The late Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke was one notable who summered here. Just recently, one of Harlem's famed writers, Dorothy West, died here in her 90s.

Historic to Modern Accommodations and Eateries
There is a wide variety of places to stay in the Vineyard—from simple to elegant, from bed and breakfasts to historic inns. The more adventurous can stay at campgrounds or hostels. Apartments and cottages can also be rented. Eating-places are just as varied, from elegant and expensive to simple family restaurants. Of course, fresh seafood is always available.

Things To Do
From golf to sailing, from art galleries to antique shops, from bicycling to fishing, from bird watching to kayaking, from horseback riding to tennis, from concerts to theater, from regattas to clambakes—all are available. In addition, there are walks in conservation areas, museums and libraries in which to browse, and lectures and programs to attend. Beyond galleries and antique shops, the Vineyard offers plenty of enticing shopping venues, particularly in the towns of Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown. The island shopping experience veers toward the unique, artistic and eclectic, a far cry from the usual mall experience.

Special summertime events include the annual fundraising auction for Community Services, conducted for years by humorist Art Buchwald; the Oak Bluffs Portuguese Festival; Illumination Night at Oaks Bluffs; and the Agricultural Society Fair and Livestock Show in West Tisbury. And this is only the 'tip of the iceberg'! (for an overview of Martha's Vineyards towns, see the Tours guide).