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Edgartown Harbor
Edgartown
Edgartown Harbor from my room.
Vineyard Haven is one of three towns located “down-Island”, it was settled in 1674 and was known as Holmes Hole. The reason for the Vineyard Haven/Tisbury confusion is, as I understand it, that after the name change to Vineyard Haven in 1871 the town was later legally named Tisbury and thus the use of both names !! It is not as lively and artistic as Oak Bluffs or as picturesque and architecturally beautiful as Edgartown… it is the port of entry for most visitors and the center of commerce for Islanders.
On August 11, 1883 a fire in Vineyard Haven ravaged almost all of Main Street.
Vineyard Haven harbor is protected by two promontories of land known as East Chop and West Chop.
Vineyard Haven is the year round port of entry for the Steamship Authority, although ferries do land in Oak Bluffs also during the busy months.
It is home to the famous Black Dog restaurant and bakery. Keep in mind if you dine in Vineyard Haven that it, and Edgartown are DRY towns which means there is no liquor served although at many establishments you can bring your own.
Vineyard Haven is also home to the Vineyard Playhouse which is open year round. There are many interesting stores such as the eclectic Midnight Farm co-owned by Carly Simon. The Bunch of Grapes bookstore which is in temporary quarters following the devastating fire of last July 4th. Clothing stores, restaurants, home furnishings, movie theatre… stroll the streets of Vineyard Haven and enjoy this bustling and charming town.
Here are four links to click on:
Chilmark, located on the western (Up-Island) side of MV was settled in 1671and officially incorporated on Sept 16, 1694. It, like Tisbury, were named for towns in England. Chilmark is a town of rolling hills, stone walls and sheep farms. Alley’s General Store, the Grange Hall, Methodist church, and a handful of other buildings constitute what is considered to be the center of town, known as Beetlebung Corner. Alley’s General Store, pictured above, began in 1858 and is the oldest operating retail business on MV. It is part of the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust properties.
Menemsha Hills Reservation is a 200 acre preserve operated by the Trustees of Reservations. Allow yourself plenty of time to enjoy exploring this beautiful preserve. About 10 minutes into the walk the trail splits in two… one direction leading to Prospect Hill, the Island’s second highest spot… the other direction leading to the beach.
The fishing village of Menemsha is located on the northern end of Chilmark. The only Coast Guard station on MV is located here.
Down a dirt road in the woods of West Tisbury lies Christiantown.
Christiantown was established in 1659 by Wampanoag sachem Takemmy as a home for Native American converts to Christianity.
A plaque on the above boulder commemorates “the services of Governor Thomas Mayhew and his descended missionaries who here labored among the native Indians.”
By 1600 there were two or three congregations of Native Americans on the Island.
The Christiantown Meeting House, or chapel was built in 1829. There is a tiny altar and six pews inside… nearby is an old graveyard.
The Wampanoag tribe now owns the memorial, the chapel and the burial ground containing graves of early converts.
Christiantown is off the beaten track but worth the effort to find.
Chappaquiddick is a small island off the bigger island of Martha’s Vineyard.
To get there it’s about a 2 or 3 minute ride from Edgartown on one of two On Time ferries. They are called On Time because there is no schedule so whenever they run… they’re on time.
Once you’re on Chappaquiddick, otherwise known as Chappy, you’ll want to check out the beaches.
This is my daughter and her dog Chappy doing just that.
See the beautiful Mytoi Japanese garden.
Visit Cape Poge lighthouse.
Boating, biking, hiking, spending time at the beach… Chappaquiddick is a nice place to get away to…
… and then head back to Edgartown.
