Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard became one of our favorite places when we landed here by chance in June 2009. It is an island just south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts with a land area of 100 square miles making it the 58th largest island in the U.S. and the third-largest on the East Coast after Long Island and Mount Desert Island in Maine.

There are six towns on Martha's Vineyard and we touched each one the very first day (by car):

Picturesque Edgartown, in the East, which includes the infamous Chappaquiddick (of Ted Kennedy fame) and Katama, is the island's largest town, and is known for its rich whaling history.

Oak Bluffs, where we always stay, includes the East Chop peninsula. Its known for its gingerbread cottages, open harbor, and bustling Circuit Avenue.

Tisbury, in the North, includes the main village of Vineyard Haven, the West Chop peninsula, and is the island's primary port of entry for people and cargo.

West Tisbury is the island's agricultural center. 

Chilmark, in the West, has the hilliest terrain, is very rural, and includes the quaint fishing village of Menemsha.

Aquinnah, is the last stop of the East wind on the island, home of the Wampanoag Indian tribe, the beautiful clay cliffs, and "Gay Head" light.

Here are a few trivia highlights about Martha's Vineyard that I didn't know:

• The first native American graduates from Harvard came from Martha’s Vineyard.
• Three of Spielberg’s "Jaws" movies were filmed on Martha's Vineyard.
• John Belushi is buried in Abel's Hill Cemetery in Chilmark on MV.
• Three U.S. Presidents have vacationed on Martha's Vineyard, Ulysses S. Grant, Bill Clinton and, most recently, Barack Obama stayed in Chilmark on the Blue Heron Farm.
• In the television show The X-Files, Fox Mulder's parents live on Martha's Vineyard.
• Today the Vineyard, as it is affectionately called, is a destination for some 60,000 tourists each summer keeping the 15,000 permanent residents busy and off the main roads during the summer season.

I couldn't resist making a slide show of some of my snaps of Martha's Vineyard. I hope you enjoy it.

Photos & Slide Show © 2018 Claudia Ward
Music: "Cocktails for Two" by Carmen Cavallaro from "Small Town Crooks"

 

 

Comments

[Robert]

Absolutely beautiful! Well done! So much of it is like a museum- so well kept! Great to see Peter getting around in his unna boot! I flew there a long time ago with friends in a private plane from E. Hampton,-sadly didn’t get to see much.

[BAFA Studio]

We rented motor scooters our first time there. Love the Vineyards! Thanks for some great photos and so glad to see Peter with the ‘infamous’ unna boot getting around and enjoying himself.

[Paul]

Makes me want to visit, for sure — just beautiful!
Thanks for sharing, Claudia!

[Ally]

Very pretty and I enjoyed the soundtrack as well!

[Mary Tanaskovic Bitting]

Brought back happy memories of a cruise stop my mother, Nick and I made there a number of years ago! Thanks for sharing, Claudia.