Martha's Vineyard

Overview - Beaches - Points of Interest - Schools - Chamber of Commerce - Martha's Vineyard Lodging

Overview

Located seven miles off the coast of Falmouth, Martha's Vineyard is isolated enough to escape the busy summer season on Cape Cod, but close enough to draw a wealthy summer resort population and constant influx of tourists.

Bartholomew Gosnold, landing here in 1602, coined the name Martha's Vineyard in honor of his infant daughter and the abundance of wild grapes on the island. Later, along with Nantucket and the Elizabeth Islands, it was bought for forty pounds by Thomas Mayhew, a Bay Colony businessman. Mayhew's son founded Edgartown in 1642, where English settlers lived harmoniously with the Wampanoags for many years. Among the skills Indians taught the colonists, whaling quickly developed into a profitable island industry. This transformed Martha's Vineyard into a wealthy, prosperous community.

Toward the whaling industry's decline, the advent of steamships opened up both Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket to tourism, which remains their primary economic resource to the present. Many celebrities enjoy summer homes here including  James Taylor, Walter Cronkite and Carly Simon. In recent years, President Clinton has also chosen Martha’s Vineyard as his summer vacation destination.

The Vineyard’s greatest attraction to visitors is its stunning natural beauty. Probably the best-known scenic landmark is the outcropping of huge sand cliffs at Gay Head. Other places of interest include the Aquinnah Cliffs (on the island’s western end), the Vineyard Museum (operated by the M.V. Historical Society) in Edgartown and Chappaquiddick Island (accessible only by boat).

Beaches 

East Beach Eastville Beach Fuller Street Beach Joseph Sylvia State Beach  Katama Beach   Lighthouse Beach  Lobsterville Beach   Moshup Beach Oak Bluffs Town Beach Owen Park Beach Tisbury Town Beach

Points of Interest

• Cedar Tree Neck 
• Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary 
• Flying Horses Carousel 
• Katharine Cornell Theater 
• Liberty Pole Museum 
• Manter Memorial Youth Hostel 
• Menemsha Village 
• Ocean Park 
• Owen Park 
• Squibnocket Herring Run 
• Tea Lane 
• Thomas Cooke House Museum 
• Tisbury Museum 
• West Chop Woods 

Schools

• Edgartown School 
  RR1, West Tisbury Road, Edgartown
  
• Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School
  West Tisbury
  
• Martha's Vineyard Regional High School
  Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Rd.,  Oak Bluffs
  
• Menemsha School 
  State Road,  Chilmark
  
• Oak Bluffs School 
  School St., Oak Bluffs
  
• Project Headway (Preschool)
  RR2,  Vineyard Haven
  
• Tisbury School
  William St.,  Vineyard Haven
  
• West Tisbury School
  Old County Rd.,  West Tisbury

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