New England #1: Martha's Vineyard

For Scott’s Mom’s birthday ...

Betty Stevens

... we were stumped on what to give her. She’s 88 and she’s trying to reduce clutter, rather than add to it. So, knowing she likes to travel (she was on our four-generation Grand Teton/Yellowstone adventure last year -- blog on that starts with this one) ... 

Yellowstone, 2014

.... the “gift” was that I would accompany her on a trip.

We decided on New England for a couple of reasons:

#1. It’s where her ancestors originally settled. Yes, they really were in the Plymouth Colony, followed by emigration to Cape Cod, Boston and Acadia before many were deported to Nova Scotia for being Tories during the Revolutionary War (I feel I should mention here that my ancestors were Patriots; a point somewhat negated by the fact that they were also Confederates). Some of Betty’s ancestors eventually moved back to the U.S. Her dad grew up in Worcester and she has relatives on the Cape (more on that later).

Back to her roots

#2. Whale watching.

One of my favorite things

I’m in.

So, in mid-July, we set off for New England. We flew to Boston (including a well-executed 20-minute connection in D.C., where we literally walked off one plane right onto another). We rented a car and drove immediately (in rain) to Wood’s Hole for our first night. After the rain cleared, it was a lovely, breezy evening. We had a yummy fish ‘n chips (with veggies and fruit, respectively, instead of chips) at The Landfall Restaurant.  Our table was right by the dock and I have no idea why I didn’t take any pictures. It was a lovely start to our trip. We did go back later for some night shots of the restaurant.

First night

The next morning was our ferry ride to Martha’s Vineyard. Originally, I had planned to spend the night on MV, but hotels in July were #1. all booked up and #2. crazy expensive ($400+ a night). So, we took the car ferry and planned to spend the whole day. 

The trip over was a bit foggy ...

... but the day turned lovely

Having a car is a great idea – many people just take the ferry as passengers, but there is so much to see that requires wheels.

Not our best trip

I had been to MV once before – a disastrous weekend trip in the late 1990s with two teenage daughters who (uncharacteristically) didn’t want to go and bitingly cold March weather. 

We went home after one night. So, summer with a willing companion was great. 

The picture was one of the more pleasant and less windy moments.

Martha's Vineyard is an affluent summer colony on an island south of Cape Cod. At 100 square miles, it is the 58th largest island in the U.S. and the third largest on the East Coast, after Long Island and Mount Desert Island (where we were headed later). Not connected to the mainland by bridge or tunnel, access is by plane or, most commonly, ferry. 

Harbor

The year-round population is 16,000+, but in the summer it swells to more than 100,000.

Originally inhabited by the Wampanoag, it was called Noepe, or "land amid the streams." By 1764, the Wampanoag population of more than 3,000 had dropped to 313. Today there is a substantial Wampanoag population, mainly located in the town of Aquinnah.

Its name came from a smaller island to the south that English Explorer Bartholomew Gosnold named in 1602 after his mother-in-law or his second child, both named Martha. The name was later transferred to the main island.

Sea, grass and sand

English settlement began when Thomas Mayhew of Watertown, Mass., purchased Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and the Elizabeth Islands from two English "owners;" he had friendly relations with the Wampanoags and continued to honor their land rights. His son began the first English settlement in 1642 at Great Harbor (later Edgartown).

Martha's Vineyard was brought to prominence in the 19th century by the whaling industry, which flourished until oil was discovered in Pennsylvania. After the railroad came to  Woods Hole in 1872, summer residences began to develop on the island.

Lots of nice vacation homes

When we arrived, we drove to Oak Bluffs to see the lovely historic gingerbread houses of the Martha's Vineyard Campmeeting Association (MVCMA), also known as "Wesleyan Grove." 

Smaller and cuter

MVCMA grew out of the religious "campmeeting" movement of the 19th century. The early week-long meetings were rustic, held at different places each year and included prayer meetings and preaching morning, noon and night.

Wesleyan Grove, one of the largest and best-known campmeeting sites in the country, grew from nine tents in 1835 to 570 in 1868. Until 1855 this Methodist campmeeting was exclusively religious, but participants also began to enjoy the benefit of the sea air and social interaction, children began to attend prayer and church meetings, people began to stay for longer periods and small buildings were erected. Eventually, the campground became an organized community.

Between 1859 and 1864, the unique "Martha's Vineyard" cottage was developed at Wesleyan Grove. There were about 40 cottages in 1864 and 500 by 1880; approximately 318 cottages remain. 

There were 40 cottages in 1864; 500 by 1880; approximately 318 cottages remain 

The core of the area forms a circle.

Lovely houses with filigree detail ...

... gorgeous flowers ...

... and "wildlife" ...

It is a bit odd sightseeing while residents and renters enjoy their breakfasts, but what can you do?

Eating on the porch

After Oak Bluffs, we headed to Edgartown, where Betty’s ancestors had lived. It is a fairly bustling town, with lovely homes, flowers, narrow streets and not much easy parking. Beaches are often private and can be hard to access, but we did make a stop near Chappaquidick ...

Cooling my toes

... and also near the Edgartown Light ...

A small lighthouse

Then, we drove across the island, searching for the red cliffs and beaches. But, with limited parking and long walks across dunes, we just did a bit of sightseeing, ending up in Menemsha Harbor in Chilmark ... 

A quick look at the dockside

A fish market with giant lobsters

The local beach

A bronze statue near the harbor entrance that commemorates harpoon swordfishing

Menemsha was a center of swordfishing.

Lunch was a challenge. There aren’t many restaurants on the Chilmark side of the island. We ended up eating a picnic in the car.

Although we allotted a whole day to MV, we were finished by early afternoon. So, we caught an earlier ferry and headed back “home” to Wood’s Hole, where we had another lovely dinner at a restaurant named Captain Kidd’s.

Trip date: July 12-25, 2015