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Association Hall and Cemetery Originally a Congregational and Baptist Church built in 1844, this building is now the town hall and is also home to the Katherine Cornell Memorial Theater. Behind the building is an old cemetery with stones dating back to the 18th century. Old Schoolhouse Building Owned by the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust, the island's first schoolhouse dates back to 1829. In 1776 a Liberty Pole stood in front of this building. When the British decided they would take it down for use as a spar on one of their vessels, three Vineyard Haven women blew up the pole with gunpowder rather than let the patriotic symbol fall into enemy's hands. To commemorate their patriotism, a new pole was erected in 1898. Today, the Vineyard Seaman's Society and the Martha's Vineyard Seafaring Center occupy the building. It is open year-round and a donation is requested at the door instead of admission. Seamen's Bethel Bethels are chapels used by seamen. This one has been catering to the needs of visiting sailors since 1893 and houses a display of maritime artifacts, including carved ivory and old photographs--gifts of seafarers in appreciation of the bethel's work and hospitality. Sea Captains' Houses The largely residential William Street boasts many sea captains' houses, some of them now inns. Spared by the great fire of 1883 that engulfed much of the waterfront, William Street is now part of the official Historic District in which buildings are protected from alteration. West Chop Lighthouse Follow Main Street westward to its end, and there you will discover West Chop Lighthouse, the island's first lighthouse site. The light was initially constructed of wood in 1817. This was replaced, in 1838, by the present brick structure. In 1848 it was moved back from the eroding 60-foot cliff, only to be moved again in 1891. It stands 84-feet tall and emits a white light that can appear either red or pinkish depending upon your vantage point due to red-tinted glass on one side of the tower.
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Civil War Memorial Statue At the busy intersection across the street from the Oak Bluffs ferry stop is a peculiar monument, and like most things in Oak Bluffs, it's the color scheme that is its peculiar attribute. This Civil War memorial dating to 1892 reads: "Erected in honor of Grand Army of the Republic by Charles Strahan, Co. B. 21st Virginia Reg." Yes, you read correctly, it was erected by a Confederate soldier--way up here in Yankee territory! In 1980, the town of Oak Bluffs repainted the Union soldier atop the memorial in Confederate gray colors to pay homage to Strahan. The Cottage Museum This museum allows you a rare glimpse at the inside of a gingerbread cottage. It is representative of the more than 300 fancifully designed and painted cottages that line the narrow streets of the 30-acre-plus campground community. The architecture of these cottages was modeled after the Newport, Rhode Island, Victorian style, but these have special (could we say, revolutionary) touches and colors that helped create a style unique to Oak Bluffs. Plan to take the better part of an hour just to stroll through the cottage community and examine the architecture and the many colors. The whole place is a 30-acre museum in itself! East Chop Lighthouse Tall atop a bluff it stands, some 80 feet above the sea, casting its lonely beam across the waves of Nantucket Sound below. This cast-iron lighthouse was built in 1876, replacing a wooden light erected in 1828 that burned down. Originally brown-red in color, it was known as the Chocolate Lighthouse until it was painted white in 1988. It emits a green light, marking the port side of Vineyard Haven Harbor and balancing West Chop's red beam marking the starboard side. Flying Horses Carousel This is the oldest operating platform carousel in the United States. It features 20 wooden horses sporting real horse hair and glass eyes. It was constructed in New York City in 1876 and arrived at Oak Bluffs in 1884. Open from mid-April through mid-October, it is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Rides are only $1. It's great entertainment for the kids, and yes, you do get to grab for the brass ring! Tabernacle At 100 feet high, 130 feet wide, and with seating for more than 3,000, this open-air auditorium is considered one of the largest wrought-iron structures in the United States. A uniquely beautiful piece of architecture combining the seemingly unlikely mixture of stained-glass windows and corrugated metal, it was built in 1879 amidst the Oak Bluffs campground community. It replaced a one-ton tent used by the Methodists who congregated at this spot for their religious summer gatherings. The Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, (508) 693-0525, offers a free schedule of events open to the public, including concerts (James Taylor has played here), flea markets, and interdenominational services. Union Chapel When it was built in 1872, this was a
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Cape Pogue Lighthouse By far the toughest of the island's lighthouses to visit, the Cape Pogue Lighthouse is at the northernmost tip of Cape Pogue on the island of Chappaquiddick. Built as a wooden lighthouse in 1801, it was destroyed by the sea and replaced in 1838. The second light lasted for about 50 years until it too was destroyed and was replaced by a third, which was replaced by a fourth in 1892 (do you see a trend developing here?). This fourth lighthouse, which stood 33 feet high, was replaced by the present structure in 1922. This present lighthouse has earned its place in the Lighthouse Hall of Fame by being the only one ever moved in one piece by a helicopter. The feat took place in 1985 when the structure was moved 300 feet back from the water because, you guessed it, it was in danger of being destroyed by the ocean. It stands 55 feet tall. Located at the farthest reaches of Chappaquiddick, the lighthouse is not accessible by road. Edgartown Lighthouse Originally constructed on an artificial island in Edgartown Harbor in 1828, sands have since built up to connect the site with the beach. Before the sands filled in, there was a long wooden walk that led out to the lighthouse. This was called the Bridge of Sighs because it was a popular spot for young whalers to bring their girlfriends or wives before heading out on a long journey. In 1938, the lighthouse was replaced by another that was floated to this spot from Ipswich (a town on Massachusetts' North Shore). Ferry to Chappaquiddick We don't know if you would actually consider this a point of interest, but it does meet the criteria for a must-see when visiting Edgartown. Two simple ferries, On Time II and On Time III, make the daily runs between downtown Edgartown and Chappy, transporting you, your car, bicycle, or moped in the process. By the way, the ferries have never been late, thus earning their names. Of course, there is no schedule, they just transport people and vehicles as they arrive, but regardless, they have never missed a deadline. Round-trip fares are $5 for a car and driver, $1 for each passenger, $3 for a bicycle and rider, and $4 for a moped. Dr. Daniel Fisher Home This fine example of Federal period architecture
was built in 1840 as the home of town physician and whaling mogul Dr.
Daniel Fisher. Fisher was also the founder of the Martha's Vineyard
National Bank. The building was Old Whaling Church This is an absolutely massive structure, with six gigantic wooden columns supporting the weight of the centuries and a 92-foot clock tower whose four-pointed spires seem to challenge the heavens. Since 1843 this soaring tower has been a landmark for sailors approaching Edgartown by sea. Built as sturdy as the old whaling ships, with 50-foot hand-hewn pine beams joined with wooden pegs, today the church is a 500-seat performing arts center. Summer church service is still held here on Sundays, as are weddings and receptions. Pagoda Tree A visit to Edgartown would not be complete without a visit to the famous Pagoda tree along S. Water Street. The tree was planted during the mid-19th century by Capt. Thomas Milton who carried it as a seedling from China. As you stand beneath its reaching branches, just imagine the sailors who, upon a hot summer's day, dodged the sun within the shade of her spreading limbs. It is considered perhaps the oldest and largest specimen of its kind in America. The Vincent House Museum This gem of a full-Cape was built in 1672 and is considered to be Martha's Vineyard oldest residence. It is behind the Old Whaling Church and the Fisher House. Interestingly, sections of the interior walls of this museum have been left open and unfinished so you can observe its original Colonial construction. The cost to tour the museum alone is $3, so you may as well pay the additional $2 to tour the Old Whaling Church and Vincent House (see the combined-tour information under the Dr. Daniel Fisher House entry, above). Children under 12 tour the museum free of charge. Tours are held from 10 AM to 2 PM, Monday through Saturday. Vineyard Museum This museum complex consists of four buildings that form 1 square block. The 1765 Thomas Cooke House was once a customs house and now houses antiquities of the island including tools and folk art. Exhibits to honor the whaling industry, such as scrimshaw and ship models, can be found in the Foster Gallery, while Native American and island geophysical exhibits can be found in the Pease Galleries. The Gale Huntington Library is a must for those interested in genealogy, while the carriage shed houses a whaleboat and a fire engine dating back to 1854. If you're a lighthouse enthusiast, be sure to get a look at the original Fresnel lens from the Gay Head Lighthouse. The lens, now resting on the museum's front lawn, was installed in 1856 and removed from the lighthouse in 1952. It is illuminated a few hours each evening during the summer months. The museum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM Tuesday through Saturday. Admission for adults is $6 and $5 for youth under 15. Whale Memorial A fitting memorial to the whales and the whalers is the Whale Memorial located down near the harbor in Edgartown. The memorial features a sculptured whale diving into the ground with its flukes raised and a whaleboat in pursuit. It was erected in 1995 and says it is "Dedicated to the whales and the whalers who pursued them."
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