The Legacy
When the Imrey clan outgrew the old summer place, they didn’t have to look far for a top architect
A Discerning Eye
Thomas Craven was the leading art historian of his day, and his Vineyard friend Thomas Hart Benton was his favorite artist.
On a Clear Day…You Can See Your Taxes Rising
Ranking the world’s top water views is an apples-and-oranges challenge of unfathomable proportions. Yet surely the Vineyard, with 125 miles of tidal shoreline and a host of great and less great inland ponds, has its contenders: the epic vistas from Chilmark hilltops, the broad sweep of ocean from the upper decks of upside-down homes in…
From the Editor
This issue marks the beginning of the thirtieth year of publication of Martha’s Vineyard Magazine, which first went on the stands in the summer of 1985. Thirty years is a long time when looked at forward. If I’m still editing this magazine in 2045, I’ll not just be lucky to have a great job, I’ll…
Oh, Yeah. We’ve Seen Your Kind of Dirt Before
You stare at that dry, sandy patch of finicky Island soil in front of your home and envision a low flowering shrub that is drought tolerant and can thrive in partial sunlight. Wouldn’t hurt if the plant were a Vineyard native, too. But you wonder, is that combination possible to find? The answer to that…
30 Years From the MVM Vault: Dress Like Art
“The dress code. Well, we all like the dress code. You can wear whatever you want, unlike people in South Hampton. Except for some places in Edgartown, we don’t have to wear green pants…”
DAW: Yard Sale Phenomenon
Put higher prices than you oughtOn things you wish you’d never bought,And early birds before the saleStill fight to own them, tooth and nail.
The Hot Tin Library?
The iconic Bob Marley said, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” If Bob had lived on the Vineyard, however, he might have added, “As long as the music doesn’t rely on a seasonal economy, in which case you might feel some pain.” I’m thinking of the recent closure…
Free House!
The people at the Home & Garden Television network like to say they didn’t choose Martha’s Vineyard as the location of their nineteenth Dream Home giveaway; it chose them. About a year ago, when the HGTV team was scouting potential sites, the Vineyard was an easy sell. “This is an ideal location. It’s beautiful here,”…
Bowl Baby Bowl
It was an offer Bob Tankard couldn’t refuse. With the Island bowling-deprived since the 1990s and the new Barn Bowl and Bistro set to open its doors in Oak Bluffs, pent up kegler energy was rising to potentially dangerous levels. Fortunately, one of the owners of the new bowling venue knew the job of channeling…
How it Works: Recycling
For years I’ve been going to the dump and dutifully separating my recyclables, and then every once in a while someone will say to me: You know, they just throw all that stuff into one big truck and haul it away – what’s the point? As it turns out, in Edgartown, West Tisbury, Chilmark, or…
The Best Spot You Never Heard Of
For me, fishing is generally not a social activity. It is intensely personal, private, and intuitive. Except for family, I tend to be an angling loner. The concept of a fishing friend was an oxymoron until I met Luciano and was introduced to KLP. We kept it secret for twenty-four years. The name was originally…
Island Classic: Garden Gloves
If there’s one thing most gardeners can agree on, home hobbyists and landscapers alike, it’s that a good pair of gloves is a must.
Island Home
Steve Spofford’s latest career began with an internet photo gone viral.
My Crooked Little House
Most of the year I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and when it comes up in conversation that I own a house on Martha’s Vineyard, people always get that look. “Oh, I see,” the look says, “you’re one of those rich East Coasters with a vacation home on that exclusive little island.” I…
Doing the Duin Huis
Tucked in the dunes off Moshup Trail is a sleek residence inspired by driftwood and lifeguard stands. But as architect Mark Hutker and builder Andrew Flake explain, the house called Duin Huis is anything but simple.
Being Ernie Boch
His auto empire is far larger than the one he inherited from his late father. But Ernie Boch Jr.’s place in Edgartown? You might be surprised.
Holy Homegrown!
What if the secret to happiness lay right outside your kitchen door? In a pretty little garden, full of delicious things to eat. It might sound far-fetched to suggest that a kitchen garden can relieve stress, lift your mood, and even ease depression, but new studies suggest there’s a scientific basis – perhaps even a…
Oceanography
Oceanography: Breach Watch
This year will be a busy one for the cadre of Islanders who keep a close eye on what’s going on at Norton Point. From fishermen to scientists, the two-and-a-half-mile barrier beach that sometimes connects Edgartown’s South Beach and Wasque on Chappaquiddick is a source of fascination. In April 2007 a northeaster broke through the…
Encyclopedia Vineyardia
Encyclopedia Vineyardia: W
Wasque, Wild Men of Borneo, and Captain Thomas Worth.
The Look
The Look, 1950?
Was it a spring cleaning ritual? Laundry day? An apron sewing bee?
