First, stay away from Noman’s Land. If not for the strict government injunction against trespassing, then for the threat of obliteration by a five-hundred-pound bomb. After all, it’s not called Noman’s Land for nothing. Yet once upon a time this forbidden outpost was known as the “Isle of Romance,” boasting a bizarre and enigmatic human history replete with tales of Vikings, ghostly visitations, a furtive Nazi landing, and savage rumrunners.
By Peter Brannen
The culture of surfing in Vineyard waters has gained momentum in recent years with advances in weather-tracking technology. The Island’s south-shore swells are inconsistent, but occasionally they can be epic. The waves can also get crowded, and many surfers are protective of their turf.
By Mike Seccombe
From Aquinnah to Chappaquiddick, the Vineyard’s five lighthouses are an integral part of the Island’s coastal character. Each of these beacons has its own story of origin and survival, and we uncover the tale of a sixth Vineyard lighthouse that is no more.
The new book Jaws: Memories from Martha’s Vineyard takes a behind-the-scenes look at the 1974 filming of the greatest shark movie ever, often from the perspective of Island residents who were there. The film’s Fourth of July beach sequence – a.k.a. the end of Alex Kintner – involved coordinating hundreds of extras in unpredictable and inhospitable weather, as this excerpt from the book attests.
By Matt Taylor
Long before presidential limousines rumbled along dusty Island roads or visiting Hollywood celebrities were “packaged” for charity auctions, one of the movie industry’s most highly acclaimed actors lived quietly with his wife and two children on more than two hundred acres in Chilmark.
By Karla Araujo
There’s a quiet revolution gaining momentum on ten wooded acres in Aquinnah. It’s a place where children and adults convene to learn about the natural world – without cell phones and laptops, armed only with their senses – a place where dirty fingernails and muddied feet are the norm.
By Karla Araujo
Marc Brown, the creator of Arthur, and his wife, artist Laurie Krasny Brown, have turned their Vineyard Haven home into the perfect setting to sustain and invigorate their creative pursuits.
By Nancy Tutko
With their austere off-season beauty, the Island’s wild places are a natural draw. This time of year many conservation groups offer education about the terrain, flora, and fauna – as well as entry to some private lands.
By Shelley Christiansen
Joseph A. Sylvia State Beach – the most public of the Island’s sea-and-sand boxes – is a two-mile-long smile on the face of Martha’s Vineyard.
By Jim Miller
The pulse of the Island quickens. The streets become livelier as the weather warms and seasonal shops start to open. Schoolchildren head outside for sports, the ospreys return to their untidy nests, and business turns brisk at garden centers.
By Mike Seccombe
Finding a crowd in the dead of winter can be a pleasant surprise.
By Jim Miller
Photographer Alison Shaw headed out at nine in the morning on December 20, 2009, and for the next eight hours she traveled the Island capturing both the whirls of activity and moments of peacefulness.
