Hidden History of Martha's Vineyard

Hidden History of Martha's Vineyard PDF

Author: Thomas Dresser

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 146713595X

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Celebrated local historian Thomas Dresser unearths the little-known stories that laid the foundations for the community of Martha's Vineyard. Behind the mansions and presidential vacations of Martha's Vineyard hide the lost stories and forgotten events of small-town America. What was the island's role in the Underground Railroad? Why do chickens festoon Nancy Luce's grave? And how did the people of the Vineyard react in 1923 when the rum running ship John Dwight sank with the island's supply of liquor aboard? Delve deep below the surface of history to discover the origin and meaning of local place names and the significance of beloved landmarks.

The History of Martha's Vineyard

The History of Martha's Vineyard PDF

Author: Arthur Railton

Publisher: Commonwealth Editions

Published: 2012-07

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781933212715

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Published in association with the Martha's Vineyard Historical Society, this comprehensive illustrated history of the island was written by its foremost authority.

Ghosts of Martha's Vineyard

Ghosts of Martha's Vineyard PDF

Author: Tom Dresser

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2020-09-21

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 1439671192

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Martha's Vineyard has always been known as a charming seaside destination. But on this island, a cautious tour reveals darker tales that lie beneath its familiar exterior. Walk by the House of Correction, where Old Joe patrols the cells in the afterlife. Savor spirits at the Kelley House, where the ghost of the widow of a whaleman rolls Christmas ornaments across the floor and appears by the fireplace. Meander into the Victorian Inn, now The Christopher, where a honeymooning couple was spooked by towels flung on the floor and a rug that wiggled from beneath their four-poster. Local author and historian Thomas Dresser explores haunted happenings from all six island towns, as well as tales of pirates, murder and the afterlife.

EVERYONE HERE SPOKE SIGN LANGUAGE

EVERYONE HERE SPOKE SIGN LANGUAGE PDF

Author: Nora Ellen GROCE

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2009-06-30

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 0674037952

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From the seventeenth century to the early years of the twentieth, the population of Martha’s Vineyard manifested an extremely high rate of profound hereditary deafness. In stark contrast to the experience of most deaf people in our own society, the Vineyarders who were born deaf were so thoroughly integrated into the daily life of the community that they were not seen—and did not see themselves—as handicapped or as a group apart. Deaf people were included in all aspects of life, such as town politics, jobs, church affairs, and social life. How was this possible? On the Vineyard, hearing and deaf islanders alike grew up speaking sign language. This unique sociolinguistic adaptation meant that the usual barriers to communication between the hearing and the deaf, which so isolate many deaf people today, did not exist.

Martha's Vineyard in the American Revolution

Martha's Vineyard in the American Revolution PDF

Author: Thomas Dresser

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2021-11-29

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1439674175

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As an isolated island outpost, Martha's Vineyard faced some unique challenges during the American Revolution. Neutrality was maintained at the start of the war due to the impact of the British regulations on the fishing and whaling industries. While political expediency may have dominated the day, Vineyard Patriots protected their homeland against the Royal Navy and contributed to the revolutionary effort against marauding British redcoats. In 1778, two key events--one involving three young women and the second an armada of forty naval ships--crystalized the opinion of Vineyarders that they should no longer remain neutral to British incursions on the Island and, more broadly, on American soil. Join local author Tom Dresser as he reveals the unheralded contributions of islanders to the fight for freedom.

Whaling on Martha's Vineyard

Whaling on Martha's Vineyard PDF

Author: Thomas Dresser

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 1625859031

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Martha's Vineyard became an integral part of the whaling industry at the beginning of the eighteenth century and inspired a lasting romantic enthusiasm for life on the open ocean. From shorewhaling to daring voyages into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the insular whaling community offered a tempting path for many young Vineyarders to rise from cabin boy to captain. Local businesses were enticed by the potential profit from whaling voyages, and many reaped generous rewards from successful whale oil harvests. Through memoirs, music and memorabilia, author Thomas Dresser recounts this dramatic history of the bygone era of whaling on Martha's Vineyard.

Martha's Vineyard in World War II

Martha's Vineyard in World War II PDF

Author: Thomas Dresser

Publisher: Military

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781626193727

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The small island of Martha's Vineyard was transformed by World War II. Pilots flew training missions from the island's Naval Auxiliary Air Facility; ferryboats served as hospital ships in the D-Day invasion, and enemy submarines lurked offshore.

Disaster Off Martha's Vineyard

Disaster Off Martha's Vineyard PDF

Author: Thomas Dresser

Publisher: Disaster

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781609495107

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With its rocky coast and treacherous shoals, shipwrecks were a common occurrence in nineteenth-century Massachusetts. Few claimed as many lives as the City of Columbus. The night was clear and the route familiar for Captain Schuyler Wright and his experienced crew as they sailed a ship equipped with the latest technology. Yet with all this, the City of Columbus went down with 103 souls. Over a century later, Eric Takakjian and the Quest Marine Services team located the wreckage of the City of Columbus on the north ledge of the Devil's Bridge, off the southern tip of Gay Head. Historian Thomas Dresser takes us into the icy waters of the Atlantic as he recounts the terrible chain of events that led to disaster on that fateful night.

Rise of Tourism on Martha's Vineyard, The

Rise of Tourism on Martha's Vineyard, The PDF

Author: Thomas Dresser; Foreword by Nancy Gardella, Director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1467143375

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Now known as a resort community and vacation destination, Martha's Vineyard was once a simple fishing and whaling community. From the popularity of the Methodist Campground, founded in 1835, the Vineyard soon blossomed into a summer vacation mecca, welcoming visitors to its quaint villages and scenic seashores. As whaling lost its economic dominance, tourism became the catalyst for a revived prosperity on the Vineyard. President Grant's visit to the Vineyard in 1874 drew national attention and marked the beginning of several presidential visits to the island. By 1900, Oak Bluffs had developed an amusement park atmosphere with the iconic Flying Horses, toboggan slide and grand seaside hotels. Join local historian Tom Dresser as he reveals the island's transformation into a premier tourist destination.