Chilmark’s old houses are getting some respect these days. Last week a good number of interested people joined Adam Moore of Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation for a tour of the Mayhew Hancock Mitchell house at Quansoo sponsored by the Chilmark Historical Commission. The house is undergoing extensive restoration and is currently under an enormous tent that allows work to go on in all weather. Adam welcomes interested people and asks that they call him ahead of visiting.

Another house showing signs of restoration is the Mayhew Meinelt house on South Road. That house was built around 1713 and has remained in the same family since construction. At one time it housed two families of Mayhews at the same time. Terry Meinelt, son of the late Ted and Polly Meinelt, is overseeing the restoration work going on now. We wish him luck with the project.

Anticipation has been building all week for the final holiday weekend coming up. Although schools are almost open and the young are thinking about getting back at the books, we will see a return to summer amusements for the long weekend. Hopefully, the fish will be biting and the sun will be shining!

Labor Day used to mean the end of the summer in many ways but this year businesses are remaining open and most activities will continue into the fall. Some hours are shortened so best to call ahead if you are coming up-Island. The library has reverted to winter hours with Tuesday and Thursday being half days and on Friday and Sunday the library is closed.

This Wednesday the 5 p.m. program at the library will be a talk by Paula Martin who will discuss how to organize your home. She is a professional organizer. Sounds like something some of us could pay attention to! She will speak on Sept. 9 at the library.

Welcome back to Jack and Nina Huberman who have come from Santa Fe for a late summer vacation at their Menemsha home.

Last weekend, Dennis Jason was happy to have his young folk, Bruce, Samantha and Dennis, all at his North Road home for a long weekend visit.

Dennis, our popular harbor master, tells me that we still have a visiting yacht club or two to look forward to. It is always nice to see the harbor full of pleasure boats this time of year.

The folks at town hall are happy to report that the Menemsha shuttle bus that ran from Tabor House to the Menemsha parking lot in July and August was a success. The bus made it possible for beach-goers to leave their cars at the Tabor House lot and still enjoy the pleasures of Menemsha as the bus ferried them directly to the beach. Definitely an idea whose time had come!

There is a job opening at town hall. The housing committee has need of an administrative assistant for approximately five hours a week. If you have an interest, please call Tim at the town hall.

Another reminder from town hall . . . in the new scheme of things, real estate taxes are due on Oct. 1.

The Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to begin their dredging job in Menemsha channel in October. They agreed this week to scale back the amount of work and will not be dredging in the inner harbor.

We send best wishes for a return to good health to Bill Vincent who is hoping to be well enough for a fall visit to his South Road home. Cheers to you, Bill.

People news is scarce this week as the most news is of departures and I don’t list them unless you are going off the college. I have several of those to catch up on for next week. My own end of August pressures have kept me otherwise occupied, as they say!

Please call or email me if you have some news to share.

Send Chilmark news to slaterjn@comcast.net.