The Vineyard Gazette Exhibit, called Eyes of The Island, was featured at a well-attended opening reception at the spacious, new facility at Featherstone Center for the Arts. It was a very special evening.

Everyone was encouraged to choose three favorite photographs, an almost impossible task. They were all wonderful and meaningful.

My favorite was one of the oldest there. Alfred Eisenstaedt had taken a fantastic picture of Henry Beetle Hough and his wife,Elizabeth, happily looking out a window, probably from the Gazette office.​ My family’s connection to the Houghs goes way back. My grandparents built the Colonial Inn in 1911 and my parents, Katherine and Tommy Chirgwin were the managers. Back then the hotel was on the American Plan and the Houghs enjoyed lunch there daily. And the Houghs were our neighbors when we lived on Winter street and Pease’s Point Way. I remember loving their large collie.

Alfred Eisenstaedt filmed many people on the Vineyard, including Somerset Maughm, a guest for many Summers at the Colonial Inn. In July of 1942, Life Magazine had a five-page article on Somerset Maughm with all the photographs taken by Eisenstaedt. This interesting spread can be googled by typing both of these names together, Alfred Eisenstaedt first.

Now, my second favorite picture was one of the newest, that ran the front page of July 28, of this year. It showed five babies born in five months for four Oak Bluffs officers and one Island-assigned state trooper stationed in Oak Bluffs. An inside picture was taken with the wives and two older siblings. I really had to chuckle. This sounds like a good example of planned parenthood to me. But, I think that SQuire Rushnell would call it five examples of God Winks!

All the pictures on display deserve to be winners. I’m going back to see this all over again. If you haven’t seen it, put it on your list.

Happy fall to all.

Carol Fligor
Edgartown