From the Jan. 3, 1930 edition of the Gazette: A Panorama of the Vineyard Scene During the Year 1929.

Jan. 18 - Work on the construction of the new Martha’s Vineyard Hospital progressing swiftly under direction of Contractors Frank L. Norton & Son.

Feb. 4 - Chilmark holds annual town meeting, with 90 per cent of legal voters attending.

Feb. 8 - Island officers, assisted by state officers, make a series of raids in Oak Bluffs. A large quantity of moonshine and beer was seized, together with a 15 gallon still.

Feb. 23 - J. W. M. Whiting of West Tisbury, champion wrestler at Yale, throws his opponent, a Tufts man, in the record time of 27 seconds.

Mch. 4 - Work begins on an extensive addition to the Martha’s Vineyard National Bank building at Vineyard Haven.

Mch. 26 - At the Spelling Bee held at Vineyard Haven town hall, Gladys Benson, West Tisbury, wins the championship of the Vineyard, and Phyllis Donnelly of Edgartown is runner-up.

April 3 - A destructive fire sweeps over 2500 acres of field, forest and plain land in Edgartown and West Tisbury, near the Great Plains. Fire apparatus from the three down-Island towns and over a hundred volunteers after a long battle finally get the fire under control.

April 5 - Four masted schooner Frances L. Taussig in collision with steamship Sandwich, is sunk off East Chop. The crew of nine men escaped drowning.

April 18 - Work begins on the construction of the new school building at Vineyard Haven.

April 22 - First move made on resurfacing the North Road.

May 7 - New steamer Naushon for the local line is launched at Fore River by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation.

May 11 - The Vineyard end of the big new cable of the telephone company is launched at Makoniky, in the presence of many officials and executives of the N. E. Tel. and Tel. Co.

May 17 - Gazette installs a modern, high-speed printing press, the Duplex model A, which weighs 9 tons and prints and folds 3000 papers an hour.

June 3 - Sch. Liberty of Edgartown, Capt. Wagner, landed 12 swords to be taken in northern waters for the season.

June 28 - Walter Perkins of Oak Bluffs makes season’s record to date for catching striped bass, with rod and reel - two, 26 and 28 pounds.

July 9 - Protective work to check erosion begins at East Chop bluff by building bulkhead and jetties.

July 12 - Capt. George Fred Tilton was a passenger on the blimp Mayflower, which dallied about over the Island within the week.

July 15 - Announced sale of two Tea Lane farms in Chilmark to Mrs. Flora Jordan, recalls the fact of five important transfers of real estate on Tea Lane within the year.

Aug. 5 - A fire fanned by a strong wind threatens residences at Oak Bluffs Highlands. The burning woods and dry grass, where the fire started, was drenched with water, and the flames were soon subdued. An automobile belonging to Watt Terry, standing nearby locked, was with much effort barely saved from burning.

Aug. 9 - Mrs. Sarah C. Vincent, 92 years old, of West Tisbury, rides six miles to a huckleberry pasture and picks six quarts of berries. In company with other younger ladies she leads the way through the brush, climbs stone walls, etc.

Aug. 19 - Moving day from the old to the new hospital. Eleven patients and one baby are transferred.

Sept. 2 - Thieves break into safe on deck at Oak Bluffs, and get entire receipts of steamboat company for the week end - about $10,000.

Sept. 11 - Katama, near South beach, is sold to a syndicate of summer and regular residents. Property comprises over 500 acres of land, with extensive shore front.

Sept. 30 - Arrest of suspects in safe robbery at Oak Bluffs wharf.

Oct. 8 - Gay Head has Cranberry Day, with a heavier crop than average.

Nov. 4 - Work of destroying sunken steamer Kershaw, in Sound channel, off East Chop, begins, at a contract price for removal of the wreck of $88,000.

Nov. 7 - Tracy and Fisher, alleged safe breakers, are held for trial, the grand jury having brought in true bills.

Nov. 15 - The scallop season begins at Edgartown, with a fleet of 70 boats and about 125 men engaged.

Nov. 18 - The Vineyard quakes, but not badly - some feel tremors and some do not. But for some sections of coast, mostly “down east” it is a different story.

Dec. 1 - The Mansion House and furnishings in Vineyard Haven is damaged in the early evening by fire.

Dec. 8 - Five and a half tons of dynamite, set off in four blasts, are exploded in the stern of the sunken steamer Kershaw at 12:20 p.m.

Dec. 27 - Bluebirds, cowbirds, and other birds of spring are prevalent on the Island.

Dec. 31 - The last day of 1929 — a day which for weather is one of the best of the month, and everybody busy drawing up good resolutions for 1930.

Compiled by Hilary Wallcox: library@mvgazette.com