From the March 5, 1954 edition of the Vineyard Gazette: 

This year it seems to have been the pinkletinks instead of a lion or a lamb, which ushered in the month of March. One of the first phone calls to the Gazette on Monday morning came from Mrs. Leonard Hendrickson, who reported that she had heard the Vineyard’s own spring harbingers sounding off in good voice near Jernegan’s Pond in Edgartown. A later report of an earlier appearance of the songsters came from Mrs. James B. Warden, who heard them in the swamp off Dunham road, on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Snowdrops are becoming a commonplace of the season, although they had little snow in which to test their hardihood. Now the tender bulbs are having their innings. Daffodils are spurting to dangerous heights for this time of year, and crocuses are springing up all over. One yellow one was in full bloom in the Bellinger yard in Edgartown at the weekend. And have you noted that pure green hue which is replacing the greenery-yallery tone which has marked the meadows and fields the past few weeks?

The former Thompson barn on the Old County Road in West Tisbury is to be converted into a house. The building was recently purchased by Mrs. Dorothy Young of New York from Mrs. Raymond Barth of West Tisbury and New York.

Work has already begun on the barn which is being moved tomorrow by Harry Horton of Vineyard Haven to a location about 150 feet bark of where it now stands. This brings it farther from the road and on higher land. It will be turned sideways in the process of moving in order to obtain a better view.

Only the downstairs part of the building will be finished off at the present time. It will have a large pine-paneled thirty by fifteen foot living room, with a bay window and fireplace, a dining area, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and utility room. Eventually, additional rooms will be made in the upstairs part.

Daniel Manter, West Tisbury contractor, is in charge of the work and Mrs. Young plans to occupy the building this summer.

This is the second barn in West Tisbury to be converted into a summer home in approximately a year. The other is the summer home of Mrs. Theodore Kelsey of Hamburg, Conn., who purchased Mrs. Mabel Johnson’s barn.

Mr. Manter also began construction this week on another summer home on the Old County Road. This is a Cape Cod style cottage for Mrs. Margaret Young of Morrisville, N.Y. Mrs. Young bought a house lot from Mrs. Albert Carman of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., which adjoins Mrs. Carman’s summer cottage.

Lumber from the former Santos house which was recently torn down by Mr. Manter will be used in the construction of Mrs. Young’s house, which will contain two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and living room with fireplace.

Mrs. Carman is also having a large addition put on her house. This will contain a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Her present house, which is one large room, will be used for the living room. Mrs. Carman is also having a breezeway put up between her house and the guest house.

Russell Shufelt, manager of the Great Plains Farm, made his first solo flight, last weekend at the Edgartown Airport. Russell accomplished his solo in the Luscombe in the minimum required flight time, and is now on the way toward a private pilot certificate.

The first visitor of the season arrived last weekend from the mainland, here to enjoy a few hours of sun basking on South Beach. It was a first visit to the airport’s beach parking area, but the tourists said they would return whenever weekend weather permitted.

The ten ton roller of the Goodale Construction Company has been used on the runways with gratifying results during recent soft ground conditions. The surface of this natural airport is so hard that aircraft weighing 25,000 pounds do not make even an impression. For satisfaction therefore rolling can be done only under unusually soft surface conditions.

A survey has been made and layout work is underway for the possible construction of a 5,000 foot runway directly in line with the prevailing wind at the airport.

Many summer visitors coming off the ferry this year will doubtless feel a teasing familiarity about the new building alongside the Railway Express agency in Vineyard Haven. What it may take them a trip or two to town to figure out is that the handsome edifice is non other than the old Double-Decker which sat for so long at the edge of the parking lot near the ferry wharf.

Completely reshingled, with neat white trim and a sparkling display of windows, the recent dingy building marked by loose boards and broken panes of glass has undergone a startling transformation. Only its dignified lines, which even in its most dilapidated state gave the old building an air of unwashed grandeur, are recognizable. Altogether, we think Henry Cronig and the firm of Geyer and Winterbottom have reason to be proud of their joint efforts.

Compiled by Hilary Wallcox
library@vineyardgazette.com