The idea for Jaws on the Water exhibit at the Carnegie Heritage Center was born from two anniversaries occurring at the same time: the 50th anniversary of the release of Jaws and the 50th year of the Vineyard Preservation Trust.
The Carnegie Heritage Center is one of the Vineyard Preservation Trust’s properties and in addition to the new exhibit opening Friday, it will be hosting a sold-out event on Saturday featuring recently retired Edgartown Harbor master Charlie Blair, who was a martime consultant on the movie.
The exhibit will be on display until June 27.
Movie artifacts at the exhibit include the original Amity National Bank sign and a photograph by Larry Glick taken during the filming.
Sissy Biggers, community engagement and programming director of the Carnegie, is excited to be a part of the Islandwide festivities.
“I said from the beginning, you got to be in it to win it with Jaws,” she said. “Don’t fight it. Just go with it.”
Her memories of the first time she saw the movie are still strong, she said.
“I was a high school senior in 1975,” she said. “For me, it’s a real part of my whole family. Because we’re now Vineyard people, Jaws really became a part of our family.”
Metal sculptor Anthony Holand has recreated the shark weathervane seen on top of Quint’s shack that was originally created by Travis Tuck, Mr. Holand’s mentor. The vane is gilded in 23.5 karat gold leaf.
Mr. Holand created three of the signature weathervanes, one of which was auctioned off as a fundraiser for the Trust at its Patrons’ Party but will be on display at the event. In a full circle moment, the money raised will help refurbish the Old Sculpin Gallery in Edgartown, which was the original inspiration for Quint’s shack.
Mr. Holand still has the original drawing that Jaws production designer Joe Alves created.
“I made [a drawing] that is exactly 50 years to the day from that [original drawing],” he said. “That drawing says, due Monday April 22, 1974, so last year, I made one on Monday April 22, 2024, oddly enough.”
Another movie artifact that will be shown is the Amity National Bank sign, which has been hanging at the Rockland Trust Bank in Edgartown since the movie shoot. According to Julie Cloherty, Rockland Trust district manager, Hollywood had inquired about the sign, asking if they could have it.
“The Screen Actors Guild approached us [and said] we’ll insure it, we’ll have a special company come out and pack it, ship it over,” she said. “But they wanted us to donate it, and we said no. We wanted to keep it on the Island.”
Whenever people come into the bank to see the sign, bank employees encourage them to take a postcard that has a picture of the sign on it. “Greetings from Amity Island” is written on across the top.
“We decided to actually give out postcards so you have something,” Iva Ivanova, assistant branch manager, said. “You put a stamp on the back. You can ship it and send it to a loved one or keep it as a souvenir, so you take the sign with you.”
With well-known movie props and real-life stories, Ms. Biggers anticipates an exciting weekend.
“They’re always people who are interested in Jaws, but now they’re all coming at the same time,” she said. “So I just think the sheer number of people with that shared passion for the film is really going to make the event.”
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