One week after the bill was laid on his desk, acting Gov. Paul Cellucci yesterday signed into law the change that has been awaited by the Island’s smallest town since almost a year ago. The governor’s signature made it official.
The town of Gay Head is no more; long live the town of Aquinnah.
Saturday last was a big day in the annals of Martha’s Vineyard when Governor McCall, in the presence of a gathering of many hundreds of citizens of this and other States, presented to the town of Gay Head the Shield of Honor, which has been well-styled “the most coveted of New England’s patriotic honors.”
Republican State leaders swarmed on the island last Friday. Conducted by the ever energetic Fred. W. Smith of Oak Bluffs, who was assisted by many of the Vineyard’s local politicians, next Governor McCall and his company were taken to every town on the island, and were unanimous at its close in declaring it to have been “a most delightful day.”
Aquinnah is not the place to go looking for interesting houses without trespassing. Interesting stories, yes, but the houses visible from the road are few and far between. The exception of course is the Vanderhoop homestead.
Most of the time the Aquinnah Public Library lies dormant. Activity in the center of Aquinnah takes place at the town hall, not at the little red schoolhouse building across the street.
Jan. 18 marked the 127th anniversary of one of the worst marine disasters in southeastern Massachusetts, when the 275-foot steamer City of Columbus foundered on the rocks of Devil’s Bridge and sank a half mile off Gay Head. A total of 103 passengers and crew were lost.
