By the heart of West Tisbury I do not mean the geographical center of the little town, but the starting-point or points of its social, intellectual, educational, moral and spiritual forces. If you start from the beautiful residence of Squire and Mrs. Everett Allen Davis on the state macadamized road, which is the Main Street of the town, past the Parsonage and the delightful old Whiting manse, past “Brandy-brow” and S. M. Mayhew & Co.’s store, the graceful old church with its steeple and town clock will confront you.
The presentation of valuable old Vineyard documents and books to the West Tisbury Public Library by Dr. Charles E. Banks, author of Banks’ History of Martha’s Vineyard, was a notable event and there was a large attendance of townspeople, evidence of the appreciation of the generous gift. The donation is further proof of Dr. Banks’ unceasing interest in the Island and its people.
The public library of West Tisbury, privately owned until the February town meeting voted unanimously to take it over, was conceived in 1890 by Prof. Nathaniel Southgate Shaler, who founded Seven Gates Farms, also. With Rev. Caleb Rotch, pastor of the Congregational church, who canvassed up-Island, he collected $175 for the first step.
As anyone who has lived on Martha’s Vineyard as long as I have knows, the price of food, housing, and just about everything was pretty steady for a few years after World War II.
In a tribute to Cathy Brannen, a new mural is being created in the children's room of the West Tisbury library. The mural is filled with many of Mrs. Brannen's favorite storybook characters and is a gift from her friends in London, where she lived for four years.
A quiet gathering at the West Tisbury library on Sunday celebrated the life of F. Patrick Gregory, longtime town moderator and an avid library patron. Mr. Gregory died a year ago next week, the victim of a homicide while hiking in northern California.
Need a quick cure for those pesky Vineyard midwinter blues? Island jazz pianist Jeremy Berlin and guitarist Eric Johnson offered exactly that with an upbeat version of musical blues and jazz.
Jack Schimmelman, executive producer and director of the opera-in-progress, 1854, will lead a community discussion focusing on issues that inspire his folk opera.
