The character of Menemsha is expected to be a topic for debate at a Chilmark special town meeting on Monday, when voters will be asked to approve an extensive new dock and pier system in the historic fishing village.

The meeting begins at 8 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center. Longtime moderator Everett Poole will preside over the two-article warrant.

From the Gazette editions of August, 1934:

Bradlee Martin, sage of Tiah’s Cove, came into town on Tuesday, looking, as he said, “for a sight of them yatches.” “Big doin’s up around our way,” observed Bradlee. “I’ve always told Pashy not to set the alarm clock for earlier than 3 o’ clock, and the other morning it went off and I jumped out of bed and had the milk pail on my arm before I noticed that the hands pointed to 1 a.m.

Learjets on final approach ride wakes of noise, the whoosh of traffic throbs off the seawall and the wail of the lumpen mob soars over Circuit avenue.

It’s summer.

It’s time for the earnest toilers of commerce to harvest the golden hordes. In fact, it’s July 21 and the Monster Shark Tournament is in Oak Bluffs and with it the yahoos in their plastic boats, rafted up three, four to a mooring — hundreds of them bobbing in the crowded harbor.

Today is Philanthropy Day on Martha’s Vineyard. Proclaimed by Dukes County, it’s a day to honor everyone, seasonal and year-round for the tremendous amount of time and money you donate to preserve the Vineyard and keep its nonprofits running.

In the last year there’s been a lot of philanthropy to thank you for. Some of it preserved or improved important Island institutions.

“The history of one’s own locality should be known to each of its citizens, since one cannot appreciate the present conditions without some understanding of the causes which have produced these conditions.” This prefaces Martha’s Vineyard, History-Legends-Stories by Henry Franklin Norton in 1923.

I am on a plant-only diet. With all those beans in my tummy, you won’t be surprised to learn that when I recently walked over to see my friend Bob Coe, I couldn’t keep my eyes from looking across the way at the old Ahoma Inn. The Ahoma Inn was a favorite eating place for East Choppers of old.

I can definitely say that the three Nancy Gardellas were on-Island last weekend. One was no doubt very busy at the chamber of commerce, one had made a circuitous route here from Florida to New York to Pennsylvania, and the other one is running a combination youth hostel and pet retreat.

This past weekend automobile traffic seemed to increase everywhere and it appears busy all around town. We have passed the peak of the summer season as some college students will begin leaving to return to school or get ready for it by next weekend.

Trinity Episcopal

The Rev. John Rice, former Canon for Congregations in the Diocese of Massachusetts, will lead services at Trinity Episcopal Church in Oak Bluffs on August 5 and 12.

Trinity Episcopal Church, located across from the Steamship Authority in Oak Bluffs, is the first Episcopal house of worship built on Martha’s Vineyard. It offers a diverse and inspirational schedule of visiting clergy throughout the summer. Services are held at 9 a.m.

Chilmark has enjoyed soaking up the heavy rains of the past week. I can almost hear the sighs of relief from every plant in view. It was a great treat and a good start to August. No one can doubt that it is August. Somehow, the volume of cars, visitors, needs and chores all hit over the past weekend. Seems like August is going to be longer this year!