Time Machine Terms
May 6, 1960
It Was a Paradise or a Wilderness That Camping Site
The modern town of Oak Bluffs traces its origin to a camp meeting held at the site, then a paradise or a wilderness — most people thought the former — in 1835. Hebron Vincent of Edgartown made this record of the first camp meeting, in his history, published long ago:
The first camp meeting held in this beautiful grove was in the year 1835, and commenced on Monday, the 24th day of August. A meeting has been held here every year since, excepting that of 1845, when it was removed to Westport Point.
April 1, 1960
Reviews 150 Years of Steamship History
Dealing with the more than 150 years-history of steamboat transportation between the Island and mainland, Mr. Love styled his talk, The Evolution of Operation, Wood Boilers to Gas Turbines. He also brought out the little-known fact that far from being a new idea, the inclusion of Hyannis in the Island boat system was carried out over a long period of years and with a high degree of success.
September 13, 1959
Country Club Sold
The Martha’s Vineyard Country Club, located in Oak Bluffs, has been sold by James A. Boyle of Vineyard Haven, to Richard D. Mansfield of the same town, transfers of the title having been effected this week.
Mr. Mansfield, best known as the proprietor of the Mink Meadows Golf Club at West Chop, told the Gazette that he is primarily interested in the motel on the property and the golf links, and that he hopes to lease the clubhouse. He plans no particular changes beyond a general cleaning up of the premises, and the operation of the various facilities will continue much as before.
September 11, 1959
Vision and Laborious Hours Are Real Materials of Splendid New School, the Island’s Pride
An estimated 200 people stood squinting in the brilliant, hot sun Sunday afternoon, and watched Gordon Kelvin White and Robert Eldridge White Jr. raise the United States flag slowly to the top of a tall aluminum flagpole set in front of the new Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. Before that Rev. Thomas H. Lehman had offered a short prayer; and after that, Mrs. Wilfrid O. White merely spoke the words that were inscribed in the base of the flagpole she had given the school, and on which her grandsons had run up the flag.
August 28, 1959
It’s County Airport in Fact
The Martha’s Vineyard Airport became the property of the county yesterday afternoon with the passing of the papers at the courthouse. Until now the title has remained in the federal government where it was vested at the time of World War II when the field was constricted as a naval air facility.
August 7, 1959
Our Living History
The Dukes County Intelligencer is well on its way, according to Gale Huntington, its editor. The quality of the publication may possibly be judged by a sample of some of its surplus. These items were rejected by Eleanor Mayhew when she wrote her account of Christiantown:
May 6, 1743
June 19, 1959
St. Pierres Would Offer Summer School Facilities
The possibility of an active and duly accredited summer school on the Island, together with provisions for private tutoring by local teachers, has been proposed by Mr. and Mrs. J. Raoul St. Pierre, of the St. Pierre School Inc. of Boston and the Vineyard. Brought before the Island superintendent of schools, Charles E. Downs, and the regional school principal, Charles A. Davis, the proposal is being explored.
May 1, 1959
An Edgartown Pioneer
An Edgartown pioneer dating back to 1742 is all that survives of the five great oak tree trunks, rough-hewn, which were one of the distinctive features of the entrance to the Great Harbour Inn. The corner post toward North Water street is still one of the original set, but for various reasons and particularly the fact that Kelley street has been raised from time to time, it seemed best to replace the others. Originally there were five of these huge posts, but two were replaced some time ago when the stairs were added.
May 1, 1959
Portrait of an Artist Who Chose Boats
Note: Mr. Leavens - visited M. S. Roberts and made notes of their talk. He had intended to write this interview as an article in the third person, but Mr. Roberts’ own personality so clearly emerged from the written memoranda that the author decided to write the interview in the first person, following as closely as possible the ideas and modes of expression of the man who sat for the portrait.
January 30, 1959
To Insure Future of Notable House
An agreement was signed early this week for the purchase of the Roger S. Robinson house on Main street, Edgartown, by Alfred Hall, representing a group interested in maintaining the character and traditional values of the town. Mr. Hall said that this was his only concern as to the property.
