Time Machine Terms
April 25, 1930
Farewell, Uncatena!
The sale of the Uncatena comes as no great surprise. She has not been needed for some time, even as an extra boat, and the sight of her at her berth in New Bedford has been a glimpse of the past for those Island travellers who noticed her. Her disappearance from the line to which she gave long and honorable service marks the end of an era. She was the last side-wheeler. Amazingly enough, the entire Island fleet has been recreated since 1922 and the four new craft which serve the Islands in summer are a great advance over the boats they have superseded.
March 28, 1930
“As Proud as a Cuffy”: Probably Refers to Cuttyhunk’s Citizen of Revolutionary Days
In the list of Vineyardisms offered by H. Franklin Norton in an article published in the Gazette some months ago, there appeared “as proud as a Cuffy”, doubtless referring to the family founded by Paul Cuffee who was born on the island of Cuttyhunk in 1759. Captain Cuffee was something of a barbarian in his taste in wearing apparel and personal adornment. according to tradition he used to get himself up in such style that he rivalled the barber’s poles, Christmas trees and firework displays.
March 21, 1930
Wills Property to Historical Society
Bequest to the Dukes County Historical Society by Miss Ethelinda Mayhew of the historic Squire Cooke house which was her home in Edgartown, became known this week with the filing of Miss Mayhew’s will at the registry of probate. Miss Mayhew’s interest in the house was subject to the will of her brother, the late Horace Mayhew, and there are two other heirs in addition to the historical society, Mrs. Gertrude Kimrod of South Tacoma, Washington, and another niece of Miss Mayhew whose whereabouts are not known.
January 24, 1930
From Vineyard Localisms to Vineyard Poetry
Editors of the Vineyard Gazette (Dear sir or Madam, as the circulars say):
October 25, 1929
“King’s Highway” Is Known Only to Few
Not many Vineyarders have heard of the “King’s Highway” or know that any such road exists on the Island. King’s Highway, or “Hie” Way, as it was in the beginning, is, according to tradition, the old road between West Tisbury and Quitsa. It is approximately halfway between the South and Middle Roads and parallels the two from the vicinity of the West Thibury-Chilmark line to a point not far distant from Beetlebung Corner, following the line of Ridge Hill and crossing the Guerin and Henry Allen estates.
September 20, 1929
Lorenzo D. Jeffers Named Head of Gay Head Tribe
Lorenzo Jeffers, descendant of Mittark, the last Island Indian chief, was duly elected chief of his tribe at a meeting held at Gay Head last week. The occasion of this election of a chief was the organizing of the tribe in order to gain representation in the Wampanoag Council, in which all the southern New England tribes with their branches were represented at a kindling of the council brand at Mashpee a couple of weeks ago, the first time that the Wampanoags have assembled in tribal council for 200 years.
August 27, 1929
Hospital Is Unique In Comfort, Beauty
On Wednesday, Aug. 21, patients, nurses and domestic staff moved into the new Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, and that institution, or rather the brand new edition of that institution, began to function as its founders have long dreamed it might. For months carpenters, masons, plumbers and painters have been employed on the building which occupies a prominent site beside the road leading from Oak Bluffs to Vineyard Haven, and it is fairly safe to say that never a week has passed, scarcely a day, nut that some stranger, riding along the road, has inquired just where the new hospital might be.
August 16, 1929
Automobile Ferry for Vineyard Line
Ferry boat service will link Martha’s Vineyard with the mainland within a few days time, according to an announcement made by Charles S. Norton, director of the New England Steamship company, yesterday.
The ferry, which has become necessary because of the greatly increased automobile traffic, will operated between Vineyard Haven and Woods Hole in connection with the regular New Bedford, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket steamship line, supplementing that service on a regular schedule timed between the trips of the larger steamers.
August 13, 1929
Automatic Traffic Signal for Oak Bluffs
An automatic traffic signal has been placed in Monument Square, Oak Bluffs, the first traffic signal in southeastern Massachusetts to be accepted and approved by the Department of Public Works, according to town officials. With five streets opening into the square and carrying the bulk of Island traffic, this signal splits and divides the stream of vehicles in a way calculated to eliminate practically all confusion.
July 12, 1929
Will Check Erosion at Highland Bluff
Work on the East Chop bulkhead and jetties to prevent further erosion of the sightly cliff and drive, began on Tuesday when a gang of workmen in charge of superintendent H. L. Curtis of C. W. Blakelee and Sons, Inc., of New Haven, Conn., made the first preparatory moves on the big job at the foot of Atlantic avenue where the bulkhead will begin.
