2008

William Good

Cuttyhunk island, lying seven miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and 14 off New Bedford, is connected to the coast by one ferry line and the services of charter fisherman. Since the 19th century, well after its initial discovery by Bartholomew Gosnold in the 1600s, the island has been a bastion of traditional Yankee fishing history and old-world character. This quaint fishing island was once referred to as New England’s own treasure island by a New England textile tycoon whose imprint remains indelibly stamped in the island landscape.

1975

Cuttyhunk now has the latest in telephone equipment. Islanders may even be listed in the directory next year, but at least one of its telephone problems isn’t yet solved. Getting ahold of town government takes a little luck and a lot of time.
 
A year ago, if a resident here wanted to call out, he had only to walk to the nearest of the seven pay stations, and, if that one of the two Island circuits wasn’t busy, crank the ringer handle to tell the operator in New Bedford he wanted to make a call.
 

1932

Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York, Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States, sailed into the waters of Dukes County late Wednesday, although not into the waters of the Vineyard. The Roosevelt yawl, Myth II, slipped into Cuttyhunk after logging fifty miles from Stonington, Conn., where the previous night was spent, and Mr. Roosevelt stepped ashore, his arms aching from a long day at the wheel.
 

1930

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.

1864

A new town has been added to Dukes County; the act establishing the town of Gosnold, embracing the Elizabeth Islands, heretofore a part of Chilmark, having been signed by the Governor and become a law. - Mercury.