On our latest trip to MV, we visited four of the five lighthouses on the island. These lighthouses are considered beacons in history as well as in navigation, for it is said that up until 1914, Vineyard Sound and Nantucket Sound once saw more ships sail through them than any other place in the world except the English Channel.
The island sits in treacherous seas, with one tide coming in from Boston, affecting the south side of the Vineyard, and another from Rhode Island, affecting the north shore. There are reefs, rocks, and shoals, and the infamous Devil's Bridge off Aquinnah, which wrecked the steamship The City of Columbus on January 18, 1884, with the loss of 120 crew and passengers in the icy waters. The lighthouses of Martha's Vineyard still play a vital role in navigating around the island.
The East Chop Lighthouse in Oak Bluffs stands on the site of one of the country's first telegraph signals, set up in 1828. In 1875, the U.S. government bought the lighthouse and its land for $6,000 and the present cast-iron structure was built on the cliff 79 feet above the sea. Until 1988, when it was painted white, the East Chop Light was fondly called the Chocolate Lighthouse, for its brown-red color.
Gay Head Lighthouse sits 160 feet above the water on the brightly colored clay bluffs of the western side of Martha's Vineyard, where the Devil's Bridge rocks threaten the entrance to Vineyard Sound and the main route to Boston Harbor from the south. The original wooden tower, authorized by President John Quincy Adams, was built in 1799. It was replaced by the current brick and brownstone tower in 1844. Today, the land surrounding Gay Head is called Aquinnah. It is owned by the Wampanoag Tribe, who are very protective of its beautiful, fragile clay cliffs.
The West Chop Lighthouse, above, was the Island's last manned light. Built in 1817, it was moved back from the edge of the 60-foot-high bluff in 1848 and again in 1891 when a new 52 foot tower and a dwelling were built. Vineyard Haven's harbor has been recognized as a port of protection since 1645, and for 300 years it was one of the most important ports on the Atlantic coast. Today, the light can be easily seen from the road, but the grounds are private property. The small caretaker's cottage is occupied by Coast Guard personnel.
Edgartown Lighthouse is our favorite. It marks the entrance into Edgartown's scenic harbor and its setting is spectacular. The original lighthouse was built in 1828 on a small man-made island in the Edgartown harbor. That first year, the only way to get to the light was by boat, but eventually a foot bridge was built. The original structure was replaced in 1938 after it was done in by a hurricane. The current lighthouse was rafted to the Vineyard from Ipswich. Apparently Massachusetts had a history of shuffling lights from place to place! Although the new one was put on the original site, sand had filled in the area between the island and the mainland, and the current Edgartown Lighthouse now stands on shore.
Lucky us! We hit it right and Edgartown Light was open on the evening we stopped by. It was the first time we've been able to go inside. A large metal spiral staircase winds its way to the top.
On the way up, you pass a porthole which give you a preview of the glorious view to come. So beautiful!
Below is the view looking back toward Edgartown, a special place that has retained the feel of the prosperous colonial whaling center it once was. Its downtown is perfect for walking and exploring the streets packed with historic home and lovely shops. You can view a walking tour from last year's trip here.
The fifth and most remote lighthouse is Cape Poge Lighthouse located on Chappaquiddick. Although we spent an afternoon on Chappy, we couldn't visit the lighthouse without an over-sand permit for our car. Next year, we plan to purchase a permit as it will open up more fishing opportunities for John and the kids. Then we'll visit Cape Poge Lighthouse, too.
Susan
