Maps & Tours

Up-Island's beautiful vistas encompass the wildness of wind, tide and space. Ancient paths and structures inform the traveller of times when the Wampanoag Indians hunted for white-tailed deer and colonists farmed the land. South Road is in part the Indian footpath made before English settlement. The King's Highway established in colonial days still runs unpaved in places, offering ideal trails for horseback riding. Stone fences, protected by law, are reminiscent of the sheep farming prevalent during the 17th century.

1. Town of West Tisbury

With the old general store, town hall, Congregational Church, Music Street, and Grange Hall all in a row, this town still typifies the old New England village. The name Music Street comes from whaling days when Capt. George A. Smith bought a piano — the first in town — for his daughter. Shortly thereafter, seven more pianos were purchased by his sea captain neighbors for their daughters.

2. Christiantown

The Indians called this place Mackkonnetchasqua, and it was included in the bounds of Christiantown, given by Sachem Josias in 1659. The Township was governed by the tribesmen under England's Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Many of the Wampanoag Indians adopted Christianity through the ministry of Thomas Mayhew Jr., one of the original colonists. Indian graves here reflect both pagan and Christian beliefs. A tiny chapel, dating from 1828, still stands. The tribe bought the cemetery back from the county in recent years.4. Brookside Farm

Amid spectacular views of rolling hills, and lying between two ridges, this Middle Road farm is lined with stone fences. Brookside Farm is not open to the public.

3. Native Earth Teaching Farm

94 North Road, Chilmark. A small working farm that is also open to the public part time year-round for animal and farm tours, clases, and farm crafts demonstrations. Call 508 645 3304 for an events schedule.

4. Menemsha Hills

Owned by The Trustees of Reservations, this 211-acre site offers a moderate, 3-mile hiking trail and, at 308 feet, boasts the highest elevation of any conservation area on the island. From the top of the sandy bluffs to the rocky north shore below, it's a beautiful stroll.

5. Menemsha

Menemsha is a working fishing village; fishing boats dock and unload their catch here at fish markets. It may also be recognizable from scenes in the movie Jaws. In season, cyclists can continue their up-island journey by taking the bike ferry acros the pond to Lobsterville. The public beach, a popular spot during the day, gets even more crouded as people gather to watch the sun go down. The fish markets and restaurants fix carry-out meals to accompany the show.

6. Nashaquitsa Lookout

This stop affords a lovely view of Menemsha and Quitsa Ponds and the undulating shoreline, Chilmark woods and small craft spread out below. On a clear day, the Elizabeth Islands can be seen in the distance.

7. Beetlebung Corner

South, Middle and Menemsha Cross roads converge to form the heart of Chilmark where the town hall, 1843 Community church, library, and a community center are located. A short distance away is the summer dance colony, The Yard, and the famous sweet-tooth heaven, Chilmark Chocolates.

The word beetlebung was invented on Martha's Vineyard and refers to the tupelo tree; a grove of them stands at this intersection. During the whaling era, whale oil was shipped from the Island in barrels and the hard wood from the tupelo tree was used to make stoppers for the barrels, or bungs, and mallets, or beetles, to hammer in the stoppers. The words came to apply to the tree.

8. Gay Head Cliffs

Steeped in natural history — covering millions of years — these Cliffs have yielded fossils of ancient flowers, sharks and camels. Gay Head Lighthouse stands like a sentry by the Cliffs in the town of Aquinnah, where the Wampanoag Indians still live. Their heritage is celebrated at the Aquinnah Cultural Center museum in the Vanderhoop Homestead, and 1890s farmhouse located across from the lighthouse, open seasonally.

9. Old Mill Pond

690 Edgartown-West Tisbury Road. Geese and swans munching bread crumbs by the pond or suntering across the road are notorious for forcing cars to stop here. As early as the 1850s, a textile mill was built next to the pond to manufacture a varety of fabrics from local wool. It is now home to the Martha's Vineyard Garden Club.

10. Manuel F. Correllus State Forest

Centrally located and covering 5,100 acres, this forest is criss-crossed by fire trails — ideal for trekking. Paved bike paths stretch for miles amid plants, wildflowers and small birds. In 1908, part of the forest was set aside to protect the heath hen, but in 1916 a fire killed most of these birds on their nests; the last one died in 1933.

11. Agricultural Hall

35 Panhandle Road. A 21-acre site with a 1905 New Hampshire barn moved here in 1995, the grounds now consist of several more barns, a meeting hall and equestrian ring and hosts the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair each August as well as community events throughout the year.

12. The Polly Hill Arboretum

809 State Road, West Tisbury. The arboretum encompasses 40 acres of woodlands an 20 acres of trees and gardens — the legacy of horticulturalist Polly Hill's experiments with the bet plants, trees and shrubs to grow on the Island. The arboretum's offices are housed in a building that dates from the 1670s. Historic buildings on the property include a circa 1850 barn used for lectures and events, and a 1933 cow barn which is now a private home. Open year-round sunrise to sunset.