Development of Martha's Vineyard Harbors 1881-1915

ISBN-13: 9781511752275 / Angielski / Miękka / 2015 / 96 str.

MR William T. Elbow

Opis

This slim, 91-page book tells little-known facts about the early development of Martha's Vineyard harbors. For those not familiar with the Vineyard, it is an island off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts, near Cape Cod. The time frame is from 1881 through 1915. The harbors covered are Menemsha, Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs (Cottage City) and Edgartown Harbors. The source for all data is the Massachusetts Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners' Annual Reports. The reader will learn of not only the Commission's successes in implementing "big" ideas, but also of the setbacks that the environment is always ready to inflict on man's best efforts. Here is a sampling of events covered in the book: Vineyard Haven Harbor In 1904, six years after "The Great November Storm of 1898," when in Vineyard Haven Harbor 42 ships were either sunk at their anchors, driven ashore, dismasted or badly damaged, a meeting was held to discuss whether or not to relocate the harbor to a more protected location. One alternative was to move the Harbor to the Lagoon, and relocate the Oak Bluffs Road 2/3rd of the way up it, and dredge it and construct a 300-foot wide jettied channel to Vineyard Sound; another alternative was to move the Harbor to Lake Tashmoo and dredge it and add a jettied opening to Vineyard Sound. Both offered improved protection for the smaller local fishing boats as well as larger coastwise vessels, but both were less convenient for the local boatmen. The third alternative was to simply add a breakwater near the existing steamboat wharf to protect the smaller boats and yachts, and not provide increased protection for the number of larger coastwise vessels which would be expected to seek shelter during violent weather. The alternatives were hotly debated, but a final decision was mandated from the "outside." Oak Bluffs Harbor In 1898 Cottage City had a summer population of about 20,000 and was far and away the largest summer colony on the seashore of the Commonwealth; but it had Lake Anthony, right in town, and the Lake had "sanitary" issues and at times was very "offensive." The solution to this pollution problem was to open the Lake to Nantucket Sound and convert it into the Harbor we see there today; but this was not as simple to do as it sounded.. Edgartown In 1882 it was proposed that a southern opening to the Atlantic Ocean for Edgartown Harbor be created by dredging a channel through the Katama barrier beach. The channel was to be 300 feet wide, 6 feet deep at mean low water and was to have permanent stone jetties. In 1886 Skiff's Island, the shoal normally visible only at low water about 1 mile southeast of Wasque Point had grown in area and elevation to over four acres and had beach weeds and grasses growing on it. Consideration was given to stabilizing and "growing" it into a permanent island. In 1886, the Cape Poge Lighthouse was 45 feet from the top of its bluff. Rip rap set down 30 years earlier could be seen 500 to 600 feet at sea. Menemsha Harbor In 1896 the Massachusetts Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners ruled that a portion of the boundary line between Chilmark and Gay Head shall forever run down the middle of the Menemsha Pond outlet channel.