MARTHA ' S VINEYARD Massachusetts PC Postcard MARTHAS Oak Bluffs LAKE AVENUE
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| Reference Number: Avaluer:3116832 | City/Region: Martha's Vineyard |
| Type: Postcard |
MARTHA'S VINEYARD PCFREE SHIPPING with delivery confirmation on all domestic purchases!"Lake Avenue, Oak Bluffs, Mass"Postally unused.We ship worldwide! Please see all pictures, visit our eBay store and "follow" us on eBay!Martha's Vineyard (Wampanoag: Noepe) is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluentsummer colony. It includes the smaller Chappaquiddick Island, which until 2007 was part of the s...ame land mass before becoming detached by a storm.[citation needed]Often called just "The Vineyard", [citation needed] the island has a land area of 100 square miles (260 km2). It is the 58th largest island in the United States and the third largest on the East Coast of the United States, after Long Island and Mount Desert Island. It is also the largest island not connected to mainland by a bridge or tunnel on the East Coast of the United States.[citation needed]The island is located in Massachusetts, as a part of Dukes County, which also includes Cuttyhunk, as well as the island of Nomans Land, the latter of which is currently a US Wildlife preserve and previously a US Naval practice bombing range (until 1996).[citation needed] The Vineyard was also home to one of the earliest known deaf communities in the United States; consequently, a special sign language, Martha's Vineyard Sign Language (MVSL), developed on the island.[citation needed]The 2010 census reported a year-round population of 16, 535 residents, [1] although the summer population can swell to more than 100, 000 people. About 56% of the Vineyard's 14, 621 homes are seasonally occupied.[2]Martha's Vineyard is primarily known as a summer colony, and it is accessible only by boat and air. However, its year-round population has grown considerably since the 1960s. Each decade from 1970 to 2000, Martha's Vineyard’s year-round population grew about a third, for a total of 145% or about 3 to 4% per year (46%, 30% and 29% in each respective decade). The population of Martha’s Vineyard was 14, 901 in the 2000 Census and was estimated at 15, 582 in 2004. (Dukes County was 14, 987 in 2000 and 15, 669 in 2004).[2] Dukes County, which includes the six towns on Martha's Vineyard and Gosnold, grew by more than 10 percent between 2000 and 2010, according to Census data released Tuesday, gaining nearly 1, 548 residents. The Island's population increased from 14, 987 to 16, 535.[1]A study by the Martha's Vineyard Commission found that the cost of living on the island is 60% higher than the national average, and housing prices are 96% higher.[3] A study of housing needs by the Commission found that the average weekly wage on Martha's Vineyard was "71% of the state average, the median home price was 54% above the state's and the median rent exceeded the state's by 17%".[4]History[edit]Exploration[edit]Originally inhabited by the Wampanoag, Martha's Vineyard was known in their language as Noepe, or "land amid the streams". In 1642, the Wampanoag numbered somewhere around 3, 000 on the island. By 1764, that number had dropped by around 90% to 313.[5]A smaller island to the south was named "Martha's Vineyard" by the English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold, who sailed to the island in 1602. The name was later transferred to the main island. It is thus the eighth-oldest surviving English place-name in the United States.[6] The island's namesake is not positively known, but it is thought that the name originated either with Gosnold's mother-in-law or his second child, both of whom were named Martha. His daughter was christened in St James' Church (now St Edmundsbury Cathedral), Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England and is buried in the Great Churchyard which lies in front of the Abbey ruins between St Mary's Church and the Cathedral.[7]The island was also known as Martin's Vineyard (perhaps after the captain of Gosnold's ship, John Martin); many islanders up to the 18th century called it by this name.[8] TheUnited States Board on Geographic Names worked to standardize placename spellings in the late 19th century, including the dropping of apostrophes. Thus for a time Martha's Vineyard was officially named Marthas Vineyard, but the Board reversed its decision in the early 20th century, making Martha's Vineyard one of the five[9][10] placenames in the United States today with a possessive apostrophe.[11]Colonial era[edit]
The younger Mayhew began a relationship with Hiacoomes, an Indian neighbor, which eventually led to Hiacoomes' family converting to Christianity. Ultimately, many of the tribe became Christian, including the pow-wows (spiritual leaders) and sachems (political leaders). During King Philip's War later in the century, the Martha's Vineyard band did not join their tribal relatives in the uprising and remained armed, a testimony to the good relations cultivated by the Mayhews as the leaders of the English colony.[citation needed]English settlement began with the purchase of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Elizabeth Islands by Thomas Mayhew of Watertown, Massachusetts from two English "owners". He had friendly relations with the Wampanoags on the island, in part because he was careful to honor their land rights, as well. His son, also named Thomas Mayhew, began the first English settlement in 1642 at Great Harbor (later Edgartown, Massachusetts).[citation needed]In 1665, Mayhew's lands were included in a grant to the Duke of York. In 1671, a settlement was arranged which allowed Mayhew to continue in his position while placing his territory under the jurisdiction of the Province of New York. In 1683, Dukes County, New York was incorporated, including Martha's Vineyard. In 1691, at the collapse of rule by SirEdmund Andros and the reorganization of Massachusetts as a royal colony, Dukes County was transferred back to the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and split into the county of Dukes County, Massachusetts and Nantucket County, Massachusetts.[citation needed]Indian literacy in the schools founded by Mayhew and taught by Peter Folger, the grandfather of Benjamin Franklin, was such that the first Native American graduates of Harvard were from Martha's Vineyard, including the son of Hiacoomes, Joel Hiacoomes. "The ship Joel Hiacoomes was sailing on, as he was returning to Boston from a trip home shortly before the graduation ceremonies, was found wrecked on the shores of Nantucket Island. Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk, the son of a sachem of Homes Hole, did graduate from Harvard in the class of 1665."[12] Cheeshahteaumauk's Latin address to the corporation (New England Corporation), which begins "Honoratissimi benefactores" (most honored benefactors), has been preserved.[13] In addition to speaking Wampanoag and English, they studied Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. All of the early Indian graduates died shortly after completing their course of study. Many native preachers on the island, however, also preached in the English churches from time to time.[citation needed]Hon. Leavitt Thaxter, Edgartown educator.Mayhew's successor as leader of the community was the Hon. Leavitt Thaxter, [14] who married Martha Mayhew, a descendant of Thomas Mayhew, and was an Edgartown educator described by Indian Commissioner John Milton Earle as "a long and steadfast friend to the Indians."[15] After living in Northampton, Thaxter, a lawyer, [16] returned home to Edgartown, where he took over the school founded by his father, Rev. Joseph Thaxter, [17][18] and served in the State House and the Senate, was a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council and later served as U. S. Customs Collector for Martha's Vineyard.[19] Having rechristened his father's Edgartown school Thaxter Academy, Hon. Leavitt Thaxter was granted on Feb. 15, 1845, the sum of $50-per-year for "the support of William Johnson, an Indian of the Chappequiddic tribe." By this time, Leavitt Thaxter[20] had taken on the role, described in an act passed by the General Court of Massachusetts, as "guardian of the Indians and people of color resident at Chappequiddic and Indiantown in the County of Dukes County."[21] Thaxter Academy, founded by Leavitt Thaxter as first principal in 1825, became known for educating both white and Native American youth.[22]19th century[edit]Like the nearby island of Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard was brought to prominence in the 19th century by the whaling industry, during which ships were sent around the world to hunt whales for their oil and blubber. The discovery of petroleum in Pennsylvania gave rise to a cheaper source of oil for lamps and led to an almost complete collapse of the industry by 1870. After the Old Colony railroad came to mainland Woods Hole in 1872, summer residences began to develop on the island, such as the community of Harthaven established by William H. Hart, and later, the community of Ocean Heights, developed near Sengekontacket Pond in Edgartown by the prominent island businessman, Robert Marsden Laidlaw.[23] Although the island struggled financially through the Great Depression, its reputation as aresort for tourists and the wealthy continued to grow. There is still a substantial Wampanoag population on the Vineyard, mainly located in the town of Aquinnah. Aquinnah means "land under the hill" in the Wampanoag language.[citation needed]The island was the last refuge of the Heath Hen, a once common game bird. Despite 19th Century efforts to protect the hen, by 1927, the population of birds had dropped to 13. The last known Heath Hen perished on Martha's Vineyard in 1932.[24]Modern era[edit]Gay Head Cliffs on Martha's Vineyard.The linguist William Labov wrote his MA essay on changes in the Martha's Vineyard dialect of English.[25] The 1963 study is widely recognized as a seminal work in the foundation of sociolinguistics.[26]The island received international notoriety after the July 18, 1969, Chappaquiddick incident, in which Mary Jo Kopechne was killed in a car driven off the Dike Bridge by U.S. Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy. The bridge crossed Poucha Pond on Chappaquiddick Island(a smaller island formerly connected to the Vineyard and part of Edgartown). As a foot bridge, it was intended for people on foot andbicycles, as well as the occasional emergency vehicle when conditions warranted. Currently, 4×4 vehicles with passes are allowed to cross the reconstructed bridge.[citation needed]On November 23, 1970, in the Atlantic Ocean just west of Aquinnah, Simas Kudirka, a Soviet seaman of Lithuanian nationality, attempted to defect to the United States by leaping onto a United States Coast Guard cutter from a Soviet ship. The Coast Guard allowed a detachment of KGB agents to board the cutter, and subsequently arrested Kudirka, taking him back to the Soviet Union.[citation needed]In 1974, Steven Spielberg filmed the movie Jaws on Martha's Vineyard, most notably in the fishing village of Menemsha and the town of Chilmark. Spielberg selected island natives Christopher Rebello as Chief Brody's oldest son, Michael Brody; Jay Mello as the younger son, Sean Brody; and Lee Fierro as Mrs. Kintner.[27] Scores of other island natives appeared in the film as extras. Later, scenes from Jaws 2 and Jaws: The Revenge were filmed on the island, as well. In June 2005 the island celebrated the 30th anniversary of Jaws with a weekend-long Jawsfest.[citation needed]In 1977, distressed over losing their guaranteed seat in the Massachusetts General Court, inhabitants of Martha's Vineyard considered the possibility of secession from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, either to become part of another state (having received offers from both Vermont and Hawai'i), reincorporating as a separate U.S. territory, or as the nation's 51st state. The separatist flag, consisting of a white seagull over an orange disk on a sky-blue background, is still seen on the island today. Although the idea of separation from Massachusetts eventually proved impracticable, it did receive attention in the local, regional, and even national media.[28]On March 5, 1982, John Belushi died of a drug overdose in Los Angeles, California, and was buried four days later in Abel's Hill Cemetery in Chilmark. Belushi often visited the Vineyard and his family felt it fitting to bury him there. On his gravestone is the quote: "Though I may be gone, Rock 'N' Roll lives on." Because of the many visitors to his grave and the threat of vandalism, his body was moved somewhere nearby the grave site. His grave remains a popular site for visitors to Chilmark and they often leave tokens in memory of the late comedian.[29][30]In the television show The X-Files, Fox Mulder's parents live on the island of Martha's Vineyard.[citation needed]Bill Clinton spent vacation time on the island during and after his presidency, along with his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and their daughter, Chelsea. Clinton was not the first president to visit the islands; Ulysses S. Grant visited the vacation residence of his friend, Bishop Gilbert Haven on August 24, 1874. As a coincidental footnote in history, Bishop Haven's gingerbread cottage was located in Oak Bluffs at 10 Clinton Avenue. The avenue was named in 1851 and was designated as the main promenade of the Martha's Vineyard Campmeeting Association campgrounds.[31] On August 23, 2009, Barack Obama arrived in Chilmark with his family for a week's vacation at a rental property known as Blue Heron Farm.[32]On July 16, 1999, a small plane crashed off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, claiming the lives of pilot John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette and her sister Lauren Bessette. Kennedy's mother, former U.S. first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, maintained a home in Aquinnah (formerly "Gay Head") until her death in 1994.[citation needed]In the summer of 2000, an outbreak of tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, resulted in one death and piqued the interest of the CDC, which wanted to test the island as a potential investigative ground for aerosolized Francisella tularensis. Over the following summers, Martha's Vineyard was identified as the only place in the world where documented cases of tularemia resulted from lawn mowing.[33] The research could prove valuable in preventing bioterrorism.[citation needed]Martha's Vineyard was the setting for Robert Harris' 2007 novel, the political thriller The Ghost.[citation needed]Hereditary deafness and sign language[edit]A high rate of hereditary deafness was documented on Martha's Vineyard for almost two centuries. The island's deaf heritage cannot be traced to one common ancestor and is thought to have originated in the Weald, a region that overlaps the borders of the English counties of Kent and Sussex, prior to immigration. Researcher Nora Groce estimates that by the late 19th century, 1 in 155 people on the Vineyard was born deaf (0.7 percent), about 37 times the estimate for the nation at large (1 in 5, 728, or 0.02 percent), attributed to local inbreeding.[34]Mixed marriages between deaf and hearing spouses comprised 65% of all deaf marriages on the island in the late 19th century, higher than the mainland average of 20%, [35] andMartha's Vineyard Sign Language (MVSL) was commonly used by hearing residents as well as deaf ones until the middle of the 20th century.[36] This allowed deaf residents to integrate into society smoothly.[citation needed]In the 20th century, tourism became a mainstay in the island economy. However, jobs in tourism were not as deaf-friendly as fishing and farming had been. Consequently, as intermarriage and further migration joined the people of Martha's Vineyard to the mainland, the island community more and more resembled the wider community there.[citation needed]The last deaf person born into the island's sign language tradition, Katie West, died in 1952, but a few elderly residents were able to recall MVSL as recently as the 1980s when research into the language began.[34][37]Climate[edit]According to the Köppen climate classification system, the climate of the island borders between a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb), a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), and anoceanic climate (Cfb), the latter a climate type rarely found on the east coast of North America.[38] Martha's Vineyard's climate is highly influenced by the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, which moderates temperatures throughout the year. As a result, winter temperatures tend to be a few degrees warmer while summer temperatures tend to be cooler than inland locations. Winters are cool to cold with a January average of just slightly below 32 °F (0.0 °C).[39] Owing to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, temperatures below 0 °F (−17.8 °C) are rare, occurring at least 1 day per year and most days during the winter months rise above freezing.[39] The average annual snowfall is 25.3 inches (643 mm). Summers are warm and mild with temperatures rarely exceeding 90 °F (32.2 °C), with only 1 or 2 days reaching or exceeding it.[39] During the summer months, the island's warmest months (July and August) average around 71.5 °F (21.9 °C). Spring and fall are transition seasons with spring being cooler than fall. Martha`s Vineyard receives 46.94 inches (1, 192 mm) of precipitation per year, which is evenly distributed throughout the year. The highest daily maximum temperature was 99 °F (37.2 °C) on August 27, 1948, and the highest daily minimum temperature was 76 °F (24.4 °C) on September 4, 2010. The lowest daily maximum temperature was 7 °F (−13.9 °C) on December 26, 1980, and the lowest daily minimum temperature was −9 °F (−22.8 °C) on February 2 and 3, 1961. [39][hide]Climate data for Martha's Vineyard (Edgartown, Massachusetts)MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYearRecord high °F (°C)65
(18)64
(18)79
(26)90
(32)91
(33)95
(35)95
(35)99
(37)92
(33)88
(31)74
(23)67
(19)99
(37)Average high °F (°C)39.5
(4.2)41.0
(5)46.7
(8.2)55.5
(13.1)65.0
(18.3)74.1
(23.4)80.0
(26.7)79.3
(26.3)73.3
(22.9)63.4
(17.4)54.4
(12.4)44.8
(7.1)59.8
(15.4)Daily mean °F (°C)31.8
(−0.1)33.4
(0.8)39.0
(3.9)47.4
(8.6)56.6
(13.7)65.8
(18.8)71.8
(22.1)71.3
(21.8)65.3
(18.5)55.2
(12.9)46.7
(8.2)37.3
(2.9)51.9
(11.1)Average low °F (°C)24.2
(−4.3)25.9
(−3.4)31.2
(−0.4)39.3
(4.1)48.2
(9)57.6
(14.2)63.6
(17.6)63.3
(17.4)57.3
(14.1)47.0
(8.3)39.1
(3.9)29.7
(−1.3)44.0
(6.7)Record low °F (°C)−6
(−21)−9
(−23)−7
(−22)12
(−11)28
(−2)37
(3)45
(7)41
(5)32
(0)22
(−6)14
(−10)−5
(−21)−9
(−23)Precipitation inches (mm)3.85
(97.8)3.20
(81.3)4.92
(125)4.27
(108.5)3.54
(89.9)3.74
(95)3.04
(77.2)3.98
(101.1)3.69
(93.7)4.09
(103.9)4.32
(109.7)4.30
(109.2)46.94
(1, 192.3)Snowfall inches (cm)5.7
(14.5)8.3
(21.1)3.4
(8.6)0.2
(0.5)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0.2
(0.5)7.5
(19.1)25.3
(64.3)Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)121011121210899101212125Source: Western Regional Climate Center (normals 1981–2010, extremes and snow 1946-2012)[39]Political representation[edit]This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2015)Martha's Vineyard is divided into six towns. Each town is governed by a board of selectmen elected by town voters, along with annual and periodic town meetings. Each town is also a member of the Martha's Vineyard Commission, which regulates island-wide building, environmental, and aesthetic concerns.[citation needed]Some government programs on the island have been regionalized, such as the public school system, emergency management and waste management. There is a growing push for further regionalization areas of law enforcement, water treatment, and possible government regionalization.[citation needed]Each town also follows certain regulations from Dukes County. The towns are:[citation needed]Tisbury, which includes the main village of Vineyard Haven, and the West Chop peninsula. It is the island's primary port of entry for people and cargo, supplemented by the seasonal port in Oak Bluffs.Edgartown, which includes Chappaquiddick island and Katama. Edgartown is noted for its rich whaling tradition, and is the island's largest town by population and area. It is one of the island's "wet" towns.Oak Bluffs is most well known for its gingerbread cottages, open harbor, and its vibrant town along busy Circuit Avenue. Oak Bluffs enjoys a reputation as one of the more active night-life towns on the island for both residents and tourists, and is also a "wet" town. It was known as "Cottage City" from its separation from Edgartown in 1880 until its reincorporation as Oak Bluffs in 1907. Oak Bluffs includes several communities that have been popular destinations for affluent African Americans since the early 20th century.[40] It also includes the East Chop peninsula, Lagoon Heights and Harthaven.West Tisbury is the island's agricultural center, and hosts the well known Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair in late August each year.Chilmark, including the fishing village of Menemsha. Chilmark is also rural and features the island's hilliest terrain.Aquinnah, Aquinnah is home to the Wampanoag Indian tribe and clay cliffs._______________________________________________________________ Why Buy From Chestnut Hill Books? Chestnut Hill Books has a perfect 100% feedback rating dating over 13 years and spanning 18, 000+ transactions, with customers in all 50 states and over 85 countries on 6 continents. 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The younger Mayhew began a relationship with Hiacoomes, an Indian neighbor, which eventually led to Hiacoomes' family converting to Christianity. Ultimately, many of the tribe became Christian, including the pow-wows (spiritual leaders) and sachems (political leaders). During King Philip's War later in the century, the Martha's Vineyard band did not join their tribal relatives in the uprising and remained armed, a testimony to the good relations cultivated by the Mayhews as the leaders of the English colony.[citation needed]English settlement began with the purchase of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Elizabeth Islands by Thomas Mayhew of Watertown, Massachusetts from two English "owners". He had friendly relations with the Wampanoags on the island, in part because he was careful to honor their land rights, as well. His son, also named Thomas Mayhew, began the first English settlement in 1642 at Great Harbor (later Edgartown, Massachusetts).[citation needed]In 1665, Mayhew's lands were included in a grant to the Duke of York. In 1671, a settlement was arranged which allowed Mayhew to continue in his position while placing his territory under the jurisdiction of the Province of New York. In 1683, Dukes County, New York was incorporated, including Martha's Vineyard. In 1691, at the collapse of rule by SirEdmund Andros and the reorganization of Massachusetts as a royal colony, Dukes County was transferred back to the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and split into the county of Dukes County, Massachusetts and Nantucket County, Massachusetts.[citation needed]Indian literacy in the schools founded by Mayhew and taught by Peter Folger, the grandfather of Benjamin Franklin, was such that the first Native American graduates of Harvard were from Martha's Vineyard, including the son of Hiacoomes, Joel Hiacoomes. "The ship Joel Hiacoomes was sailing on, as he was returning to Boston from a trip home shortly before the graduation ceremonies, was found wrecked on the shores of Nantucket Island. Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk, the son of a sachem of Homes Hole, did graduate from Harvard in the class of 1665."[12] Cheeshahteaumauk's Latin address to the corporation (New England Corporation), which begins "Honoratissimi benefactores" (most honored benefactors), has been preserved.[13] In addition to speaking Wampanoag and English, they studied Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. All of the early Indian graduates died shortly after completing their course of study. Many native preachers on the island, however, also preached in the English churches from time to time.[citation needed]Hon. Leavitt Thaxter, Edgartown educator.Mayhew's successor as leader of the community was the Hon. Leavitt Thaxter, [14] who married Martha Mayhew, a descendant of Thomas Mayhew, and was an Edgartown educator described by Indian Commissioner John Milton Earle as "a long and steadfast friend to the Indians."[15] After living in Northampton, Thaxter, a lawyer, [16] returned home to Edgartown, where he took over the school founded by his father, Rev. Joseph Thaxter, [17][18] and served in the State House and the Senate, was a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council and later served as U. S. Customs Collector for Martha's Vineyard.[19] Having rechristened his father's Edgartown school Thaxter Academy, Hon. Leavitt Thaxter was granted on Feb. 15, 1845, the sum of $50-per-year for "the support of William Johnson, an Indian of the Chappequiddic tribe." By this time, Leavitt Thaxter[20] had taken on the role, described in an act passed by the General Court of Massachusetts, as "guardian of the Indians and people of color resident at Chappequiddic and Indiantown in the County of Dukes County."[21] Thaxter Academy, founded by Leavitt Thaxter as first principal in 1825, became known for educating both white and Native American youth.[22]19th century[edit]Like the nearby island of Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard was brought to prominence in the 19th century by the whaling industry, during which ships were sent around the world to hunt whales for their oil and blubber. The discovery of petroleum in Pennsylvania gave rise to a cheaper source of oil for lamps and led to an almost complete collapse of the industry by 1870. After the Old Colony railroad came to mainland Woods Hole in 1872, summer residences began to develop on the island, such as the community of Harthaven established by William H. Hart, and later, the community of Ocean Heights, developed near Sengekontacket Pond in Edgartown by the prominent island businessman, Robert Marsden Laidlaw.[23] Although the island struggled financially through the Great Depression, its reputation as aresort for tourists and the wealthy continued to grow. There is still a substantial Wampanoag population on the Vineyard, mainly located in the town of Aquinnah. Aquinnah means "land under the hill" in the Wampanoag language.[citation needed]The island was the last refuge of the Heath Hen, a once common game bird. Despite 19th Century efforts to protect the hen, by 1927, the population of birds had dropped to 13. The last known Heath Hen perished on Martha's Vineyard in 1932.[24]Modern era[edit]Gay Head Cliffs on Martha's Vineyard.The linguist William Labov wrote his MA essay on changes in the Martha's Vineyard dialect of English.[25] The 1963 study is widely recognized as a seminal work in the foundation of sociolinguistics.[26]The island received international notoriety after the July 18, 1969, Chappaquiddick incident, in which Mary Jo Kopechne was killed in a car driven off the Dike Bridge by U.S. Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy. The bridge crossed Poucha Pond on Chappaquiddick Island(a smaller island formerly connected to the Vineyard and part of Edgartown). As a foot bridge, it was intended for people on foot andbicycles, as well as the occasional emergency vehicle when conditions warranted. Currently, 4×4 vehicles with passes are allowed to cross the reconstructed bridge.[citation needed]On November 23, 1970, in the Atlantic Ocean just west of Aquinnah, Simas Kudirka, a Soviet seaman of Lithuanian nationality, attempted to defect to the United States by leaping onto a United States Coast Guard cutter from a Soviet ship. The Coast Guard allowed a detachment of KGB agents to board the cutter, and subsequently arrested Kudirka, taking him back to the Soviet Union.[citation needed]In 1974, Steven Spielberg filmed the movie Jaws on Martha's Vineyard, most notably in the fishing village of Menemsha and the town of Chilmark. Spielberg selected island natives Christopher Rebello as Chief Brody's oldest son, Michael Brody; Jay Mello as the younger son, Sean Brody; and Lee Fierro as Mrs. Kintner.[27] Scores of other island natives appeared in the film as extras. Later, scenes from Jaws 2 and Jaws: The Revenge were filmed on the island, as well. In June 2005 the island celebrated the 30th anniversary of Jaws with a weekend-long Jawsfest.[citation needed]In 1977, distressed over losing their guaranteed seat in the Massachusetts General Court, inhabitants of Martha's Vineyard considered the possibility of secession from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, either to become part of another state (having received offers from both Vermont and Hawai'i), reincorporating as a separate U.S. territory, or as the nation's 51st state. The separatist flag, consisting of a white seagull over an orange disk on a sky-blue background, is still seen on the island today. Although the idea of separation from Massachusetts eventually proved impracticable, it did receive attention in the local, regional, and even national media.[28]On March 5, 1982, John Belushi died of a drug overdose in Los Angeles, California, and was buried four days later in Abel's Hill Cemetery in Chilmark. Belushi often visited the Vineyard and his family felt it fitting to bury him there. On his gravestone is the quote: "Though I may be gone, Rock 'N' Roll lives on." Because of the many visitors to his grave and the threat of vandalism, his body was moved somewhere nearby the grave site. His grave remains a popular site for visitors to Chilmark and they often leave tokens in memory of the late comedian.[29][30]In the television show The X-Files, Fox Mulder's parents live on the island of Martha's Vineyard.[citation needed]Bill Clinton spent vacation time on the island during and after his presidency, along with his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and their daughter, Chelsea. Clinton was not the first president to visit the islands; Ulysses S. Grant visited the vacation residence of his friend, Bishop Gilbert Haven on August 24, 1874. As a coincidental footnote in history, Bishop Haven's gingerbread cottage was located in Oak Bluffs at 10 Clinton Avenue. The avenue was named in 1851 and was designated as the main promenade of the Martha's Vineyard Campmeeting Association campgrounds.[31] On August 23, 2009, Barack Obama arrived in Chilmark with his family for a week's vacation at a rental property known as Blue Heron Farm.[32]On July 16, 1999, a small plane crashed off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, claiming the lives of pilot John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette and her sister Lauren Bessette. Kennedy's mother, former U.S. first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, maintained a home in Aquinnah (formerly "Gay Head") until her death in 1994.[citation needed]In the summer of 2000, an outbreak of tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, resulted in one death and piqued the interest of the CDC, which wanted to test the island as a potential investigative ground for aerosolized Francisella tularensis. Over the following summers, Martha's Vineyard was identified as the only place in the world where documented cases of tularemia resulted from lawn mowing.[33] The research could prove valuable in preventing bioterrorism.[citation needed]Martha's Vineyard was the setting for Robert Harris' 2007 novel, the political thriller The Ghost.[citation needed]Hereditary deafness and sign language[edit]A high rate of hereditary deafness was documented on Martha's Vineyard for almost two centuries. The island's deaf heritage cannot be traced to one common ancestor and is thought to have originated in the Weald, a region that overlaps the borders of the English counties of Kent and Sussex, prior to immigration. Researcher Nora Groce estimates that by the late 19th century, 1 in 155 people on the Vineyard was born deaf (0.7 percent), about 37 times the estimate for the nation at large (1 in 5, 728, or 0.02 percent), attributed to local inbreeding.[34]Mixed marriages between deaf and hearing spouses comprised 65% of all deaf marriages on the island in the late 19th century, higher than the mainland average of 20%, [35] andMartha's Vineyard Sign Language (MVSL) was commonly used by hearing residents as well as deaf ones until the middle of the 20th century.[36] This allowed deaf residents to integrate into society smoothly.[citation needed]In the 20th century, tourism became a mainstay in the island economy. However, jobs in tourism were not as deaf-friendly as fishing and farming had been. Consequently, as intermarriage and further migration joined the people of Martha's Vineyard to the mainland, the island community more and more resembled the wider community there.[citation needed]The last deaf person born into the island's sign language tradition, Katie West, died in 1952, but a few elderly residents were able to recall MVSL as recently as the 1980s when research into the language began.[34][37]Climate[edit]According to the Köppen climate classification system, the climate of the island borders between a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb), a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), and anoceanic climate (Cfb), the latter a climate type rarely found on the east coast of North America.[38] Martha's Vineyard's climate is highly influenced by the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, which moderates temperatures throughout the year. As a result, winter temperatures tend to be a few degrees warmer while summer temperatures tend to be cooler than inland locations. Winters are cool to cold with a January average of just slightly below 32 °F (0.0 °C).[39] Owing to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, temperatures below 0 °F (−17.8 °C) are rare, occurring at least 1 day per year and most days during the winter months rise above freezing.[39] The average annual snowfall is 25.3 inches (643 mm). Summers are warm and mild with temperatures rarely exceeding 90 °F (32.2 °C), with only 1 or 2 days reaching or exceeding it.[39] During the summer months, the island's warmest months (July and August) average around 71.5 °F (21.9 °C). Spring and fall are transition seasons with spring being cooler than fall. Martha`s Vineyard receives 46.94 inches (1, 192 mm) of precipitation per year, which is evenly distributed throughout the year. The highest daily maximum temperature was 99 °F (37.2 °C) on August 27, 1948, and the highest daily minimum temperature was 76 °F (24.4 °C) on September 4, 2010. The lowest daily maximum temperature was 7 °F (−13.9 °C) on December 26, 1980, and the lowest daily minimum temperature was −9 °F (−22.8 °C) on February 2 and 3, 1961. [39][hide]Climate data for Martha's Vineyard (Edgartown, Massachusetts)MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYearRecord high °F (°C)65
(18)64
(18)79
(26)90
(32)91
(33)95
(35)95
(35)99
(37)92
(33)88
(31)74
(23)67
(19)99
(37)Average high °F (°C)39.5
(4.2)41.0
(5)46.7
(8.2)55.5
(13.1)65.0
(18.3)74.1
(23.4)80.0
(26.7)79.3
(26.3)73.3
(22.9)63.4
(17.4)54.4
(12.4)44.8
(7.1)59.8
(15.4)Daily mean °F (°C)31.8
(−0.1)33.4
(0.8)39.0
(3.9)47.4
(8.6)56.6
(13.7)65.8
(18.8)71.8
(22.1)71.3
(21.8)65.3
(18.5)55.2
(12.9)46.7
(8.2)37.3
(2.9)51.9
(11.1)Average low °F (°C)24.2
(−4.3)25.9
(−3.4)31.2
(−0.4)39.3
(4.1)48.2
(9)57.6
(14.2)63.6
(17.6)63.3
(17.4)57.3
(14.1)47.0
(8.3)39.1
(3.9)29.7
(−1.3)44.0
(6.7)Record low °F (°C)−6
(−21)−9
(−23)−7
(−22)12
(−11)28
(−2)37
(3)45
(7)41
(5)32
(0)22
(−6)14
(−10)−5
(−21)−9
(−23)Precipitation inches (mm)3.85
(97.8)3.20
(81.3)4.92
(125)4.27
(108.5)3.54
(89.9)3.74
(95)3.04
(77.2)3.98
(101.1)3.69
(93.7)4.09
(103.9)4.32
(109.7)4.30
(109.2)46.94
(1, 192.3)Snowfall inches (cm)5.7
(14.5)8.3
(21.1)3.4
(8.6)0.2
(0.5)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0.2
(0.5)7.5
(19.1)25.3
(64.3)Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)121011121210899101212125Source: Western Regional Climate Center (normals 1981–2010, extremes and snow 1946-2012)[39]Political representation[edit]This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2015)Martha's Vineyard is divided into six towns. Each town is governed by a board of selectmen elected by town voters, along with annual and periodic town meetings. Each town is also a member of the Martha's Vineyard Commission, which regulates island-wide building, environmental, and aesthetic concerns.[citation needed]Some government programs on the island have been regionalized, such as the public school system, emergency management and waste management. There is a growing push for further regionalization areas of law enforcement, water treatment, and possible government regionalization.[citation needed]Each town also follows certain regulations from Dukes County. The towns are:[citation needed]Tisbury, which includes the main village of Vineyard Haven, and the West Chop peninsula. It is the island's primary port of entry for people and cargo, supplemented by the seasonal port in Oak Bluffs.Edgartown, which includes Chappaquiddick island and Katama. Edgartown is noted for its rich whaling tradition, and is the island's largest town by population and area. It is one of the island's "wet" towns.Oak Bluffs is most well known for its gingerbread cottages, open harbor, and its vibrant town along busy Circuit Avenue. Oak Bluffs enjoys a reputation as one of the more active night-life towns on the island for both residents and tourists, and is also a "wet" town. It was known as "Cottage City" from its separation from Edgartown in 1880 until its reincorporation as Oak Bluffs in 1907. Oak Bluffs includes several communities that have been popular destinations for affluent African Americans since the early 20th century.[40] It also includes the East Chop peninsula, Lagoon Heights and Harthaven.West Tisbury is the island's agricultural center, and hosts the well known Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair in late August each year.Chilmark, including the fishing village of Menemsha. Chilmark is also rural and features the island's hilliest terrain.Aquinnah, Aquinnah is home to the Wampanoag Indian tribe and clay cliffs._______________________________________________________________ Why Buy From Chestnut Hill Books? Chestnut Hill Books has a perfect 100% feedback rating dating over 13 years and spanning 18, 000+ transactions, with customers in all 50 states and over 85 countries on 6 continents. 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