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1894 Map of Marthas Vineyard

Name: 1894 Topographic Map of Marthas Vineyard
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1898
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1898

About this map

Vineyard Haven and the busy harbor at Edgartown anchor this late-19th-century study of the island's eastern and central regions. The map highlights a coastal landscape defined by its maritime infrastructure, including West Chop Light, East Chop Light, and the Cape Poge Light marking the entrance to Edgartown Harbor. Inland, the settlement patterns of Tisbury and the former town of Cottage City (now Oak Bluffs) are visible, connected by primitive road networks that navigate the island's numerous coastal ponds.

Familiar landmarks such as Indian Hill and Sampson Hill on Chappaquiddick provide topographical context alongside the intricate southern shoreline. This coast is characterized by a series of long, narrow fingers of water like Long Cove and Deep Bottom Cr., illustrating the post-glacial geology that shaped the island’s southern Great Ponds. The presence of Katama at the edge of Katama Bay suggests the early recreational and agricultural importance of these coastal plains before more modern developments took hold.