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1894 Map of Marthas Vineyard

Name: 1894 Topographic Map of Marthas Vineyard
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1927
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1927

About this map

Vineyard Sound and Nantucket Sound define the rugged coastal geometry of this late 19th-century island landscape. The map captures a moment when the island's eastern shores were transitioning into prominent summer destinations, with Cottage City and Oak Bluffs showing dense residential grids adjacent to Lagoon Pond. Further south, the maritime heritage of the island is anchored by Edgartown and its surrounding waters, including the expansive Chappaquiddick and Katama Bay.

Evidence of early infrastructure is prominent, notably the M. V. R. R. rail line connecting Edgartown to the coastal settlement at Katama. The interior and western portions of the island, encompassing West Tisbury and Chilmark, retain a more rural character with family-named landmarks like Indian Hill and Sachem Spring. The southern shore is defined by a series of brackish coastal ponds, such as Tisbury Great Pond and Edgartown Great Pond, separated from the Atlantic by narrow barrier beaches.