1944 Map of Tisbury Great Pond

About this map

The south shore of Martha’s Vineyard in the early 1940s is defined by its complex system of coastal ponds and finger-like coves. Tisbury Great Pond dominates the center of this 1942 survey, showing the intricate network of inlets such as Deep Bottom Cove, Tiah Cove, and Middle Point Cove. The landscape transitions from the higher ground of Ridge Hill in the west down toward the flat, low-lying coastal plains of Scrubby Neck. Small settlements and named locales like Quansoo, Tississa, and Nabs Corner are linked by a network of historic thoroughfares including Kings Highway, South Road, and Middle Road. This mapping captures the island's rural character before extensive modern development, documenting the numerous smaller water bodies like Homer Pond, Oyster Pond, and Paqua Pond that line the Atlantic Ocean frontage.