Category Archives: Vineyard Towns

Aquinnah, Feature, Martha's Vineyard, Things To Do, Water Front, Water View

Why is the Gay Head Light So Famous?

December 31, 2015 Sandpiper Rentals Staff Leave a comment

If you’ve been to Martha’s Vineyard, you’ve probably heard someone mention the Gay Head Light. This 170-foot tall lighthouse, located in Aquinnah, first opened in 1799. A few years before, in 1796, Senator Peleg Coffin requested the lighthouse be built to guide ships past a dangerous range of underwater rocks known as “The Devil’s Bridge.” They undertook a study to determine its necessity and found that more than 80,000 ships passed that particular area every year. In 1798, the United States Congress under President John Adams (a Massachusetts native!) approved the lighthouse’s construction.

The Gay Head Light almost met its ruin in the 1970s and 1980s. The U.S. Coast Guard, the group charged with maintaining the lighthouses, designated the Gay Head Light for destruction (along with two other Martha’s Vineyard lighthouses: East Chop and the Edgartown Harbor Light). Lighthouses, it seems, are expensive to maintain – and thanks to the increasing prevalence of satellite navigation systems, they’re also largely surplus to requirements these days. Thankfully, people took notice of its impending destruction and stood up to save this beautiful structure.

Saving the Gay Head Light

The Vineyard Environmental Research Institute (VERI) petitioned the government to obtain control of the lighthouses. In 1985, the U.S. Coast Guard transferred control of all three lighthouses (Gay Head, East Chop, and Edgartown Harbor Light) to VERI, who took control of management and maintenance. This marked the first time in American history that the government has transferred control of an active lighthouse to a private institution. In 1994, VERI transferred the light to the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society (now known as the Martha’s Vineyard Museum).

In 1985 (before it transferred to the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society), VERI and a litany of private donors set about restoring the lighthouse: replacing broken glass, removing toxic mold, fixing issues with the bricks, and so on. Since then, the lighthouse has hosted a number of famous visitors, the most notable being the Obamas, who received a guided tour in August of 2009 (making Barack Obama the second president, after Calvin Coolidge, to tour the Gay Head Light). Other famous visitors include comedian, Dennis Miller; Senator Ted Kennedy and his daughter, Caroline Kennedy; singer/songwriter, Carly Simon; and many more.

In mid-2015, the Gay Head Lighthouse Committee worked with the town of Aquinnah to relocate the lighthouse 129 feet from its original location. Its current location is a safe distance from the eroding cliffs (180 feet), and geologists estimate it won’t be threatened again until the 2160s.

Visiting the Gay Head Light

The Gay Head Light has been open to the public since it opened. Today, the lighthouse gives guided tours during the summer months (July – October 12^th, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., and some Thursday evenings). Tickets are $5 for adults. Museum members and children get in free. To learn more about the Gay Head Light, visit the Martha’s Vineyard Museum website.

If you’re heading this way, give the Sandpiper Rentals website a thorough look. We offer outstanding property rentals across Martha’s Vineyard. Whatever you’re looking for, we’ve probably got it. If you need help with your search, don’t hesitate to send us an email. We’ll be more than happy to assist you!

Events, Martha's Vineyard, Things To Do, Vineyard Haven

Vineyard Playhouse Shows Shouldn’t Be Missed

December 10, 2015 Sandpiper Rentals Staff Leave a comment

Love theater? Check out the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, located in beautiful Vineyard Haven, MA. The Playhouse, built in 1833, served a variety of purposes in its early life: a public meeting house, an Episcopal church, a Masonic lodge, and more. In 1982, Eileen Wilson and Isabella McKamy founded the theater and, in 1993, moved it to its current Church Street location. Since then, the building has been completely renovated and restored, and even expanded to better serve the cast, crew, and guests.

The Playhouse features a wide variety of plays, ranging from the Bard to modern-day tales by promising young talents, like Barney Norris. Mr. Norris won the 2014 Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright. In April 2015, the Playhouse featured his play, “Visitors,” which The Independent called “a play made with love.” Fans of classic works will enjoy productions by Shakespeare (King John, Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night, Henry IV, Henry V, Julius Caesar, and more) and Tennessee Williams. If you’d like to learn more about their productions, visit The Vineyard Playhouse’s Production History.

The excitement at the Vineyard Playhouse extends beyond the stage; the Marilyn Meyerhoff Lobby hosts a variety of fun events throughout the year. This October, the lobby hosted a Poetry Café. The $10 invent included a beverage, a slice of pie, and, of course, readings from local poets. It’s also a popular spot for book releases and stories. Be sure to keep an eye on the Lobby Events page.

If you’re there in the summer, be sure to check out The Fabulists. The Fabulists are a troupe of Playhouse actors performing hilarious script adaptations for children every Saturday during the summer. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, and the laughs are guaranteed! Visit The Fabulists webpage to learn more.

Speaking of children, the Vineyard Playhouse also offers Theater Arts Camp. If you’re heading to Martha’s Vineyard for a week in summer, why not enroll your kids in a fun-filled theater experience? The camps are for children ages 7-13, and run from early July through late August (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.). You can view their contact information here.

Come out and join the fun at the Vineyard Playhouse! You never know who might appear! At one single play, the premier of Edward Beck’s “Sweetened Water,” the Playhouse hosted actress and former Miss America Vanessa Williams, actress Amy Irving (Carrie, Yentl, Traffic), and fashion designer Kenneth Cole.

If any (or all) of this interest you, we encourage you to read the Vineyard Playhouse’s theater news and reviews page.

And if you’re heading this way, be sure to reserve your accommodations through Sandpiper Rentals. Our Martha’s Vineyard vacation rentals are ideal for relaxing and unwinding in between all of the great activities you can participate in during your time on the island. Our rental properties are located all over Martha’s Vineyard, so you can choose to stay on your favorite part of the island. Whether you want to be right in town or more isolated, we have the perfect rental for you. Our homes are all unique, yet they all offer comfortable accommodations and luxurious amenities. Visit our website to check availability and learn about all of our services!

Martha's Vineyard, Martha's Vineyard Artisans, Things To Do, West Tisbury

Why Is the Grange Hall in West Tisbury So Special?

December 3, 2015 Sandpiper Rentals Staff Leave a comment

Like beautiful, historic buildings? Then the Grange Hall in West Tisbury is a must-see. This historic post-and-beam building, constructed in 1859 by the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, housed the Agricultural Fair until 1994. In 1997, the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust purchased the property and restored it to its present (beautiful!) condition.

These days, the Grange Hall hosts a variety of events, and is even a popular spot for wedding receptions. It recently hosted an antique show, an all-Martha’s Vineyard artisan fair, and the West Tisbury farmers’ market. In summer, the farmers’ market is open every Wednesday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The winter market operates on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can view a complete schedule here, along with a listing of the dozens of vendors providing their delicious goods. Be sure to stop by and sample freshly-made chocolates, tea, and perhaps even stock up on some locally made jam.

After the Grange Hall in West Tisbury…

After you’ve explored the Grange Hall, why not explore some other historic West Tisbury sites? Stop by the Old Sculpin Gallery and view artwork crafted by some of the Vineyard’s finest artists. If you time it just right, the gallery hosts an All-Vineyard Art Show, featuring prizes for oils, pastels, watercolors, collages, and photography. They also offer workshops for parents and children in drawing, etching, and various forms of painting. You can learn more about the Old Sculpin Gallery by visiting their website.

How magical is Martha’s Vineyard? It has Flying Horses! Flying Horses is an authentic 19^th century carousel located in Oak Bluffs. It is, in fact, America’s oldest platform carousel, and is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Rides cost a mere $2.50, but all jockeys have the chance to win a free ride if they can catch the brass ring. Stop by and enjoy a whirl on this beautiful (and unique) piece of American history!

We urge all visitors to check out the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust website. The Preservation Trust currently owns and maintains twenty properties on Martha’s Vineyard, ranging from art galleries, to old general stores, to farms, libraries, churches, and more. One of their properties, the Village Green in Edgartown, has served as a common green space for 350 years. Today, it is a small park, and connects four commercial streets. Give the Preservation Trust website a look and plan a few daytrips around this beautiful island.

In short, the Grange Hall in West Tisbury is just one of many beautiful buildings to see. If you’re coming, be sure to reserve your accommodations through Sandpiper Rentals. Our Martha’s Vineyard vacation rentals are ideal for relaxing and unwinding in between all of the great activities you can participate in during your time on the island. Our rental properties are located all over Martha’s Vineyard, so you can choose to stay on your favorite part of the island. Whether you want to be right in town or more isolated, we have the perfect rental for you. Our homes are all unique, yet they all offer comfortable accommodations and luxurious amenities. Visit our website to check availability and learn about all of our services!