Martha’s Vineyard Trivia

• Martha’s Vineyard is part of the Elizabeth Islands archipelago
• Martha’s Vineyard is the only community sanctioned by the U.S. Federal Government to have a possessive apostrophe in its place name
• Down Island/Up Island Towns – are geographic descriptions that come from the Vineyard’s extensive nautical history. The terms refer to the closer proximity of the “down island towns” to Greenwich, UK – where the global standard for time is measured from the 0 degrees longitude position
• East and West Chop Lighthouses guard both sides of the entrance to Vineyard Haven Harbor. The “Chops” are so called due to the choppy waters converging at the head of the harbor
• During the spring, in the evening, listen for the call of the Vineyard’s small tree frog (a.k.a., the “pinkletink”). Now you know the meaning behind the name of the snack bar at our Mattakesett Activities Center
• Triangular-shaped, the Island is 20 miles long by 9 miles wide
• Hand-carved in New York City in 1876, the “Flying Horses Carousel” in Oak Bluffs is the oldest continuously operating carousel in the country
• The movie “Jaws” was filmed on Martha’s Vineyard in 1974
• There are over 30 working farms on the island; make sure you visit one for fresh, local produce
• Slow down Speedy! The maximum speed limit on the island is 45 MPH
• Martha’s Vineyard is the nation’s second most popular wedding destination. Las Vegas is first