From the September 4, 1919 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:

Chilmark was no less attractive in 1880 than now, but there were more sheep, more cattle, more cultivated fields and more inhabitants. Most of the houses contained large families and generous winter supplies.

The roads were rivers of sand, but the oxen, and the hardy, strong little horses, raised on Gay Head, were both useful and ornamental.

Of course you came across unexpected bars of gates on the roads, and the bars were apt to be extra heavy ones, but there was always a warm welcome, and an extra good meal behind them.

Hospitality flourished, and the latch string was always out. Instead of calls you took your work and spent the afternoon or the day.

There were three school houses, all well filled and they were the social centers and well attended, the prayer meetings and entertainments being held there. The strong hand made old fashioned desks and seats were made for solid use, and would hold three comfortably, and some of them bore many distinctive carvings.

The “Menemsha Literary and Musical Society“ was at its best, and provided the social element and fun. It cultivated the dramatic and musical talents of its performers, and every one was sure of an encore, and a good time.

There were also the Mite Meetings, progenitor of the Ladies’ Aid, and held at the different houses where five cent “mites” were collected in a tumbler, and delicious fish, clam, and chicken chowders were made in the well scrubbed family wash boiler, and everybody brought a cake, and helped eat it, to say nothing of the coffee, the games, the fun and the flirtations. Kissing games take the place of dancing.

Tea Lane was the centre of the town for there was the church, the parsonage, and old town hall, and the old no longer used Congregational church on the hill. The wood work of the town hall was carved by squirrels, and the stove-door depended on a brick or log for support.

There was a legend to the effect that the middle road ran over the high, clay hill because the owner of the land round there knew the truth of the old saying that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, and provided a wonderful dinner for the road commission.

When there was sickness there were willing watchers instead of trained nurses, and no need of bringing strangers in. Getting the mail meant harnessing a tired horse, after work, and driving several miles to Tea Lane, there to wait around until the mail arrived and was sorted, and all the addresses read aloud by the postmaster assisted by his wife. No one minded if his paper was read before it was called for by the owner, or was not to be found in its proper place.

The sacred best “front-rooms” abounded in souvenirs from many lands, and from many whales, much of the work carved from whalesteeth and ivory was intricate and artistic. Carpets were for front rooms and green painted floors for the rest of the house.

Ice boating flourished as well as skating, and ice-boat races were always exciting especially where eel-holes were numerous.

There was a long sweep from Quitsa Pond through Menemsha Pond and back, and some matches made on the ice, by moonlight, or firelight. The old people and the children all skated, and the old ladies recalled the fact that it was not considered proper for girls to skate in their young days.

The old graveyard still looks down over the Ponds from its knoll, the ice boats have disappeared, and the skaters scattered and passed on, but the memories remain, and the stories the old folks used to tell, and the flying “carriages run by vasoline,” as one old man described them, can never be as picturesque as old “Tibbie” ambling along drawing the caryall, nor can the young folks have any better fun at the “Movies” or the dance.

This year is reputed to be the biggest year in the number of people who have been entertained on the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. It is certainly the year in which the greatest number of passengers has been transported to the islands, and this record extends to the matter of freight of all kinds handled, even including the number of automobiles. During the months of June and July the number of passengers transported from the mainland ports of New Bedford and Woods Hole to the islands was approximately 44,000. The number of passengers taken to the island during the month of June was about 13,000, while the number taken down during July was about 31,000. The August business will be considerably larger than that during July, possibly as much as June and July combined.

The number of automobiles handled by the three steamers during the month of June was 298, this number including the machines taken in either direction, but largely it represents cars taken to the islands. The number of automobiles carried by the steamers during the month of July was 564, and of this number practically 500 of this number represent machines taken to the islands.

Compiled by Hilary Wallcox

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