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"WELCOME
to the
Town Hall"
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The
History of the Town of Tisbury
1671 to 2002 |
The Settlement of Tisbury was
chartered by the Governor General of New York , Francis Lovelace, on July 8, 1671, during
and under the reign of King James, Duke of York, England. It comprised approximately what
is now known as Tisbury and West Tisbury.
The current town seal represents the quitrent paid
under the terms of the charter, which was an acknowledgement of the dominion of the Duke
of York over the Vineyard and other islands: "Six barrels of marketable codfish, viz,
two barrels each Patent, measuring two each for Edgartown, Tisbury, And the Manor of
Tisbury, to be paid at the bridge in New York, annually." The word Takemmy, which
appears on the seal, is the name that the Indians used to describe the Island.
Tisbury is named for Martha's Vineyard Governor
Mayhew's home town in Wiltshire, England.
Around 1673, the settlers of the Vineyard grew
disenchanted with the governance of Governor Mayhew and petitioned the new governor of New
York, appointed by William and Mary, the rulers of England at the time, for a change
in leadership. Shortly thereafter, the Island was attached to Massachusetts by the
new rulers.
Tisbury was incorporated as a town in 1741.
What we know as the town of Tisbury was originally
known as Homes Hole, and then Holmes Hole. By 1850, the village of Holmes Hole had become
a thriving community, partly due to the harbor's marine railways which were capable of
hauling large vessels, a sail-loft, ship-chandleries, and two boat-yards on Lagoon pond.
In 1871, by vote of town meeting, the name of the
village of Holmes Hole was changed to Vineyard Haven.
In 1892, the old settlement of Tisbury was divided
into two towns by an act of legislature. Thus came into being the villages of West
Tisbury and Vineyard Haven.
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