West Tisbury
The first of the up-island towns, West Tisbury provides a gradual transition from the hustle of down-island to the bucolic tranquility of up-island. Although primarily rural, it still offers a variety of retail businesses along State Road.
You can definitely get away from it all in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard’s traditional farming community. All of the Vineyard takes its flora and fauna seriously, but never more so than in West Tisbury, where the trees that canopy the roads have a special protected status. The Island’s leading conservation groups all have properties within the town boundaries where visitors can take easy, peaceful hikes of varying durations.
West Tisbury Photo Gallery
The combination of community, farmland, ocean beaches (hidden from view down sometimes impassable dirt roads that feel a little like washboards to drive) and hundreds of sheep and cows have inspired artists for years. The area is home to the Long Point Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest publicly accessible properties on the Vineyard.
West Tisbury is home to a number of Vineyard artists, and some of them have galleries – marked by roadside signs – in their homes. The Town hosts the annual Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair, and also draws crowds every summer-season weekend to the Farmers Market and Artisans Fair held at the historic Grange Hall.
Originally, West Tisbury was part of Tisbury. It incorporated as a separate town in 1892. Today it includes the communities of North Tisbury and Christiantown.
Michael Blanchard