Introduction to Martha’s Vineyard History

A fast-paced overview that covers 400 years of Island history, this course takes participants from Bartholomew Gosnold to the present in just six weeks. It explores seldom-told Island stories — why is there a ship buried under Five Corners? why is the deadliest hurricane in Vineyard history nearly forgotten? and what, exactly, happened to Captain Orrock’s clothes? — and examines familiar ones like Grey’s Raid, the whaling era, and Nancy Luce from new angles. MVM research librarian Bow Van Riper uses his storytelling skills and thirty-five years’ experience as a historian, as well as seldom-seen documents and objects from the Museum’s collections, to bring Vineyard history to life.

Thanks to a generous donor, this class is free to all. 

This class is at capacity. To join the waitlist, please email events@mvmuseum.org.