The Wooly History of Martha’s Vineyard
March 4–25, 2026
The Wooly History of Martha’s Vineyard
The Wooly History of Martha’s Vineyard
If you’ve ever wondered why Martha’s Vineyard looks the way it does—and why sheep show up so often in its history—this series has answers.
For nearly two centuries, wool was one of the Island’s most important resources, shaping its economy, landscape, and daily life. In this four-week lecture series, local historians Bow Van Riper and Norah Van Riper trace the overlooked story of sheep and wool on Martha’s Vineyard, from early colonization through the profound agricultural shifts of the 19th century.
Rather than treating sheep as a quaint footnote, this series places them at the center of the Island’s history—examining how flocks outnumbered people, transformed forests into pastureland, fueled household economies, and became deeply entangled with war, trade, technology, and changing markets. Week by week, the lectures explore moments of adaptation and disruption, revealing how a single animal helped shape the Vineyard’s social and physical landscape.
Designed for curious residents, seasonal Islanders, and anyone interested in how everyday life and economic survival shaped the Island, The Wooly History of Martha’s Vineyard offers context, not trivia. No prior knowledge is required—just a willingness to look closely at how history unfolds through labor, land use, and the often-unnoticed forces that quietly change a place.
NEW: Join us at 4pm at First Light Cafe in our Linnemann Pavilion to purchase drinks, light bites, and mix with Museum staff and fellow attendees before the program!
Wednesdays, March 5–25, 2026
5pm-6:30pm
Individual Tickets:
MVM Members: $15; Non-Members: $25
Full Series:
MVM Members: $55; Non-Members: $95
Photo by Lexi Van Valkenburgh, originally featured in her exhibition in the Museum’s Community Gallery, ‘Mermaid Farm: Beauty + Struggle‘
THE SCHEDULE
March 4
The British (Ovine) Invasion
Sheep shaped Vineyard history from the arrival of English colonists through the 19th century. How did they become so central to Island life and economy?
Led primarily by Norah Van Riper
March 11
Raising Sheep for Fun (?) and Profit
From wool and meat to milk and manure, sheep were hardworking contributors to household survival and profit in the preindustrial world.
Led primarily by Norah Van Riper
March 18
Sheep-Shaped Landscapes & Water-Powered Relief
For 200 years, sheep transformed forests into pastureland—until textile mills and new technologies began to change the Island’s agricultural balance.
Led primarily by Bow Van Riper
March 25
Unraveling
As markets and technologies shifted, sheep farming declined and dairy cattle rose. Why the change—and what did it mean for the Vineyard?
Led primarily by Bow Van Riper