Martha's Vineyard - Cape Cod2010 Population: 15,005 est. Martha's Vineyard, the largest resort island in New England, was formed by glacial action 10,000 years ago and lies 7 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. The Island is roughly shaped like a triangle with its base the straight south shore. It is 9 miles wide and 23 miles long at its furthest points and has a total land area of approximately 100 square miles. The Vineyard has 124.6 miles of tidal shoreline. There are 6 towns on Martha's Vineyard; three up-Island towns, Aquinnah (Gay Head), Chilmark and West Tisbury, and three down-Island towns, Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. The terms "up-Island" and "down-Island" are nautical terms referring to longitude on a map. |
BRADY'S BED & BREAKFAST
Bradys NESW Bed & Breakfast is a lovingly restored Victorian house that has been in the family since 1929. Just 500 feet from Nantucket Sound, it is perfectly situated for a quick morning dip, and just a walk from a long sandy beach. Bradys is within easy walking distance of Oak Bluffs shops and restaurants, the ferry, tennis courts, and bike and car rentals.
Bradys NESW Bed & Breakfast is open all year. "Let your mind go barefoot" - come and be my guest in any of our distinctly beautiful island seasons.
P.O.Box 197, 10 Canonicus Avenue, Oak Bluffs, MA
phone: 508-693-9137
1-888-693-9137
map / details
| Cape Cod downgraded to a state of mild drought Tuesday July 15, 2025 |
| CAPE COD ? The Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs has downgraded the Cape Cod Region to a state of Mild Drought, ending a run of significant drought going back to January. Nantucket County also remains in a state of mild drought, while Dukes County returns to normal conditions, joining the rest of the [?]
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| Nantucket announces settlement in connection to last summer's Vineyard Wind debris incident Monday July 14, 2025 |
| NANTUCKET ? The Town of Nantucket has reached a settlement with GE Vernova for compensation of the losses resulting from last summer's Vineyard Wind turbine blade failure. The town says the total amount is $10.5 million. The July 13th, 2024 incident scattered foam, fiberglass and other debris along Nantucket's shores, as well as other parts [?]
The post Nantucket announces settlement in connection to last summer's Vineyard Wind debris incident appeared first on CapeCod.com. |
| LISTEN: Sharks in Woods Hole, bite on Nantucket, more with John Chisolm Friday July 11, 2025 |
| capecodcom · Sharks in Woods Hole, bite on Nantucket, more with John Chisolm A 21-year-old man on Nantucket catch-and-release fishing for sharks suffered a bite and is recovering. New England Aquarium scientist John Chisolm says shore-based fishing is a growing sport, especially for sharks, but state regulations are tightening to ensure safety. Changes clamp down [?]
The post LISTEN: Sharks in Woods Hole, bite on Nantucket, more with John Chisolm appeared first on CapeCod.com. |
| Guardians of New England Heritage: The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands Thursday July 10, 2025 |
| Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket?these iconic New England locales are not just summer destinations but the cradles of some of America's earliest colonial settlements. To preserve and celebrate the legacy of those who first settled in this unique region, a lineage society known as The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands (DCCI) was founded. This society brings together individuals who trace their ancestry to the early founders of Barnstable County and the surrounding islands, helping to keep this rich regional history alive for future generations.
Founding of The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands was formally established in 2005 as a nonprofit lineage society. It was founded by a group of genealogists and historians with deep family roots in southeastern Massachusetts. Their goal was to create an organization that would honor and preserve the heritage of families who helped shape the cultural and historical identity of the Cape and Islands region, which includes:
Cape Cod
Martha's Vineyard
Nantucket
Elizabeth Islands
The society reflects a growing interest in regional lineage organizations?groups that focus on specific geographic areas rather than national figures or wars?providing a more localized and community-based lens into early American life.
Purpose and Mission
The mission of the DCCI is threefold:
To identify and honor the descendants of the early settlers of Cape Cod and the Islands.
To encourage the study of the early history of the region through research, writing, and education.
To preserve historical sites, records, and stories connected to the colonial era in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket Counties.
The society also supports genealogical research and collaborates with historical societies and libraries throughout the region to ensure that vital records and family histories are conserved and accessible.
Who Qualifies as a Descendant?
To become a member of DCCI, individuals must prove direct lineal descent from a settler who lived in Cape Cod or the islands before the year 1700. These settlers include those who:
Arrived with or soon after the Mayflower,
Migrated from Plymouth Colony to Cape Cod towns,
Established early island settlements like Edgartown, Nantucket, and Falmouth.
Early settlers eligible for lineage documentation include prominent family names such as:
Freeman (Sandwich)
Hinckley (Barnstable)
Mayhew (Martha's Vineyard)
Starbuck and Coffin (Nantucket)
Applicants are required to submit primary genealogical documentation, including birth, marriage, and death records, wills, land deeds, and church registers.
Historical Significance of the Region
Cape Cod and the Islands hold a special place in colonial American history. Some highlights include:
1620: The Mayflower made its first landfall at Provincetown, where the Mayflower Compact was signed before the settlers moved on to Plymouth.
1630s?1650s: English Puritans settled Cape towns such as Barnstable, Sandwich, Yarmouth, and Eastham.
1642 onward: Thomas Mayhew Sr. and Thomas Mayhew Jr. established settlements on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, initiating early missionary work among the Wampanoag.
The region became a hub for whaling, shipbuilding, and commerce throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
Preserving this early colonial footprint is central to the DCCI's mission.
Activities and Preservation Efforts
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands engage in a variety of activities:
Hosting annual meetings and conferences with speakers on colonial New England history.
Supporting genealogical publications, including family group sheets and transcriptions of early records.
Placing historic markers at cemeteries and significant homes.
Partnering with organizations such as the Cape Cod Genealogical Society and the Nantucket Historical Association.
Members also contribute to newsletters and collaborative research projects and are encouraged to submit their own family stories for publication.
Sources
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands ? Official Website
Cape Cod Genealogical Society
Philbrick, Nathaniel. Away Off Shore: Nantucket Island and Its People, 1602?1890. Penguin Books, 2003.
Martha's Vineyard Museum ? Archives and Colonial Collections
Conclusion
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands offers more than just a connection to the past?it provides a living legacy of coastal resilience, community-building, and historical preservation. For those with ancestral ties to the sandy shores and windswept harbors of southeastern Massachusetts, DCCI offers a unique way to celebrate and safeguard the memory of the region's earliest European settlers.
If your family tree reaches back to Barnstable, the Vineyard, or Nantucket before 1700, you may find yourself part of a story that helped shape the very roots of American history.
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Next Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Cape News Update at 14:30 AM EST
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