Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard

Oak Bluffs

Pre-Colonial Native Americans once subsisted in Oak Bluffs through fishing. In 1667, the first permanent European colony was established. Subsistence farming, fishing and shellfishing helped support those early settlers.

In 1835, Island Methodists chose an oak grove on the edge of Squash Meadow for its first camp meeting. Groups of church members first stayed in tents for several days, then families began bringing their own tents to the weekend retreats.

In 1835, all the attendees stayed in nine tents. By 1858, 12,000 people attended these revival meetings. They also attracted Protestant and Roman Catholics. In the late 1850's, regular visitors replaced their tents with ornate Gothic cottages. Oak Bluffs’ first major hotel opened in the 1860's.

During the 19th century, Oak Bluffs saw convergent development of a secular seaside resort and the continuation of these religious summer revivals.
Today, Oak Bluffs has fully integrated its past, and remains true to the roots of its Camp Gothic Revival contribution to historic architecture.