West Tisbury dates to 1669, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
More historic than 59% of U.S. towns · #271 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Most of West Tisbury was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1985. Its Register listing is the Old Mill. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1889 on, and the census since 1900.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1829.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives West Tisbury’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Tisbury is more historic than 59% of U.S. towns, #271 of 283 in Massachusetts. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of West Tisbury’s overall grade.
Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so West Tisbury’s 3.2 sits below most of its state (18% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.8 points). Two sources give 1669.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about West Tisbury’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
West Tisbury was first settled by English settlers in 1669 as part of the town of Tisbury. The town was officially incorporated in 1892, the last town on Martha's Vineyard to be incorporated. Despite its separation from Tisbury, the original settlement of the town is still located in West Tisbury. Historically, it has been the agricultural heartland of the island. Up through the 1980s West Tisbury was one of the quickest growing communities on the island.
Passages that mention West Tisbury, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts1911Read the page →
Read the text
The town of Tisbury, incorporated July 8, 167 1, included the present town of West Tisbury, the region originally settled by the early proprietors, — and the limits of the town remained intact, territorially, until May i, 1892, when as a result of a long continued agitation, the old town was divided. The portion formerly known as Homes Hole Neck retained the corporate name and ancient records of Tisbury, and the settlement at West Tisbury, where the town had its first
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts1911 · page 97Read the page →
Read the text
As a result of a church feud the members of this denomination living in the old village of West Tisbury seceded from the Middletown society in 1852, and aided by popular subscription the meeting-house now standing on the Edgartown road was built. Rev. Jesse Pease was the leading spirit in the enterprise and was its first pastor, remaining five years.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
West Tisbury, 1669 to 2020
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1669, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. West Tisbury’s post office opened in 1829, and the census of 1900 counted 442 people here.
How does West Tisbury rank for history?
West Tisbury is more historic than 59% of U.S. towns, #271 of 283 in Massachusetts. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in West Tisbury?
One place: the Old Mill (listed 1984).
How old are the homes in West Tisbury?
6% of West Tisbury’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1985.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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