East Chop - There have been many upgrades in the last several years, including; a new roof and windows, new downstairs bathroom with warm floor tiles, a rebuilt porch, shingling, painting and an updated kitchen with all the conveniences to help make it as warm and comfortable in the spring and fall (with the fireplace's Vermont Casting propane stove) as it is in the summer. Many guests return year after year in the summer or for off-season weeks. Others come back intermittently for weddings, romantic weekends, and family gatherings. Everyone seems to race to their favorite bedroom upon arrival to secure it for themselves!
Our former Methodist Campground cottage was moved from downtown Oak Bluffs by horse and cart, around the harbor and up the hill to East Chop Highlands sometime before 1896. Photos of the house in 1896 and 1910 adorn the walls for historical perspective.
The house has been added onto extensively since its move. The photograph from 1896 shows the house with old gingerbread trim on a gabled end, a balcony that no longer exists, as well as an old woman sitting in a rocker on the porch. Her age in the picture and the age of the photo indicate that she may have been born around the time of Jefferson's presidency. An extensive description of the house and how it has been renovated over the decades appears in the back of the 'Guide to East Chop Families'' written by Jane Meleney Coe.
The house is fully equipped in the kitchen, in the dining room, on the porches and for beach picnics, as well as on the deck where barbecuing and dinner under the stars is a favorite activity. The house is ready for your laptop with wireless broadband service. The living room has a flat screen TV with cable and a boom box equipped with a tuner.
Outside furniture, beach chairs and numerous beach toys are available in the basement, which is near the hot and cold water outside shower and changing area. There is a rowboat and a Sunfish sailboat for use in either the harbor or off of Oak Bluff's public Jetty Beach if requested in advance. Trips to town are easy for walkers or bikers, and local restaurants, like the Ocean View, and convenient newspaper, food and liquor stores like Our Market and Tony's Market are close at hand. The house has a nice lawn with an underground sprinkler system. A hammock is hidden in the woods, and bird feeders and innovative ''yard art'' sculptures grace the gentle setting.
Please contact the owner via email for questions you may have. We hope you plan a visit to our summer home this year.
Golf:
There are four golf courses & a mini-golf on the island:
Mink Meadows, Vineyard Haven - Public 9 holes;
Farm Neck, Oak Bluffs - Public 18 holes;
Edgartown Country Club, Edgartown - Private 18 holes;
Vineyard Golf Club, Edgartown; Private 18 holes;
Island Cove Mini-Golf.
Other Activities:
Bike & Nature Trails, Beaches, Charter Fishing, Shellfishing, Kayaking, Beach Picnics, Concerts, Car Shows, Fishing Tournaments, Golf, Art Galleries! There are endless interests available on Martha's Vineyard for couples or families to enjoy.
