Inheriting the Past - Preserving the Future

In 1835, Jeremiah Pease gathered six men from the Edgartown Methodist church to inspect a location in a "venerable grove of oaks" as a possible location for a religious camp meeting. Thus began the history of the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association. The first camp meeting was held here in a clearing with a makeshift podium and seating on August 24, 1835. By 1860, on the grounds of the meeting location, nine tents pitched in 1835 had become a seasonal community of over 500 tents of all kinds. By this time the service and meeting attendees numbered over 12,000. From 1862-1880 additional acreage was purchased by the Association and people began to arrive earlier in the season to enjoy the nearby beaches and breathtaking countryside before the traditional camp meetings in August. At this time, nearly all of the present-day "gingerbread" cottages were built. Today the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association has expanded to cover over 34 acres where 315 cottages vibrantly decorate the grove.

The crown jewel and focal point of the camp ground is the historic Tabernacle, which has origins dating back to 1869. Originally a great tent made of 4,000 yards of sail cloth was raised to shelter the meeting area. In 1879, as attendance continued to grow and activities and events under the tent filled the summer days- the present iron structure was built. At the Tabernacle's 1979 centennial celebration, the Tabernacle and the entire campground was named to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1994 careful inspection revealed that major structural repairs were necessary if the Tabernacle were to remain standing for the next century. Renovations began immediately and were made possible thanks to funding from the Tabernacle Restoration Fund. Comprehensive renovations to the entire structure, including Victorian metal shingles, stained glass windows, and interior and exterior woodworking, in addition to lighting and sound system upgrades will be completed in the near future. The primary goals of this ongoing project are to preserve the Tabernacle's architectural integrity while using state of the art technology to protect the underlying structure. In order to achieve and maintain these goals, the Restoration Fund Executive Committee has allotted funds for the continual maintenance of the Tabernacle for years to come. The structure is a monument to religious, architectural, community and cultural history on Martha's Vineyard. The Tabernacle is undoubtedly one of the most valued gems on the Island, which both Islanders and visitors enjoy throughout the summer season as it hosts rock and orchestral concerts, community sings, art shows, high school graduations, Sunday services and fairs. Contributions may be donated to the maintainance of this magnificent structure in a lump sum pledge or over as many as three years. They may be sent to P.O. Box 367, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.

©1999 Best Read Guide/Martha's Vineyard
P.O. Box 66 (34 S. Summer St.) - Edgartown, MA 02653