waiting for her husband to return from sea and she's been waiting a loooong time Or the inn where a man happened upon a group of British redcoats enjoying a lively party Or the Tisbury School which just so happens to be haunted The island's history goes way back beginning with the Wampanoag the first known people to live on Martha's Vineyard For over ten thousand years the Wampanoag People inhabited the area their culture and economy centered around fishing farming and whaling Then in 1642 the first European settlement was established on the island Settlement founder Thomas Mayhew named it Great Harbor Today it is known as Edgartown When the Europeans arrived an estimated three thousand Wampanoag lived on the island Within one hundred years however due largely to the spread of new diseases introduced by settlers only a few hundred of the island's original residents remained Though many died during this time some people believe their spirits live on still haunting Martha's Vineyard to this day
But that is only one chapter of the island's spooky story Despite being relatively small Martha's Vineyard is just twenty miles long the island has played an important part in American history When the American Revolutionary War started in 1775 the isolated island outpost was neutral in the conflict That means it did not take sides But when the British Royal Navy arrived on the island's shore their behavior made the residents reconsider their stance in the conflict between the American colonies and King George III British soldiers stole sheep food and weapons from the island's residents and invaded their homes Soon Vineyard patriots banded together to protect their homeland from the British redcoats And some of those redcoats apparently never left
6 The island also played a significant role in the boom of the whaling industry in the early 1800s Whales provided valuable oil and other resources that people needed Successful whalers became very rich At one time the world's largest whale oil candle factory in the world was on Martha's Vineyard However when petroleum was discovered people no longer needed whale blubber to light their lamps and the whaling industry became a less important part of the economy Could some of the Vineyard's odd occurrences be the ghosts of those whaling captains longing for their old maritime adventures Today the island is best known as an East Coast tourist destination At last count there are over twenty thousand people who live on the island all year But in the summer the population of
Martha's Vineyard soars to an estimated two hundred thousand people Visitors travel to the island to enjoy the sandy beaches and historic lighthouses and to gaze at the beautiful Aquinnah Cliffs Is that the wind whistling or could it be the cries of a heartbroken woman who threw herself from the cliffs and vanished beneath the waves With so much history and a vibrant spirit all its own it is not surprising that the island is brimming with paranormal activity So whether you are in Martha's Vineyard for a summer holiday or you live there year round chances are good that you have your own spooktacular tales to share Read on to meet some of the island's best known and well hidden ghosts But should you ever decide to visit this beautiful and charming place be warned Like the ghosts of Martha's Vineyard you may never want to leave
