1856 Sturtevant and Bufford View of Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard

This is a striking 1856 bird's-eye view of Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard, by William H. Sturtevant and J. H. Bufford. It depicts Vineyard Haven when it was emerging as a center of whaling and a stop on the Underground Railroad.

A Closer Look

The view looks on Vineyard Haven from the sandspit to the east that separates the harbor from Lagoon Pond. It presents a simple but prosperous town with a busy sheltered harbor. In the foreground a steam ferry brings passengers from the mainland. Travelers on foot and horseback ply the roads. A carter, with an empty wagon, makes his way to the docks. In the midground, a crowd and a carriage wait at the dock - tourists?

Vineyard Haven / Holmes Hole

Holmes Hole is the former name of Vineyard Haven. The name 'Holmes Hole' was applied to the site in 1602 by English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold (1571 - 1607), after one of his crew members, Gabriel Holmes. It was first settled by English colonists in 1669 and incorporated in 1671. When this view was issued, in the mid-19th century, Vineyard Haven was emerging as a center of shipbuilding, whaling, shipping, and commerce. Also, around this time, the town became associated with the abolitionist movement, with Frederick Douglass residing there in 1856. In 1871, it was renamed Vineyard Haven in 1871 as part of a larger effort to standardize Martha's Vineyard place names. Much of Vineyard Haven as seen here was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1883, which consumed some 72 buildings and 40-acres of land around Main Street. The Methodist Church, here depicted as the high point at center, burnt to the ground in 1922. Today, Vineyard Haven is a popular destination for tourists, offering quaint shops, restaurants, and scenic views of the island's beautiful coastline.

American Bird's-Eye City Views

The Bird's-Eye view industry emerged in the United States in the middle part of the 19th century and coincided with the commercial development of lithographic printing. Before the rise of lithography, the ability to own and display artwork in the home was largely limited to the extremely wealthy, but the advent of lithographic printing made it possible for everyone to own visually striking artwork. A robust trade developed in portraits of political leaders, allegorical and religious images, and city views.

City views were being produced in the United States as early as the 1830s, but the genre exploded after the American Civil War (1861 - 1865). Bridging the gap between maps and pictures, most 19th century American bird's-eye views presented cities to the public from highpoints. Some were imagined, but others were drawn from hot-air balloons or nearby hills. The presentation, combining high elevation, commercial interest, and new printing technology created a uniquely American artform, as described by historian Donald Karshan,

Some print connoisseurs believe that it was only with the advent of the full-blown city-view lithograph that American printmaking reached its first plateau of originality, making a historical contribution to the graphic arts. They cite the differences between the European city-view prints and the expansive American version that reflects a new land and a new attitude toward the land.

The vogue for bird's-eye city views lasted from about 1845 to 1920, during which period some 2,400 cities were thus portrayed, some multiple times. Although views were produced in many urban centers, the nexus of view production in the United States was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The major American viewmakers were Stoner, Wellge, Bailey, Fowler, Hill Ruger, Koch, Burleigh, Norris, and Morse, among others.

Publication History and Census

This view was drawn by William Henry Sturtevant, a Congregational minister living in then Holmes' Hole. It was lithographed and published by J. H. Bufford. Scarce. Reps locates examples at the Dukes County Historical Society, Boston Athenaeum, and the New York Historical Society. No market history for other examples.