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Vintage map documenting shipwrecks around Martha’s Vineyard
Analysis of a historic shipwreck map reveals dangerous waters around Martha's Vineyard. Over 70 documented wrecks from 1829 to 1921 tell the story.
A vintage map titled Marine Disasters of Martha's Vineyard lists over 70 shipwrecks across nearly a century, from 1829 to 1921. Here is what is on it, and what it says about these waters.
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The historical map organizes shipwrecks by geographic regions around Martha's Vineyard. Each entry includes the vessel name, type, and year of disaster.
The clusters on the map show where the danger was:
1898 stands out: about 20 of the wrecks listed here date from that year. Most of them went down in a single storm: the Portland Gale of November 26–27, 1898, which drove a fleet of coasting schooners ashore in Vineyard Haven harbor.
Schooners represent the vast majority of wrecks (over 80%), reflecting their common use in coastal trade during this era. Bark and brig vessels make up most of the remainder.
Many wrecks occurred during winter months when storms were most severe and visibility was poorest. The combination of rough seas, fog, and inadequate weather forecasting made navigation extremely dangerous.
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The wreck of the SS City of Columbus remains one of Martha's Vineyard's worst maritime disasters, claiming over 100 lives when it struck Devil's Bridge reef. This tragedy led to significant improvements in navigational aids and maritime safety protocols.
A few names show up under both the west and south coast and the Chilmark shore, with the same year each time: Beulah (1921), Pauline's Fancy (1866) and Portugal (1915). Most likely each is one wreck listed for both stretches of coast, since the two areas meet along the island's southwest corner.
The first-order Fresnel lens that once lit the Gay Head Light now fills its own two-story pavilion at the Martha's Vineyard Museum.
These shipwrecks occurred during a critical period in maritime history when sailing vessels were transitioning to steam power. The predominance of schooners reflects the importance of coastal trade routes that passed by Martha's Vineyard.
The concentration of wrecks in 1898 coincides with increased maritime traffic and the continued reliance on visual navigation methods. Many vessels were caught unprepared for sudden weather changes or navigational errors in poorly charted waters.
Each wreck contributed to improvements in maritime safety, from better lighthouse placement to enhanced rescue capabilities. The establishment of Life-Saving Service stations around the island was directly influenced by these tragic losses.
The lantern room of East Chop Light at dusk. The island's lighthouses still mark the same water that claimed so many ships.
Today many of these wreck sites draw recreational divers and marine archaeologists.
Modern navigation has made wrecks like these rare, but the same shoals and the same weather are still out there.
The map is a plain record of how hard these waters were on sailing ships for more than a century: over 70 wrecks, most of them working schooners, and 1898 alone accounts for about 20 of them, most in the Portland Gale of late November.
The names are worth reading slowly. Every line on the map was a boat and a crew.
Step 1 · WhenMonth PickerTwelve months compared on NOAA numbers, crowds, prices and what is open. 
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Step 3 · CostTrip Cost CalculatorFerry, beds with the rooms tax, meals, getting around and activities in one honest range. The vintage map, titled Marine Disasters of Martha's Vineyard, lists over 70 wrecks between 1829 and 1921. It groups them by area: Vineyard Haven Harbor, the west and south coast, Nantucket Sound, Cape Poge and Edgartown, the northern Sound and the Chilmark shore.
Most of the roughly 20 losses listed for that year came in one storm, the Portland Gale of November 26 and 27, 1898. It drove a fleet of coasting schooners ashore in Vineyard Haven harbor. Winter storms, fog and poor forecasting made these waters hard on sailing ships for a century.
The steamer City of Columbus in 1884. It struck Devil's Bridge reef and over 100 people died. Losses like this pushed improvements in navigation aids and rescue services, including the Life-Saving Service stations around the island.
Many of the sites draw recreational divers and marine archaeologists, but the map is a historical record, not a dive guide. If you want to get on the water, our fishing guide covers charters and the fall Derby.
The lighthouses are the easiest stop, and they were built for exactly these waters. Our island lighthouses page lists each one with visiting details, from East Chop in Oak Bluffs to Gay Head Lighthouse in Aquinnah.
Modern navigation has made wrecks rare, but the same shoals and the same weather are still out there. For a modern example, read our account of Hurricane Bob in 1991, a hurricane that hit the island hard.
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