San Francisco's Painted Ladies have nothing on these beauties in miniature. Painted Ladies with all the rick-rack are common everywhere in New England. Marthas Vineyard is studded with them, but here, in the village of Oak Bluffs, these famous cottages resemble doll houses. Roof to roof in a circle surrounding a Methodist Church and outdoor Tabernacle, this Camp was established in 1835. The Tabernacle was built in 1879. The neighborhood expands and continues the theme.
Oak Bluffs on Wikipedia tells all about these cottages and the Methodist Camp.
We weren't the only tourists looking and taking pictures. I guess its expected. There is a cottage museum, which we couldn't find, though we didn't look too hard. It was enough to enjoy them from the outside.
We saw one family unloading their car for a stay in their cottage. Most of them are summer homes. They just smiled and didn't seem to mind us taking pictures.
I found out the homes are on the National Historic Register.
In some places the roof lines were joined by fret work, or stand a mere two inches apart.
One fascinating thing about them is that the porch decorations and roof line decorations are all different. We looked over more than a hundred of these cottages and no two were the same. Most had comfortable chairs, benches, often rocking chairs, on their porches as well, usually painted to match the color of the cottage.
In town, the buildings are just as interesting. In fact, Jim's Aunt and Uncle, Jim and Rita Oesting owned and operated a business in this building for many years before retiring to Florida.
Another of Jim's cousins, Rebecca Nicol, decided to work the island for the summer at Sandy's Fish Market. Sandy's was voted as having the best fish & chips on the island, so, of course, we indulged.
This grand old hotel is in the town of Vineyard Haven. We visited and gawked. The day was rainy and gray, but it didn't diminish our enjoyment at all.
