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Martha's Vineyard
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Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard is an island off the southern coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and makes up most of the County of Dukes County, Massachusetts. (The rest of the County consists of Cuttyhunk and the Elizabeth Islands). It was home to one of the earliest known deaf communities, and as such a special dialect of sign language, Martha's Vineyard Sign Language, developed on the island. Originally inhabited by the Wampanoag Indians, it was known in their language as Noepe, or 'land amid the streams'. mv life marthas vineyard Like the nearby island Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard was brought to prominence in the 19th century by the whaling industry, sending ships around the world to hunt whales for their oil and blubber. The discovery of petroleum in Pennsylvania, producing a cheaper way to fuel lights, led to an almost complete collapse of the industry by 1870. The island struggled financially through the Great Depression, but since then its reputation as a resort for tourists and the wealthy has continued to grow. also tried to secede from the Union and become a independent nation) along with the island of Nantucket. [ www.mvlife.com ]
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