This web site is prepared for and dedicated to the the residents of the Town of Tisbury.

The Settlement of Tisbury was chartered by the Governor General of New York , Francis Lovelace, on July 8, 1671, during and under the reign of King James, Duke of York, England. It comprised approximately what is now known as Tisbury and West Tisbury.

The current town seal represents the quitrent paid under the terms of the charter, which was an acknowledgement of the dominion of the Duke of York over the Vineyard and other islands: "Six barrels of marketable codfish, viz, two barrels each Patent, measuring two each for Edgartown, Tisbury, And the Manor of Tisbury, to be paid at the bridge in New York, annually." The word Takemmy, which appears on the seal, is the name that the Indians used to describe the Island.

Tisbury is named for Martha's Vineyard Governor Mayhew's home town in Wiltshire, England.

Around 1673, the settlers of the Vineyard grew disenchanted with the governance of Governor Mayhew and petitioned the new governor of New York,  appointed by William and Mary, the rulers of England at the time, for a change in leadership.  Shortly thereafter, the Island was attached to Massachusetts by the new rulers.

Tisbury was incorporated as a town in 1741.

What we know as the town of Tisbury was originally known as Homes Hole, and then Holmes Hole. By 1850, the village of Holmes Hole had become a thriving community, partly due to the harbor's marine railways which were capable of hauling large vessels, a sail-loft, ship-chandleries, and two boat-yards on Lagoon pond.  

In 1871, by vote of town meeting, the name of the village of Holmes Hole was changed to Vineyard Haven.

In 1892, the old settlement of Tisbury was divided into two towns by an act of legislature.  Thus came into being the villages of West Tisbury and Vineyard Haven.

And so it remains, today.

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In the Town Department phone Numbers section, you will find the phone numbers of all departments.  By clicking on the name of the department, you will go to a Quick Look-up section which will give you most of the pertinent information about that department.

In the Town Department Information Section, you will find an index of all the departments and with a click, you will be at the mini-website for that department. There you will find such things as Board and Staff members names, Frequently Asked Questions, pertinent Town Regulations and Forms, and links to State Regulations.

The Town Office Email Address Book lists the email address for each department and main contact person and is an interactive email launcher that will launch your email program with the desired recipients name in the "TO" box of your email.

The Town Calendar is the monthly calendar of town department meetings and public hearings. It also lists those holidays that the town offices are closed.

Important Town News, such as the Town Meetings, The Tisbury Street Fair, and the like, are posted in the Important Town News section.

The Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting and the Approved Minutes for the Annual Town Meeting are posted in the sections named "Town Meeting Warrant-Annual" and "Town Meeting Minutes-Annual.

And the Approved Annual Town Budget is posted in it's entirety in the section named "Approved Annual Town Budget.

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