Dukes County, Massachusetts
Historic newspapers, landmarks, and county history layers for genealogists and local historians.
At a glance
SummaryThe National Register of Historic Places includes 24 listed properties in the county, first listed in 1977; 2 are also National Historic Landmarks. Most listings are in or near Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, Aquinnah.
Summary generated automatically from the source data on this page.
Newspapers
Library of CongressNewspaper directory data for Massachusetts is not yet loaded on this site. Browse Dukes titles at the Library of Congress.
National Register of Historic Places
NPS NRHP10 of 24 listings mapped; some locations are restricted by NPS to protect sensitive sites.
24 listed properties
| Property | City | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| Arcade, The | Oak Bluffs | 1994 |
| Barn House | Chilmark | 2011 |
| Cape Poge Light | Edgartown | 1987 |
| East Chop Light | Oak Bluffs | 1987 |
| Edgartown Harbor Light | Edgartown | 1987 |
| Edgartown Village Historic District | Edgartown | 1983 |
| Flying Horses NHL | Oak Bluffs | 1979 |
| Gay Head-Aquinnah Town Center Historic District | Aquinnah | 1999 |
| Gay Head Light | Aquinnah | 1987 |
| Gay Head-Aquinnah Town Center Historic District (Boundary Increase) | Aquinnah | 2001 |
| Hill, Polly, Arboretum Historic District | West Tisbury | 2015 |
| Martha's Vineyard Campground | Oak Bluffs | 1978 |
| Old Mill | West Tisbury | 1984 |
| Ritter House | Vineyard Haven | 1977 |
| Tarpaulin Cove Light | Gosnold | 1987 |
| Tashmoo Springs Pumping Station | Tisbury | 2008 |
| Tucker, Dr. Harrison A., Cottage | Oak Bluffs | 1990 |
| U.S. Marine Hospital at Vineyard Haven | Tisbury | 2024 |
| Union Chapel | Oak Bluffs | 1990 |
| Vanderhoop, Edwin DeVries, Homestead | Aquinnah | 2006 |
| Wesleyan Grove NHL | Oak Bluffs | 2005 |
| West Chop Club Historic District | Tisbury | 2007 |
| West Chop Light Station | Tisbury | 1987 |
| William Street Historic District | Tisbury | 1983 |
Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Property links open NRHP nomination files at the National Archives.
County formation
Newberry AHCBDukes was formed in 1695 (1695-06-22) from the Elizabeth Islands).
DUKES created from non-county area in Massachusetts Bay Colony (Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands).
Source: Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
Population by decade
CensusDukes County population from 1790 to 2020 (Census historical series).
| 1790 | 1800 | 1820 | 1840 | 1860 | 1880 | 1900 | 1920 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,265 | 3,118 | 3,292 | 3,958 | 4,403 | 4,300 | 4,561 | 4,372 | 5,669 | 5,633 | 5,829 | 8,942 | 14,987 | 20,600 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau historical county population (Forstall 1790–1990) and public-domain / CC0 county population series through 2020.
Cemeteries & historical places
USGS GNIS27 cemeteries and 0 historical populated places (ghost towns / former settlements) recorded in USGS GNIS for this county.
Cemeteries — 27 of 27 listed
| Name |
|---|
| Belain Cemetery |
| Chilmark Cemetery |
| Christiantown Memorial Cemetery |
| Cottage City Cemetery |
| Cuttyhunk Cemetery |
| Farm Neck Cemetery |
| First Cemetery |
| Gay Head Cemetery |
| Gay Head Indian Burying Ground |
| Indian Cemetery |
| Lamberts Cove Cemetery |
| Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Cemetery |
| Mingo Cemetery |
| New Westside Cemetery |
| Oak Grove Cemetery |
| Oak Grove Cemetery |
| Old Burying Cemetery |
| Old Westside Cemetery |
| Peases Point Way Cemetery |
| Penikese Island Cemetery |
| Sacred Heart Cemetery |
| Sailors Burying Ground |
| South End Cemetery |
| Tisbury Village Cemetery |
| Tower Hill Cemetery |
| West Chop Cemetery |
| West Tisbury Village Cemetery |
Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System (public domain). Cemeteries from the 2021 NationalFile archive; historical places from GNIS HistoricalFeatures topical extract.
Historical markers
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Search HMdb for Dukes County, Massachusetts
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