1602 – 1602

Bartholomew Gosnold explores Cape Cod's Islands and finds Martha's Vineyard.

In 1602, an English explorer by the name of Bartholomew Gosnold began an exploration of the islands off of Cape Cod (which he discovered and named). Searching for valuable resources, with his crew of 32 men aboard their boat the Concord, Gosnold came upon the island that he would name "Martha's Vineyard," after his mother. Already inhabited by Native Americans who called the island "Noepe" (which translates to "amid the waters,") Gosnold's discovery marked the beginning of the island's exploitation. As Europeans began to settle the island, what once was an abundance of natural resources began to dwindle and the thriving Native populations were pushed to the island's outskirts.

Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

Stanley Clark, Mural of Native Americans in Martha's Vineyard

Cory Sachs