America 250: Celebrate on Martha’s Vineyard

As the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, Martha’s Vineyard stands ready to share the stories that have shaped our shores for centuries.

America 250: Celebrate on Martha’s Vineyard is your guide to Island attractions, museum exhibits, historic sites, and special events created in honor of this national milestone. From early Indigenous history and maritime heritage to Revolutionary-era connections and modern cultural contributions, the Vineyard’s story is woven deeply into the American narrative.

Join us as we commemorate 250 years of history through immersive experiences, thoughtful programming, and Island-wide celebrations that invite discovery, reflection, and connection.

For more information about MA events.

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Independence Now & Forever: Revolutionary Martha’s Vineyard

Vincent House, 99 Main Street, Edgartown

Memorial Day - Labor Day, Tuesday - Saturday 12-2PM

Independence Now & Forever is an immersive commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, exploring not only the American Revolution itself, but 250 years of how independence has been defined, redefined, remembered, and celebrated—both nationally and within the community of Martha’s Vineyard.

Presented by the Vineyard Preservation Trust at the Island’s oldest home, the Vincent House Museum, the exhibition is curated by historian Norah Van Riper as part of the Commonwealth’s MASS250 commemoration.

With its longstanding independent streak—from Cottage City and Chappaquiddick to periodic conversations about Island secession and the present day—Martha’s Vineyard has long expressed a distinct sense of identity and self-determination. Through historic objects, period furnishings, and interpretive storytelling, the exhibition examines how the Island’s character both parallels and diverges from the nation’s broader story, revealing independence as an evolving ideal shaped by place, people, and lived experience.

This exhibit is funded in part by grants from the Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation’s Community Impact Fund and Martah’s Vineyard Cultural Council, a local agency supported by Mass Cultural Council.

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Walking Tour: Revolution on Foot

Vincent House, 99 Main Street, Edgartown
July - September, Fridays & Saturdays | 2:00–3:15 PM

A family-friendly, guided walking tour through Edgartown with historian Norah Van Riper connecting the ideas explored inside the Vincent House to the streets, buildings, and sites where the Island’s Revolutionary history unfolded. Includes the Presidents for Kids workbook.

For more information, visit vineyardtrust.org or email thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

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Voices of Independence at The Old Whaling Church

Old Whaling Church, 89 Main Street, Edgartown
Monday, July 7 | 5:30–7:00 PM

Voices of Independence, set on the historic stage of the Old Whaling Church, stands as Martha’s Vineyard’s signature commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Produced by the Vineyard Preservation Trust as part of the Commonwealth’s MASS250, the evening revives a powerful American tradition: communities gathering through spoken word and music to reflect on the meaning of independence.

This one-night civic ritual brings together live recitation and musical performance, featuring selections from historic texts alongside original readings, personal reflections, and music. With the participation of Island leaders and the cooperation of the family of David McCullough—the Island’s preeminent historian—the program creates a rare dialogue between national legacy and local voice.

On an Island long defined by independent thought and civic engagement, Voices of Independence invites audiences to reflect on liberty, conscience, and the responsibilities of democracy—honoring the past while engaging the enduring ideals that continue to shape American life today.

For more information, visit vineyardtrust.org, email thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org, or visit presidentsforkids.com.

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Presidents for Kids: Exploring Leadership & History

Carnegie Heritage Center, 58 No. Water Street, Edgartown
Saturday, July 11 | 12:00–4:00 PM

Presidents for Kids is a free, family-friendly, interactive program designed for children ages 5–10, featuring an engaging educational activity book series that introduces young learners to presidential history. Presented in recognition of the Commonwealth’s MASS250 commemoration, the program offers a fun and accessible way for families to explore America’s past together.

Founder Dan Scudder will be at the Carnegie Heritage Center to share lively historical anecdotes, discuss the role of the Founding Fathers and First Ladies in American life, and host an informal Q&A for curious kids and families. Visitors are invited to explore the Presidents for Kids activity books and enjoy an engaging afternoon discovering American history—both local and beyond.

For more information, visit vineyardtrust.org, email thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org, or visit presidentsforkids.com.

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250 Years Later: Thoughts on the American Revolution with Nathaniel Philbrick

Old Whaling Church, 89 Main St, Edgartown
Tuesday, July 14th 5:00 - 7:00PM

Join us on Tuesday, July 14 for an evening with acclaimed author Nathaniel Philbrick, presented in partnership by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust at the Old Whaling Church—a rare opportunity to hear one of America’s most celebrated historians share his insights in person.

The evening will be introduced by former MVM Executive Director Matthew Stackpole, who served as ship’s historian for the whaleship Charles W. Morgan during its restoration and 38th Voyage at Mystic Seaport. A longtime colleague and friend of Philbrick, Stackpole will offer a few words of welcome.

Two and a half centuries after the start of the American Revolution, Philbrick turns his attention to this pivotal era. Drawing on his acclaimed body of work—including his Revolutionary War trilogy, Bunker Hill, Valiant Ambition, and In the Hurricane’s Eye—he brings fresh perspective to the events that shaped a nation.

For those connected to Martha’s Vineyard—year-round residents, seasonal neighbors, and visitors alike—this is a chance to place the Island within a broader national story and to consider how even places far from the centers of conflict were touched by it.

Lecture only: $30
Lecture + Reception: $50
VIP Lecture Seating + Reception: $100

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A Revolution Worn: Clothing that Marked Cultural Change in America

Carnegie Heritage Center, 58 No. Water Street, Edgartown
Wednesday, July 15th 4:00-5:30PM

Across the 250 years of American history, clothing and etiquette have served as powerful expressions of revolution, identity, and cultural change. From the patriot’s Liberty (Phrygian) Cap of the American Revolution, to the symbolic bra burnings of the 1960s, to the pink knit hats of the Women’s March and the Adidas sneakers that helped define 1980s style, what Americans wear—and the etiquette governing how, when, and where it is worn—offers a revealing fabric roadmap of the nation’s evolving values.

Sharon-Frances Moore, known professionally as “Shances,” brings this story to life through the lens of dress, protocol, and social custom. She holds credentials in international protocol and is a member of the Protocol and Diplomacy International Association. With decades of experience as a consultant to executives, international boards, professional athletes, and actors, she has also served as a private coach to members of the White House staff during both the Bush and Obama administrations. A lifelong summer Vineyarder, Shances brings her deep expertise and wide-ranging talents to Island nonprofit organizations, offering a perspective that is both globally informed and locally rooted.

For more information, visit vineyardtrust.org, email thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org, or visit shances.com.

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MA 250 Programming (2026–2027)

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution (MA 250), the Martha’s Vineyard Museum will present a yearlong slate of public programs and an exhibition exploring how Revolutionary-era events unfolded on Martha’s Vineyard. Programming highlights the Island’s political debates, everyday life, and direct encounters with war—connecting national history to local experience.

Confirmed Public Programs

Inside PBS's The American Revolution with Sarah Botstein (Online)

June 8

An inside look at PBS's The American Revolution with producer Sarah Botstein, exploring the craft of historical storytelling and documentary filmmaking.

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The War for the Dawnland: Reimagining King Philip's War

June 10

Aquinnah Wampanoag educator Brad Lopes reconsiders King Philip's War through Indigenous perspectives, place-based history, and cultural knowledge.

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Founding Foods: Seasonal Eating on Martha's Vineyard During the Revolution

June 16

Historian Norah Van Riper explores how the Revolution shaped foodways, trade, and daily life on the Island.

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Revolution in Words: A Patriot vs. Loyalist Showdown

June 22

Historians Patrick Spero and Mary Beth Norton bring the debates of June 1776 to life in an interactive discussion of Patriot and Loyalist perspectives.

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