Tashmoo Springs Pumping Station
Also known as: Tisbury Waterworks Spring Building
Why it's listed
Overlooking Lake Tashmoo in Tisbury, this 1½-story brick pumping station was completed in 1887 to supply water to the town on Martha's Vineyard. It has an L-shaped plan, granite lintels, a tall hipped roof with four dormers and a tapered brick stack. Additions came in 1907, 1930 and 1932 as boilers were enlarged and electric pumps replaced steam equipment. The site also holds a 1919 garage, an early 20th-century shed, a 1924 intake tank, a valve cover, entrance pillars, a reservoir and a dike built in 1938-1939. Built by the Vineyard Haven Water Company, it is the earliest known waterworks on the island and served as a model for later ones. Tisbury bought the system in 1905 after a court ruling. The station is now vacant and deteriorating, though its integrity is high, and the surrounding land is used for recreation.
Significance in brief: It was the earliest known waterworks built on Martha's Vineyard and set the precedent for later island waterworks such as the Oak Bluffs Pumping Station. It also reflects the growth of the town water supply, its municipal takeover in 1905, and later upgrades through electrification. Its Late Victorian, nominally Colonial Revival design adds architectural interest.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 08001126, listed December 3, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 325 W. Spring St., Tisbury |
|---|---|
| County | Dukes County |
| Listed | December 3, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08001126 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The pumping station building is unused, deteriorating and covered with brush, with all machinery removed. Roof and masonry repairs were funded in 2008. The wider property is well maintained and used for recreation. |
| Acreage | 18 |
| Coordinates | 41.44647, -70.62241 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 08001126.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16901260
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.