William Street Historic District
Why it's listed
William Street Historic District is a hillside neighborhood of fifty-six properties in Tisbury, overlooking Vineyard Haven Harbor and the town center on Martha's Vineyard. Mostly residential, it also contains churches, the Town Hall, a Masonic lodge, a museum and an old burying ground. Thirty-six buildings are Greek Revival houses built between 1833 and 1858, during three planned developments that began with Thomas Bradley's Model Village. A few earlier houses, including one from 1720, and later Italianate, Queen Anne, Gothic Revival and Shingle Style buildings fit comfortably alongside them. Narrow streets, picket and cast iron fences and street trees preserve the mid nineteenth century character. The district was listed because it is the most intact group of Greek Revival buildings in Tisbury, many surviving the 1883 fire that destroyed much of the town. It also represents an early planned residential development financed by the island's maritime economy, and shows fine proportion and craftsmanship.
Significance in brief: The district is described as the most intact and consistent surviving group of Greek Revival buildings in Tisbury, including some of the finest Martha's Vineyard architecture of the period. All but three buildings constructed between 1833 and 1858 survive, while much of the town's other building stock was lost in the 1883 fire. It is also an early, successful planned residential real estate development funded by the island's maritime wealth.
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 83000571, listed January 27, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Williams St. from Wood Lawn Ave. to 24 Williams St., Tisbury |
|---|---|
| County | Dukes County |
| Listed | January 27, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000571 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900-1924 (specific dates 1720-1924) |
| Architect / builder | Woodbury and Stuart, architects, Boston; James Norton, builder; Moses Vincent, builder |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival predominantly, with Italianate, Queen Anne, Gothic Revival, Shingle Style and Romanesque Revival examples |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, predominantly residential and well maintained, with no intrusions; some buildings are altered, and three of five church-built structures still serve as churches. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 41.45542, -70.60421 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 83000571.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8018911
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.