Gingerbread Cottages, Oak Bluffs

Weslyan Grove is a 34 acre National Historic Landmark District located in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.  It is also known as the Martha’s Vineyard Campmeeting Association (MVCMA) or the Campgrounds. In 1835 the 35 acre wooded forest were host to a two or three day Methodist religious revival meeting during the summer.  The revival at Weslyan Grove became an annual event, at first there were nine tents for the attendees, twenty-three years later almost 12,000 people attended and families began bringing their own tents and building rough wooden platforms for them, and finally simple houses were built on these platforms.  These houses were built very simple, the inside walls were also the outside walls, no heat and tiny rooms, but they were built with elaborate gothic flair. In 1879, the central tent was replaced by an all steel open air tabernacle.  Although the meetings ceased long ago, the Tabernacle with its stained glass windows and stage are still there for visitors to enjoy. The Cottage Museum offers visitors the opportunity to view the interior of the typical Campground cottage and a glimpse of life on the Campgrounds in the early 1800′s.  The Museum Shop has a collection of gifts and souvenirs.  The Cottage Museum and Shop are open Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., during the summer season.  Admission to the Museum is $2.00 per adult and 50 cents for children 3 yrs. to 12 yrs. old. There is no charge for children under 3 years old. Take a tour around Trinity Park and check out all of the cottages, there are approximately 300 homes.  Map of Gingerbread Cottages (Trinity Park) In addition to Sunday services during the months of July and August, religious activities on the Campgrounds include guest lectures, bible study, discussion groups and hymn sings.  In addition, a variety of special cultural events are held at the Tabernacle each summer. Every August on a Wednesday evening, the residents of the Campgrounds light their houses with hundreds of Japanese style lanterns “Illumination Night”, there is a community sing and concert band at the Tabernacle, a final season-end celebration, a few days later there are fireworks at the Ocean Park, marking the end of the Vineyard’s summer season. Join the Vineyard on August 11th, 2011 for the Grand Illumination Night for more information click here

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