About the town » Vineyard Haven, Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States

Vineyard Haven is a community within the town of Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. It is listed as a census-designated place (CDP) by the U.S. Census Bureau, with a population of 2,114 as of the 2010 census.Known by the original Wampanoag inhabitants as \"Nobnocket\", this area was first referred to by the colonial settlers as \"Homes Hole\"; \"Homes\" from a Wampanoag term for \"old man,\" and \"Hole\" meaning a sheltered inlet. By the 19th century it was more commonly spelled \"Holmes Hole\" after the descendants of John Holmes (1730–1812) who had settled in the village during the second half of the 18th century. In 1871 the village officially changed its name to \"Vineyard Haven\". Though the name \"Vineyard Haven\" technically refers only to one section of the town of Tisbury, the names are used interchangeably, with Vineyard Haven now being a commonly used title for the whole town.Vineyard Haven is the main port of entry to Martha's Vineyard, and one of the three main population centers (with Edgartown and Oak Bluffs). The Steamship Authority wharf is located in Vineyard Haven, at which ferries arrive and depart year-round. (A second, seasonal wharf is located in neighboring Oak Bluffs.) Although the year-round population is only about 2,000 people, its population increases tremendously in the summer, as many houses on the Vineyard are owned by summer residents.