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is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,755 at the 2000 census.
Vineyard Haven is the main village/town center of Tisbury. The two names are used interchangeably. As can be seen in the history section below, the town of Tisbury was incorporated within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1671 and remains the legal name of the town to this day. However, the port and harbor have had varying names. Holmes Hole was one of the first names of the port within the Town of Tisbury. This name was later changed to Vineyard Haven, and the official post office name for the Town of Tisbury is Vineyard Haven. To residents of Martha's Vineyard, Vineyard Haven is by far the more common usage, although residents recognize Tisbury as the town's legal name.
Tisbury, better known as Vineyard Haven, is the main port of entrance to Martha's Vineyard. The main ferry line is the Steamship Authority, which runs to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and New Bedford, Massachusetts. There are several other private ferry lines that serve Martha's Vineyard, with terminals in the towns of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown as well. Tisbury is the only operational port during most of the year, however.
Tisbury was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1671 by Francis Lovelace, Governor General of New York. The town, which originally included the lands of West Tisbury, was named for Tisbury, Wiltshire, England, the hometown of Martha's Vineyard Governor Mayhew. Citizens of the island, unhappy with the leadership of Governor Mayhew, petitioned William and Mary in 1673 for a change of leadership. It was then that the town, as well as the entire island, became a part of Massachusetts.
The town has long thrived on the sea, and is also known for being the home of most of the year-round stores on the island, including Cumberland farms, the only store opened past 11:30 in the winter. Tisbury is now the home of the ferry docks for the island. The town was divided into its current boundaries in 1892. Like the rest of Martha's Vineyard, is a popular summer resort for the rich and famous. Famous residents of Tisbury have included: Art Buchwald, William Styron, Mike Wallace, Lillian Hellman, Carly Simon, and Diane Sawyer.