Feature Stories from Best Read Guide Martha's Vineyard

At Gay Head
STANDING STARK AND magnificent against the sea, the mile-long Gay Head Cliffs form the westernmost point of Martha's Vineyard. These mighty clay cliffs, streaked in garish red, orange and other colors, were declared a national landmark in 1966. They continue to awe Island visitors year after year.

But the cliffs are more than just a scenic wonder. By studying the cliffs, scientists believe they have learned about the formation of the entire Eastern United States seacoast, and they have found remnants of both plant and animal life.

The Wampanoag Indians farmed, fished and hunted whales from Gay Head long before the first white man arrived. The cliffs supplied the Indians with clay to make pottery, and the beaches below the cliffs were always filled with quahog shells, used to make the wampum jewelry. They called the cliffs "Aquinnah," an Algonquin word that means "high land."

Today the cliffs fight a losing battle against erosion. The natural forces of seeping rainwater and battering tides have had their disastrous effect. Landslides occur frequently after rains, sending red clay into the sea. The erosion may someday threaten the foundation of the Gay Head Lighthouse, which stands on the shoulders of the cliffs.

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