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Bob Visits Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard

Bob takes the ferry to the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, and tours Oak Bluffs to recollect the town's Victorian history at the old Camp Meeting grounds. First stop is in front of the Wesley Hotel, where Bob talks about its history and location on the Island. Bob walks from there to the Methodist Meeting grounds. Which evolved from a circle of tents to small Victorian cottages. They are still decked out in Victorian architecture, trim and color schemes dating back to the 1860s. Alan Schwikert, of Ocean Park Realty gives Bob an overview of Island topography and popular places. He then gives Bob a tour of the Tabernacle built in 1879 and still bearing much of its original Ironwork and stained glass.
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Bob Visits Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard

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" Behind me the harbor of Oak Bluffs right now is quite empty but another month or two all those -- Boring -- yacht -- will be wall to wall pleasure craft sailboats fishing boats you name it. And many of the people will start arriving somewhat they have their boats they might stay over here at the Wesley hotel which has an interesting history. It was built a 113 years ago. By Portuguese immigrant who changed his name to Wesley thinking it would be good for business there were a lot of Methodist became their back came here back then. Well the Wesley hotel didn't do that well the first few years so demand -- it to the ground. Course he was sent to jail for arson. Another family by the name of chase bought the place and -- it successfully and when the original owner got out of jail they hired him to be that kept. Well the hotel -- opening in another month -- though it of the seasonal business and it's owned by a family now that picked it up six years ago it was totally renovated it. It sits right on the edge of what were the Methodist campground where the Methodists started coming. Back in the 1840 yourself. For a couple of months of religious retreat. Pitching tents and having meetings here now as time went by. The tenth gave way to the whimsical cottages such as these that if -- behind me which still exist and obviously they're wonderful Victorian cottages with the ginger bread and the turned posts in the bracket. And all the trim that we think of that being Victorian this one was built in 1867. The next 11878. And of course what gives them such wonderful character is that they. They really still have the Victorian color schemes. Sometimes using as many as six or eight different colors to decorate these little houses. We're gonna go around the corner now and visit a local real estate broker Alan Schweitzer who's gonna help us find them."

" Have you got a map that we can just look at every window right over here there ago. We've come in on Vineyard Haven. Right candidate Vineyard Haven yeah here's west chop each chop. And then you went along the beach road. Over to Oak Bluffs to the center. And here's circuit avenue you can write down a commercial section of club circuit avenue and this is Russian are real this is all vineyard sound of this of this side of the out on the -- the mainland. That's correct. What's the coast like along the coast along here there's some beautiful beaches there are a lot of rocks the water's very calm so there's no waves to. Anderson I clips a lot of nice big treat areas are pretty it's very. Very pretty especially with these sunsets. And out of the famous clips -- McLean formations are down here he had clips right here are popular tourist attractions and what's the beach like on the side of the house. This side of the island is all south beach and it's a beautiful white each and that's -- Atlantic Ocean is it's under insert the surfers go and it's probably the most. Desirable -- each on the island but the water will cold present little cold but with the gulf -- it's not that bad debt and then of course Chappaquiddick is a separate little island over here at this end that's correct. So we're gonna take us to look at realistic. Well I've got a few things we should go see I have one over in east bill. And then we go over each chop buy another house over there. And then we'll come back into town there's a pretty French Victorian we can take a look at can we start by looking at the heart of the campground. That's a great idea we can go right to the tabernacle and we'll start there --"

" So it through a huge metal shed a big circular shed right. That's correct in fact all that architectural detail and the iron work and stained glass. Was the reason I don't want an architectural Award -- 1879 when it was directed at tactics of the stained glass is also original to the -- absolute. It used much. Yes it is in fact during the summer not only other religious ceremonies being held here but also live concerts. In fact a couple of years ago there was a James Taylor concert here and extremely popular Rick Allen this roofing this corrugated roofing and now look old to me it looks like it's pressed its best. Yesterday's that's something that's been replaced originally there were pine boards the boards yes. -- hurricanes probably did Georgia rotted away and then what happened was that the original. Campground tents became permanent structures they replaced them with -- all these wonderful camps -- that happens. That's correct what is the story on ownership here can you buy one does it do they come up for sale. Yes you can -- when. It's mostly usual however mr. can't meeting association. Owns title all the land all the real estate into the houses the cottages are considered personal property. So if you buy when you're just buying -- not the land it's an extract you buy a house and you get a year to year -- Well they're cute little cottages but. How do you financing it -- buying land it's almost impossible to receive your bank and -- usually order it that."

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