Hidden Histories:
Shipwrecks of the Elizabeth Islands

During the era of sailing vessels, Massachusetts’ ports served as some of the busiest for international trade. After the American Civil War, focus shifted to coastal shipping of goods and steam-powered passenger vessels, which often traveled the waterways surrounding the Elizabeth Islands to avoid the open sea. However—due to weather, navigational and human error, and other unknown circumstances—vessels still fell victim to maritime accidents in Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay.

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Hidden Histories examines a selection of shipwrecks from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s which occurred around the Elizabeth Islands. Objects from Cuttyhunk Historical Society’s collection, such as medicine bottles, deadeyes and pins, hand-written accounts, and photographs, help to tell the stories of these misfortunate maritime events. From minor wrecks to major disasters, the material displayed in this exhibition brings voice to the hundreds who lived and worked along the littoral and sailed through the waters of the Elizabeth Islands.