The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society was founded in 1859 with a vison of uniting Island farmers in the development and improvement of local agricultural resources.  Early members of the Society read like a who’s who of old Island families, with the Pease, Luce, Manter, Allen, Norton, Look, Cleveland, Bodfish, Vincent, Whiting, Tilton, and Smith families all represented.  Within a month of incorporation, forward-thinking leadership had already secured land in West Tisbury and begun to plan the Society’s first home. The Agricultural Hall on State Road, now called Grange Hall, was completed on October 1st, 1859, a mere 11 days before the 2nd Fair.  By 1887, it was Beriah T. Hillman noted, “The Society ‘has awakened a spirit of inquiry and a desire for improvement which are leading to good results.’” As early as 1889, Hillman encouraged the Agricultural Society to consider the impact of seasonal tourism on our Island farm economy.

More than a century later, with ever-burgeoning summer crowds and the need for more parking, the Agricultural Society moved to its home on Panhandle Road. A large tract at the intersection of Panhandle and State Roads, once utilized as overflow parking for the Fair, was made available to the Society by Edwin Newhall “Bob” Woods and discussions soon centered around the look and feel of the new building. In 1994, 42 volunteer ‘Barnbusters’ travelled to Woodsville, New Hampshire to dismantle and transport an old wooden barn back to the Island. That November hundreds of Islanders of all ages converged to help raise the new Ag Hall. After a 3-day push to raise, sheath, shingle & paint the structure, work concluded with impromptu performances by The Flying Elbows and Johnny Hoy & The Bluefish, and the BarnRaisers Ball was born!

Community, education, collaboration and vision remain hallmarks of the Agricultural Society.  With over 1000 Lifetime and Annual Members, MVAS continues to promote the pursuit of agriculture, horticulture, land conservation, mechanic and domestic arts through annual grant & scholarship programs.  In 2018, the Society re-introduced 4H to Island youth and in 2020 established a distinct Dukes County Farm Bureau to advocate for the unique needs and concerns of Island farmers at the State level. Today, the Ag Hall continues as the heart of the Island’s farming and producing community, providing a home to the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair and Livestock Show, the Farmers Social, the Farmworkers Social, the Barn Raisers Ball, the Meat Ball and the Harvest Festival. The Agricultural Society also hosts many community speakers, events, and meetings. We also offer our space to other island organizations, including the Artisans Festival and West Tisbury Farmers Market.