Martha's Vineyard Museum
A Finding Aid to the Burt Family Collection, Circa 1872, 1913-2000, undated
Table of Contents
- Summary Information
- Biography/Historical Note
- Scope and Content of Collection
- Administrative Information
- Related Materials
- Index Terms
- Contents of Collection
- Series I: Personal Family papers
- Series II: Maritime Construction materials
- Series III: Maps
- Series IV: Photographs and Negatives
- Series V: Residential and Municipal Construction Materials
Descriptive Summary
| Repository | Martha's Vineyard Museum
Gale Huntington Research Library 59 School Street P.O. Box 1310 Edgartown, MA 02539 (508)627-4441 |
|---|---|
| Call Number | RU 556 |
| Creator | Burt family |
| Title | Burt Family Collection |
| Date [inclusive] | Circa 1872, 1913-2000, undated |
| Extent | 6 boxes and 4 oversized boxes (6.659 cubic feet). |
| Location | For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's staff. |
| Language | The materials are in English. |
| Abstract | The collection contains materials created and accumulated by the Burt family on Martha's Vineyard, including materials from Burt Erford, his immediate family, and his ship building business. |
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Use and Reproduction Restrictions
Requests to reproduce material from this collection should be directed to the library's staff. Reproduction fees may apply.
Preferred Citation
Martha's Vineyard Museum, RU 556, Burt Family Collection.
Acquisition Information
Examples include the following:
- Gift of the Henry Burt Estate 2013 (Accession no. 2013.031). [Bequest]
Publication Information
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Gale Huntington Research Library59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441
Processing Information
Finding aid prepared and machine-encoded by Clint Johnson in October 2015
Related Materials
Related Materials
- See also, Maritime Related Collection, 1638, 1770-1942, undated (RU 540).
- See also, Oral history interviews with Alice Burt, 1997 (1997.083.001, 1997.083.002).
- See also, Oral history interviews with Alice Burt, 1998 (1997.083.003).
- See also, Oral history interviews with Erford Burt, 1983 (1994.097.001, 1994.097.002).
- See also, Vertical File Collection, Clipping and photocopy of clipping regarding Erford Willis Burt, 1988, undated (VREF0533).
Index Terms
Corporate Name(s)
- Martha's Vineyard Shipbuilding Corporation
- Sparkman and Stephens
Genre(s)
- Accounts
- Aerial photographs
- Appointment books
- Bills of sale
- Black-and-white photographs
- Building permits
- Building plans
- Business cards
- Certificates
- Christmas cards
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Construction drawings
- Correspondence
- Envelopes
- Floor plans
- Histories (literature genre)
- Historical maps
- Instructions (document genre)
- Journals (accounts)
- Lines drawings (ships plans)
- Navigation charts
- Photographs
- Photograph albums
- Photographic postcards
- Poems
- Price books
- Receipts (financial documents)
- Sail plans
- Sales catalogs
- Ships plans
- Stationery
- Stencils (tools)
- Tax records
- Wills
Geographic Name(s)
- Dukes County (Mass.)
- Marthas Vineyard (Mass.)
- Tisbury (Mass. : Town)
- Vineyard Haven (Mass.)
Personal Name(s)
- Alden, John Gale, 1884-1962
- Baker, R. H.
- Burt, Alice
- Burt, Erford W.
- Burt, Henry O.
- Burt, Otis E.
- MacGregor, Charles G.
- Nedwidek, Chester A.
- Pittaway, R.A.
- Schock, Edson Irwin, 1897-
Subject(s)
- Catboats--Design and construction
- Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--Biography
- Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--History
- Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--Maps
- Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--Social life and customs
- Naval architecture--Designs and plans
- Sailboats--Design and construction
- Sailboat racing--United States--History
- Yachts--Design and construction
Biography/Historical Note
Erford Willis Burt was born in West Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard to Mr. and Mrs. Otis E. Burt on December 29, 1902. During his long life on Martha's Vineyard he grew to become one of the most influential boat builders in Island history. He is credited with the design of the racing catboats, including theVineyard Haven 15 and the Menemsha, designing the first motorized fishing vessel for Martha's Vineyard, and for designing the country's first fiberglass kayak. He is also credited with bringing the Bermuda rigged sail to Martha's Vineyard with his design of the Vineyard Haven 15. Erford learned his trade by intuition and mentor-ship from boat building legend Manuel Swartz Roberts. He had no formal education and was famous for his traditional approach to boat building. He would create a half model from the boat's image in his head and then build it to scale, piece by piece. Once retired, he made a hobby out of half model boat building.
After leaving Roberts and muddling about in residential construction, Erford set up his own shop in Vineyard Haven and called it Burt's Boatyard. He purchased the old abandoned Baptist Church in North Tisbury and, piece by piece, moved the building to Vineyard Haven to house his workshop. After retirement, he left the boatyard to his son, Henry, who kept it open for another 20 years. Some of the boats built there are still in use and raced today.
Henry then sold the boatyard and became a full time police officer and active member of community finance and politics.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection predominately contains materials related to Erford Burt, his immediate family and the ship building business that he began and his son, Henry O. Burt continued. The materials concerning Erford include line plans (ship building plans) from his and other's designs, including the well known Vineyard Haven 15, family photographs, correspondence, and construction materials. The collection also contains materials from the Tisbury Police Station construction which Henry O. Burt advised.
Due to the varying size of materials, the collection's intellectual and physical arrangement does not always align, yet the collection's content descriptions are accurate. The oversized plan and map materials housed in box 6-9 are rolled and fastened with an identifying sheet. Also, Box 8 which contains large maps and plans is located with the maps collection at the Martha's Vineyard Museum due to size. Photographs are predominately unidentified but when possible, identifying sheets hold individual photographs. Family photograph albums also contain loose photographs and caution should be used while handling.
Arrangement
- Series I: Personal Family papers
- Series II: Maritime Construction materials
- Series III: Maps
- Series IV: Photographs and Negatives
- Series V: Residential and Municipal Construction Materials
Contents of Collection
Series I: Personal Family papers, 1917-1982, undated
ArrangementThe series is arranged alphabetically by folder title and therein chronologically. |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Account notes, undated NoteFound in travel journal. |
1 | 1 | ||
|
Alice Burt Advanced Sewing certificate, 1971 December 20 |
1 | 2 | ||
|
Appointment book, 1982 NoteLabeled as an appointment book, yet entries are of a journal nature. |
1 | 3 | ||
|
Barnacle Club history, 1978 April NoteIncludes original envelope. |
1 | 4 | ||
|
Blank photograph postcards, 1917, undated |
1 | 5 | ||
|
Boy Scouts of America record of progress, undated |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Business cards, undated NoteFound in travel journal. |
1 | 7 | ||
|
Camera instruction manuals, undated |
1 | 8 | ||
|
Christmas cards, 1941-1951, undated |
1 | 9 | ||
|
Duck decoy stencils, undated |
1 | 10 | ||
|
Erford Burt accounts, 1925 April 13, 1954 January 31 |
1 | 11 | ||
|
Erford Burt bills and receipts, 1924 October 14-1935 October 10, undated |
1 | 12 | ||
|
Erford Burt correspondence, 1935, 1982 October 28 |
1 | 13 | ||
|
Erford W. Burt and Alice S. Burt mortgages, 1952 November 3, 1955 November 3 |
1 | 14 | ||
|
Erford Burt repair tag, 1972 October |
1 | 15 | ||
|
Henrietta Burt final will and testament executor document, 1961 January 24 NoteNames Erford Burt the executor. |
1 | 16 | ||
|
Henry O. Burt correspondence, 1955 March 24 |
1 | 17 | ||
|
Henry Burt Third Grade Completion certificate, 1936 June 12 |
1 | 18 | ||
|
Maud H. Call final will and testament, 1953 May 5, 1955 January 4 NoteNames Erford Burt the executor. |
1 | 19 | ||
|
Nautical stationary, undated |
1 | 20 | ||
|
Otis Erford Burt death resolutions, undated |
1 | 21 | ||
|
Postcards, 1950, undated NoteFound in travel journal. |
1 | 22 | ||
|
Postcards, 1927 March 21-1955 December, undated |
1 | 23 | ||
|
Story of Cynthia poem, 1947 December 13 NoteGift for a birthday. |
1 | 24 | ||
|
Tisbury tax notifications, 1925-1946 |
1 | 25 | ||
|
Travel Journal, undated NotePredominately blank. |
1 | 26 | ||
Series II: Maritime Construction materials, Circa 1872-1980, undated
ArrangementThe series is arranged alphabetically by form and therein alphabetically by creator's last name. When further levels of arrangement are required, the materials are therein arranged chronologically. |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Delta Power tool catalogs, 1952 March-1961 July |
2 | 1 | ||
|
Albert Constantine Woodworking correspondence, 1964 March 2 |
2 | 2 | ||
|
Rabbet plans and dimensions, undated |
2 | 3 | ||
|
Power Tool manuals and instructions, 1943 November 1-1969, undated |
2 | 4 | ||
|
Shop Conversion news clipping, undated |
2 | 5 | ||
|
Vineyard Gazette news clipping, 1975 August 22 |
OS Gen 5 | 39 | ||
|
The Vineyard Haven "Fifteen", undated NoteIncludes Vineyard Haven Tides and Currents by Harry B. Duane and One Man's Love Affair with a Vineyard Haven 15 by Philip R. Morse. |
2 | 6 | ||
|
Yachting periodicals, 1932 April, 1940 May |
2 | 7 | ||
|
Yachting periodicals, 1943 November, 1964 August |
2 | 8 | ||
|
Coastwise Cruiser construction plan, 1937 January 21 |
6 | Roll 1 | ||
|
Coastwise Cruiser sail plan, 1937 December 20 |
6 | Roll 2 | ||
|
Coastwise Cruiser cabin plan, 1938 January 8 |
6 | Roll 3 | ||
|
Coastwise Cruiser cabin plan, 1938 January 8 |
6 | Roll 4 | ||
|
Malabar Jr. sail plan, 1938 October 25 |
6 | Roll 5 | ||
|
Malabar Jr. cabin construction plan, 1938 October 28 |
6 | Roll 6 | ||
|
Malabar Jr. optional layout plans, 1938 November 18 |
6 | Roll 7 | ||
|
Malabar Jr. sail plan, 1938 December 27 |
6 | Roll 8 | ||
|
Auxiliary Cruising Sloop sail plan, 1953 May 29 |
8 | Roll 1 | ||
|
Gay Head Boat line plan, 1953 |
6 | Roll 9 | ||
|
Pulling Boat of 1878 offset plans, 1963 May |
6 | Roll 10 | ||
|
Gay Head Boat offset plans, 1963 August |
6 | Roll 11 | ||
|
Whitehall Pulling Boat of 1878 plan, 1963 May |
6 | Roll 12 | ||
|
23.5 W.L. Coastal Cruiser cabin plan, undated |
6 | Roll 13 | ||
|
One Design Class sail plan, 1934 January |
7 | Roll 1 | ||
|
One Design Class line plans, 1934 January |
7 | Roll 2 | ||
|
One Design Class deck plans, 1934 January |
7 | Roll 3 | ||
|
Over Niter Construction plan, 1935 February 21 |
7 | Roll 4 | ||
|
Over Niter Hull lines plan, undated |
7 | Roll 5 | ||
|
14 ft. Partelow Whitehall plan, 1973 February |
7 | Roll 6 | ||
|
14 ft. Partelow Whitehall plan, 1973 February |
8 | Roll 2 | ||
|
14 ft. Partelow Whitehall table of offset plans, 1973 February |
8 | Roll 3 | ||
|
14 ft. Partelow Whitehall lines plan, 1973 February |
8 | Roll 4 | ||
|
16 ft., 4 in. Whitehall lines plan, 1973 April NoteAfter Paddlefast from Scientific American, 1876 September 9. |
7 | Roll 7 | ||
|
16 ft., 4 in. Whitehall plans, 1973 April NoteAfter Paddlefast from Scientific American, 1876 September 9. |
8 | Roll 5 | ||
|
14 ft., 9in. Whitehall Tender stem and stern detail and plans, 1973 August 22 |
8 | Roll 6 | ||
|
14 ft., 9 in. Whitehall Tender lines plans, 1973 September 4 |
8 | Roll 7 | ||
|
14 ft. Whitehall Tender construction detail and plans, 1973 September 27 |
8 | Roll 8 | ||
|
13 ft. Boston Whitehall table of offset plans, 1973 November 5 |
7 | Roll 8 | ||
|
13 ft. Boston Whitehall lines plan, 1973 November 7 |
8 | Roll 9 | ||
|
13 ft. Boston Whitehall construction detail and plans, 1975 November 14 |
8 | Roll 10 | ||
|
Dauntless Gig, circa 1872 |
7 | Roll 9 | ||
|
Lillian Russel line plan, circa 1872 |
7 | Roll 10 | ||
|
Yankee Plan, undated |
7 | Roll 11 | ||
|
Orca plans, undated |
7 | Roll 12 | ||
|
Lillian Russel Napatha launch plans, undated |
7 | Roll 13 | ||
|
Weekender plans, 1937 October 29 |
7 | Roll 14 | ||
|
Islander Design No. 164 Auxiliary Sloop for Henry Hinckley, ESQ plans, 1938 September 19 |
7 | Roll 15 | ||
|
Islander Auxiliary Sloop for Henry Hinckley plans, 1938 September 26 |
7 | Roll 16 | ||
|
Weekender plans, 1939 June 21 |
7 | Roll 17 | ||
|
Islander sail plan, undated |
8 | Roll 11 | ||
|
Islander deck plan, undated |
7 | Roll 18 | ||
|
Menemsha sail plan, undated |
OS Gen 5 | 38 | ||
|
Sailboat hull plans, undated |
9 | 1 | ||
|
Yacht Craftsmen deck plan, undated |
9 | 2 | ||
|
Vineyard Haven 15 plans, undated |
OS Gen 5 | 36 | ||
|
Stanley Tools Dealer Price book, 1963 October 19 |
2 | 9 | ||
|
National Tool Company Net Price schedule, 1961 October |
2 | 10 | ||
|
Burt Boatyard specifications, 1980 January 14 |
2 | 11 | ||
|
John M. Day Name stencil, undated |
2 | 12 | ||
Series III: Maps, 1960-1975, undated
ArrangementThe series is arranged alphabetically by folder title. |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Block Island and Approaches, 1974 November 23 |
8 | Roll 12 | ||
|
Buzzards Bay, 1960 November 7 |
8 | Roll 13 | ||
|
Martha's Vineyard to Block Island, 1965 July 19 |
8 | Roll 14 | ||
|
Nantucket Sound and Approaches, 1960 December 5 |
8 | Roll 15 | ||
|
Naragansett Bay>, 1975 August 30 |
8 | Roll 16 | ||
|
Robinsons Hole to Cuttyhunk Harbor, 1964 July 27 |
8 | Roll 17 | ||
|
Tisbury Proposed Zoning map, circa 1972 NoteIncludes Town Planning Board notes on reverse side. |
OS Gen 5 | 37 | ||
|
Tourist Map of Martha's Vineyard, undated |
9 | Roll 3 | ||
Series IV: Photographs and Negatives, 1913-2000, undated
ArrangementThe series is arranged alphabetically by folder title. |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Boat Building black-and-white photographs, undated |
3 | 1 | ||
|
Buildings and Residences color photographs, 1986-1987, undated |
3 | 2 | ||
|
Burt family and friends black-and-white photographs, 1913 June 1-1962 January |
3 | 3 | ||
|
Burt family and friends black-and-white photographs, undated |
3 | 4 | ||
|
Burt family and friends black-and-white photographs, undated |
3 | 5 | ||
|
Burt family and friends black-and-white photographs, undated |
3 | 6 | ||
|
Burt family and friends black-and-white photographs, undated NoteInclude some cyanotypes. |
3 | 7 | ||
|
Burt family and friends color photographs, 1965 December-2000 March |
3 | 8 | ||
|
Burt family and friends color photographs, undated |
3 | 9 | ||
|
Burt family and friends color photographs, undated |
3 | 10 | ||
|
Burt family photograph album, circa 1918 |
3 | 11 | ||
|
Burt family photograph album, circa 1920 |
4 | 1 | ||
|
Burt family photograph album, undated |
4 | 2 | ||
|
Burt family photograph albums, undated |
4 | 3 | ||
|
Burt family photograph album, undated |
4 | 4 | ||
|
Erford Burt Boathouse after storm photograph, undated |
4 | 5 | ||
|
Erford Burt framed photograph, undated |
4 | 6 | ||
|
Erford Burt Half Model Boat color photographs, undated |
4 | 7 | ||
|
House and architecture black-and-white photographs, 1924-1961, undated |
4 | 8 | ||
|
House and Nautical Scene panoramic color photographs, 1986 November, 1994 November |
5 | 1 | ||
|
High School interior and exterior photographs, undated NoteHigh School unidentified. |
5 | 2 | ||
|
Landscape black-and-white photographs, undated |
5 | 3 | ||
|
Landscape and Vacation color photographs, 1968 August, 1986, undated |
5 | 4 | ||
|
Maritime black-and-white photographs, 1947, undated |
5 | 5 | ||
|
Maritime black-and-white photographs, undated |
5 | 6 | ||
|
Maritime color photographs, 1951, 1952, 1986, undated |
5 | 7 | ||
|
Maritime photograph albums, undated |
5 | 8 | ||
|
Photograph negatives, undated NoteNegatives remain in their original envelopes we appropriate. All other negatives were found loose. |
5 | 9 | ||
|
Family photograph negatives, undated |
10 | -- | ||
|
Photographic tour of Burt Estate photographs, 1970 June NoteIncludes step by step tour transcription on reverse side of photographs. |
5 | 10 | ||
|
Vineyard Haven Aerial photograph, undated |
OS Gen 5 | 35 | ||
|
Vineyard Haven framed aerial photograph, undated |
5 | 11 | ||
Series V: Residential and Municipal Construction Materials, 1960-1996, undated
ArrangementThe collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title. |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Burt Plan, undated NoteOn the reverse side of map scrap. |
9 | Roll 4 | ||
|
Commonwealth of Massachusetts building permits, undated |
2 | 13 | ||
|
Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Sanitary Code, 1966 |
2 | 14 | ||
|
Erford Burt empty envelope, 1975 April NoteAnnotated with land survey notes. |
2 | 15 | ||
|
Erford Burt Home specifications, undated |
2 | 16 | ||
|
Swamp Side floor plan, undated NoteOn the reverse side of map scrap. |
9 | Roll 5 | ||
|
Household item construction dimensions and plans, 1960 January 18, 1960 March 3 |
2 | 17 | ||
|
Plans and dimensions, undated |
2 | 18 | ||
|
Tisbury Bike path proposed plan view, 1995 January 15 |
9 | Roll 7 | ||
|
Tisbury Police Station Construction Points of Discussion, 1996 March |
9 | Roll 8 | ||
|
Tisbury Police Station floor plans, undated |
9 | Roll 9 | ||
|
Tisbury Police Station plans, 1996 March |
9 | Roll 10 | ||
|
Tisbury Police and Ambulance Facility: Structural, Architectural, Plumbing and Electrical plans, 1995 May |
9 | Roll 11 | ||
|
Town of Tisbury Zoning Board of Appeals regulations and forms, 1972 August 25, undated |
2 | 19 | ||