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Nomans Land Island - Historic Information
Site Location- Nomans Land Island (Latitude 41015'00"; Longitude 70048'00") is a 628-acre island located in the Atlantic Ocean, southwest of Martha's Vineyard.  It lies approximately 2.5 nautical miles south of Squibnocket Point and 5.5 nautical miles southeast of Gay Head. It is approximately 10 nautical miles south southeast of Cuttyhunk Island in the Elizabeth Island chain and approximately 22 nautical miles southwest of Woods Hole in Falmouth, MA. It also lies nearly midway between Block Island to the west and Nantucket to the east, a distance of approximately 17.5 nautical miles each way. 

Site History- Books on the early history of  Nomans Land Island include a scholarly work by Dr. Charles Edward Banks in 1911, who records the 1602 discovery of the island by the explorer Gosnold, after whom Gosnold Island in the Elizabeth Islands is named.  Prior to its colonial discovery, the island is likely to have existed for many generations as a seasonal camp for the local tribe of Wampanoags and is referred to by the name of Cappoaquit in deed documents of 1666 or as (Teque)nomans Land in some historical records and in the oral traditions of the Tribe. Recorded deeds can be traced from 1666, but the municipal status of the island was in question until 1714, when the island was annexed as part of the Chilmark Township. Although it is known that Wampanoags and colonial settlers periodically inhabited the island, an inventory of prehistoric or historic archeological resources has not been comprehensive or definitive. The gravesites that have been identified are associated with human habitation of the late 19th or early 20th centuries. 

According to public documents, in the early 1940s the U.S. Navy entered into a lease agreement with the Crane family, owners of the island at the time. The lease stipulated that Nomans Land Island was to be used "as a radar triangulation point for Buzzards Bay and Newport," with exclusive military access. The Cranes received a stipend in exchange for the military's use of the island for the duration of the war. The Navy's lease indicated that Nomans Land Island was to be returned to the Cranes in the condition that it was found when the lease was signed. The military continued to use the island for weapons training for an additional 5 years after WWII. During this time a U.S. Navy Construction Battalion unit (Seabees) was stationed on the island to improve an airstrip, to erect a radio tower and other structures, and to maintain the bombing range.  In 1952 the Navy acquired the island through a declaration of Eminent Domain and settled the property transaction for a reported $33,000.

Navy records indicate that the Navy and other military service branches used the island for target practice from 1952 until 1996.  In keeping with naval target range procedures, the Navy restricted the airspace above and the waters around the island to prevent unauthorized access.  These prohibitions are still noted on the most recent nautical and aviation charts.  Navy range manuals indicate that authorized use of high explosive bombs was halted in the early 1950's.  After this time,  bombs designated as training ordnance (lower order munitions) were substituted for high explosives.  According to the range manuals, only training ordnance was authorized for use. Despite this documentation, aerial photographs dated after the 1950s show contemporary era craters that may be indicative of  high explosive ordnance detonation.  

In 1975 the U.S. Department of Interior signed a Joint Management Agreement with the Navy that set aside the eastern third of the island as a migratory bird and wildlife refuge, while concurrently allowing use of the range for military purposes.  In 1982 the Navy designated the eastern third of the island as a  "No Fire Zone" to improve nesting conditions for migratory birds.  From 1982 until 1998 this portion of the island was co-managed by the Navy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

In November 1995 the USFWS requested the transfer of Nomans Land Island from the U.S. Navy to USFWS.  In June 1998 an interagency transfer of Nomans Land Island from the Department of the Navy to the Department of Interior was completed and the island was officially designated as the Nomans Land Island National Wildlife Refuge.  Its official status is described as an unstaffed wildlife refuge, posted as "Closed to Public Entry".

Photograph of Nomans Land Island with Martha's Vineyard in background. A pond and the former air strip can be seen at the top of the the shore cliffs.

Photograph of Nomans Land Island with Martha's Vineyard in background. A Navy warning sign can be seen above the meadow grass.

With Martha's Vineyard in the background, Nomans Land Island is an example of the coastal resources in SE Massachusetts.

Photograph of Nomans Land Island with Martha's Vineyard in the background. The meadow land shown with a pond in the background provides evidence of the diverse habitat on the Island.

Photograph of Nomans Land Island's brush area with Martha's Vineyard in the background.

Photograph of Nomans Land Island meadow land area with pond in the foreground.

Photograph of Nomans Land Island with a small pond surrounded by brush and grassland areas.

On Nomans Land Island small ponds support  varieties of wetland flora and fauna.

Photo of cliff exposure along the southwest shoreline.

Photograph of the north coastline of Nomans Land Island.

Wide expanses of Little Blue Stem grass have taken root in upland areas of the island and predominate the former air strip target area.  Periodic controlled burning of the island's vegetation by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposed to help in maintaining the vigorous growth of this and other plant species. 

Close-up photograph of a grassland area with Martha's Vineyard in background.

Close-up photograph of a grassland area.

Photograph of a grassland area with a road leading through a solitary grove of scrub oak.

Photograph of a grassland area with the remains of a stone building in the background.

Prior to 1998, unimproved roads, trails, and building ruins, as well as  unexploded ordnance, were visible on the island. Bombing ceased in 1996. A 1998 Release Abatement Measure reduced the amount of detonation debris and ordnance items visible on the land surface. As a result, the island's natural appearance has improved and the risk of exposure to surface UXO has been reduced. Access to the island remains restricted to reduce risk of exposure to UXO.

 

 

 

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