Vineyard Preservation Trust Annual Report: 2025

Annual Report 2025

From the Executive Director From the Chairman of the Board

Historic buildings are often admired from a distance. On Martha’s Vineyard, step inside, and they are alive with music, laughter, and someone trying to catch the brass ring.

This past year, during our first-ever Edgartown Historic Home Tour, I found myself standing in the kitchen of one of our hosts as he held court with guests — sharing ghost stories, pointing out his favorite historic details, and pausing at a doorframe covered in pencil markings, each one recording the height of a child at a particular age, a particular moment. That wall, he told us, is as much a part of this house as the beams above our heads. Historic homes and our portfolio of properties don’t just hold history. They hold us.

That is exactly the spirit that guided our fiftieth year. More than 400 events took place across Trust properties — milestone celebrations, weddings, concerts, exhibitions, school programs, and lectures. Nearly one-third of those events supported Island nonprofit organizations, because these landmarks belong to the whole community, and we are proud to keep their doors open wide. This year, we deepened that commitment through partnerships with artists, educators, fellow nonprofits, and Island businesses, each collaboration a reminder that preservation is not a solitary act. It is something we do together.

As I write this, spring is making its way across the view from my window at the Daniel Fisher House. The office is humming with preparations for Taste of the Vineyard, crews are making up time at Union Chapel after a four-week snow delay, and we are deep in conversations with engineers, architects, and consultants to understand the full scope of what lies ahead for the Old Whaling Church — our next great project. It is never dull at the Trust.

What strikes me in these busy moments is how grateful I am — for you. For our donors, volunteers, staff, and program participants who invest their time and resources in these places. What you are really doing is making a gift to people who haven’t arrived yet: the next generation of Islanders who will one day look up at these buildings and feel, without quite knowing why, that they belong here too.

Thank you for taking part.

NEVETTE PREVID, Executive Director

The buildings entrusted to the Vineyard Preservation Trust are more than historic landmarks; they are the living story of the Island. Preserving them is both a privilege and a responsibility, and it remains the core mission that guides everything we do.

For me, the meaning of this work often comes down to simple moments. Three generations of my family have ridden the Flying Horses Carousel. I have stood on the lawn of the Daniel Fisher House watching the Island come together for Taste of the Vineyard, celebrated with countless couples who have chosen the Old Whaling Church for their weddings, seen such simple joy in the faces of dancers at a

Grange Hall contra dance, and been genuinely moved by words spoken from the pulpit at Union Chapel.

“The buildings entrusted to the Vineyard Preservation Trust are more than historic landmarks; they are the living story of the Island. Preserving them is both a privilege and a responsibility, and it remains the core mission that guides everything we do.

Preservation also requires looking forward. This year, the Board began work on a comprehensive 10-year stewardship plan that will provide every Trust property with a documented path forward, ensuring these landmarks remain structurally sound, historically authentic, and fully alive for the next 50 years.

I am grateful to Executive Director Nevette Previd, whose leadership made our fiftieth year one for the record books; to our staff who bring these buildings to life every single day; to my fellow Trustees who give so generously of their time and counsel; and to the donors and friends whose belief in this mission makes everything possible.

With gratitude,

JOSH MCCALL, Chairman of the Board

Year in Review

Fifty Events for Fifty Years

In 2025, the Vineyard Preservation Trust opened its historic landmarks to the Island in a year of celebration, gratitude, and joyful gathering.

Taste of the Vineyard set the tone, with eighty Island restaurants and beverage partners donating their finest food and wine to welcome more than 1,500 guests. Later in the season, The Toast — an elegant evening marking the Trust’s fiftieth birthday — brought together the donors and supporters whose generosity has made five decades of stewardship possible. The Generations Picnic transformed the lawn into a world of pure imagination, reimagined through the spirited lens of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. At the Grange Hall, Contra Dances revived a long and beloved Island tradition, while the Sound of the Vineyard, the new free concert series, curated with Island musician Mike Benjamin, drew small crowds to Wednesday evenings of live music and community.

The 50th was a year of new partnerships includeng Tides & Tastings at the Norton Boathouse paired Island oysters, coastal science and martime hisotry with the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group. The Yard and Dance Theatre of Harlem filled Union Chapel with dance and legacy while Built on Stilts danced away celebrating 29th years. The anniversary also brought the Trust’s first-ever 4th of July Parade float — a celebration fifty years in the making. At the Vincent House Museum — the Island’s oldest home, built in 1672 — artists Candice Smith Corby and William Pettit created Our Golden Hours, imagining how the founding Vincent family might have lived across the centuries.

At the Carnegie Heritage Center — now graced with the Sarah B. Rorer Gateway, honoring a longtime Trustee, the Trust premiered its first major exhibition since the Center’s opening: Margot Datz: Recreator, celebrating the artist’s transformative work at the Old Whaling Church and drawing more than 1,200 visitors.

JAWS 50th programs caught the Island’s buzz, while author events with Edgartown Books,a Sailors’ Valentines exhibit with the Women of the Trust, and off-season Coffee and Conversations kept the Carnegie alive with

ideas and community well beyond the summer season. The season culminated in the inaugural Edgartown Historic Home Tour, offering rare access to six private historic homes, Trust landmarks, and the elegant Charlotte Inn — a reminder that Edgartown’s architectural legacy runs far deeper than any single building.

The Trust also launched Island Inspiration, an annual award and scholarship program inviting Island MVRHS and Fourth Grade students to explore the Historic landmarks that shape the community through their eyes using art, photography and writing as their mediums.

“Working on this project made me realize that places like the Flying Horses are part of how people on the Island remember their childhood and their families. It made me think about why preserving them matters.

— TEVIN ARUGIO,

Island Inspiration High School Winner

Financial Summary: A Stronger Foundation

Lisa MacKenty, Vice Chair, Finance and Endowment Committee

The Vineyard Preservation Trust’s fiftieth anniversary year was marked by strong financial performance across all major revenue categories. In 2025, the Trust invested $1.4 million in the care of our historic properties. This investment spanned capital projects, ongoing maintenance, and major building repair across multiple landmarks - the single clearest expression of the organization’s belief that preservation is not a one-time act but a permanent responsibility.

The Trust’s revenue model continues to benefit from a balanced mix of philanthropy, rental income, grants, and events. Venue demand remained strong, with event rental income increasing 54.5% and overall property revenue up 25% compared with 2024, reflecting the continued appeal of the Trust’s landmarks as gathering places for community and private events.

Signature fundraising events remain an essential component of the Trust’s financial structure. Taste of the Vineyard, the Patrons’ Party, the Generations Picnic, and the 50th-anniversary celebrations together account for 41% of the organization’s operating revenue. The Flying Horses Carousel performed strongly as both a cultural attraction and a revenue source. Merchandise sales increased 35% year over year. Combined ticket and pass revenue grew 11%, and overall Flying Horses revenue increased 16%, reflecting strong visitor engagement across the season.

As of December 31, 2025, the Trust’s endowment totaled $9,319,000. Taken together, these results position the organization to sustain twenty historic landmarks.

Investing in the Landmarks

While operating revenue funds the Trust’s day-to-day programs and staffing, capital income is raised and spent exclusively on the physical care of the buildings themselves — the roofs, windows, structural repairs, and long-term improvements that keep twenty historic landmarks standing.

In 2025, the Trust raised $1,213,237 in Total Capital Income — made up of Friends of property-specific donations, grants, a transfer from operating income into the Capital Reserve Fund, and interest. Against that, $723,460 was spent directly on the landmarks through major building projects, gifts-in-kind, and capital improvements. The remaining $489,777 is earmarked for preservation projects scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

Stewardship: For Another 50 Years

At the Annual Board Meeting on August 7, 2025, the Trustees celebrated their fiftieth year. A milestone was the establishment of a Capital Reserve Fund, a dedicated pool of funds, drawn from annual operating income, to bridge the gap between routine maintenance and major capital expenses. In 2025, the fund supported improvements at Daniel Fisher House and the Carnegie to return the buildings to a strong baseline condition.

The Board welcomed two new Trustees. Cynthia G. Wansiewicz, a partner at Reynolds, Rappaport, Kaplan & Hackney with ties to the Island community, and Peter R. DeFeo, retired Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, bring decades of leadership experience in nonprofits. The Board also thanked retiring Trustee Amanda Phillips, whose many years of service carried forward a long family legacy to the Trust, and Drew Conway, who stepped back after years of front-row involvement to make room for the next generation.

The Board pauses to remember three Trustees who passed in 2025. Richard Purington and Joyce M. Wright, whose long services helped care for the landmarks we love. In honor of Sally Rorer, the Trust introduced the Sally Rorer Service Award to recognize individuals whose outstanding service reflects a deep and enduring love for the Trust and its mission. The inaugural recipients were her husband, Ted Rorer; her daughter, Brooke Brown, and Nancy Caraboolad, whose two decades of Board service touched every major committee and left a lasting mark on the organization.

Vineyard Preservation Trust Board of Trustees and Staff

CHAIR

J.B. McCall IV

VICE CHAIRS

Vaughn R. Butler

Deborah Crews

Elizabeth D. MacKenty

William H. Weeks

Victor Zollo, Jr.

CLERK

Alvin R. Johnson

TREASURER & FINANCE

Elizabeth D. MacKenty

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Nevette Previd

TRUSTEES

Lynn Allegaert

Deborah Barnes

R. Kelsey Biggers, Jr.

Brooke R. Brown

Gerret C. Conover

Peter R. DeFeo

Tana Gibson

Melissa M. Hedley

Alice B. Indelicato

Gail Kittenplan

John P. Murphy

Ian Murray

Shep Murray

Kevin A. Myatt

Deborah A. Nugent

Rosalie R. Shane

Mary B. Stanton

Margaret C. Tattersall

Twanette Tharp

Cynthia G. Wansiewicz

Pamela D. Zilly

EMERITI TRUSTEES

Patrick J. Ahearn

Carole M. Berger

Nancy T. Caraboolad

Alison M. Convery

Robert G. Cox

Robert C. Graham, Jr.

Michele M. Hedley

John E. Klein

Joseph E. Sollitto, Jr.

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Theodora A. Ellis

Sheila A. Hoerle

STAFF

Alison Bauriedel,

The Carnegie: Educator

Sissy Biggers,

The Carnegie: Program Consultant

Sandy Burt, Venue & Event Rental Manager

Tammy DeGregorio, Finance Director | HR Coordinator

Julie Hatt, Event Manager

Jaime Hiltz, Flying Horses Carousel Manager

Steve Kelly, Facilities Director

Bruno Leoncio, Maintenance Manager

Laura Pla, The Carnegie: Special Projects

Kathy Pogue, Office Manager

Patty Topping, Educator

Leslie Trotter,

The Carnegie: Visitor Experience

Maria Wichlac-Grove, Development Manager

With Gratitude

Deep gratitude to the committee members who donated their time and expertise: Paul Pertile (Properties); Rochelle Browne and Shirley Hall (Trustees & Governance); Jody Erdman (Vincent House Gardens); Julie Kulhanjian (Vincent House); Elizabeth Eisenhauer (Home Tour) Nancy Monihan; Chris Scott; and Matthew Stackpole (Collections), Sandy Vietor (Insurance) and Deb & Dave Brown whose Dickens Village charms every Christmas. Their dedication behind the scenes makes everything in front of the scenes possible.

Special recognition to Liz Alten and Betsy Trahon, new co-chairs of the Generations Picnic, alongside returning host Alice Indelicato, delivered an unforgettable afternoon. And a warm welcome to Norah Van Riper, a historian who joined the Trust this year and brought with her an immediate and infectious passion for bringing the Island’s stories to life.

Preservation in Action

Caring for twenty historic landmarks requires equal parts planning, vigilance, and the willingness to solve problems that have been decades in the making.

Grange Hall presented our most complex challenge of the year. Chronic water infiltration through the foundation had threatened the building’s long-term structural integrity. Phase One stabilization is now complete — newly installed area drains, piped to remote drywells, now intercept the water before it reaches the foundation. Foundation and footing restoration follows this fall, after which the crawl space will be conditioned to a stable relative humidity for the first time. A new HVAC system was installed, improving year-round climate control for the 2nd-floor theater. This sequence of work sets the building up for another generation of use.

At the Flying Horses Carousel, the 100-year-old Wurlitzer Band Organ and the brass ring arm were restored by Myles Therlow and Casey Decker, and two more carousel horses were restored by Mary Ellen Casey. The Old Sculpin Gallery received a

new roof, and we began planning the restoration of the front of the Vineyard Gazette building, including safety upgrades to the front walkway. Major problems were addressed at the Nathan Mayhew Schoolhouse, including redirecting street runoff, repairing deteriorated framing and clapboards, and installing new gutters.

At the Union Chapel, twelve window sash units that make up the building’s grand windows were removed and replaced with historically accurate wood replicas and glass reproduced by Cooper Historic Windows. The alarm system was upgraded, and in October, groundwork began on a park rejuvenation project — new accessible pathways, stairs, and railings; landscape beautification; and the addition of seating and new tees that will transform the grounds surrounding the landmark. The park is due for completion by early summer.

Across all twenty properties, we are systematically documenting and implementing maintenance plans for more than 30 mechanical systems — furnaces, water heaters, and heat pumps — extending the lifespan of critical infrastructure and laying the groundwork for a comprehensive preventive maintenance program going forward.

“ Preservation on Martha’s Vineyard is not about keeping buildings still. It is about keeping them alive.

Fifty years ago, Islanders chose to care for these places. Today those places continue caring for the Island.

Margotz Datz is a Vineyard treasure and a remarkable artist. The extraordinary work she has done at the Whaling Church, in collaboration with the Trust, has preserved a remarkable example of a 19th-century painting technique that created a three-dimensional perspective in a Vineyard building that reflects an important period in the island’s history. Now the building can accurately and genuinely reflect that technique and its story far into the future. Thank you, Margo and the Vineyard Preservation Trust, for being such great stewards of this important structure and sharing a dramatic portal of the Vineyard’s past with the future.

— MATTHEW STACKPOLE, Historian

Margot Datz: Recreator — the exhibition documenting her decade of work restoring the lost mural at the Old Whaling Church and the painted panels at the Flying Horses Carousel — moves to a permanent installation at the Carnegie Heritage Center in fall 2026.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT