Nomans Land (Massachusetts)



Nomans Land (also mapped "No Man's Land" or "No Mans Land" or "No Man's island") is an uninhabited island 612 acres (2.477 km²) in size, located in the town of Chilmark, Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. It is situated about three miles (5 km) off the southwest corner of the island of Martha's Vineyard.

The island likely has unexploded ordnance dating from its role as a practice bombing range from 1943-1996. Consequently, the island is closed to the public.

History
In 1602, from the voyage of the Concord (of Dartmouth) arriving at Cape Cod on May 15, 1602, Captain Bartholomew Gosnold had named the small island "Martha's Vineyard" after his eldest daughter, Martha; however, the name was later transferred to the larger island nearby, northeast of Nomans Land.

The island was probably named "Nomans Land" after a Martha's Vineyard Wampanoag sachem, Tequenoman, who had jurisdiction over the island when the English came in the early 17th century: named from "TequeNoman's Land" (figurative phrase).

An airfield was constructed by the U.S. Navy on the southern edge of the island between November 1942 and May 1944, and the island was used, beginning in World War II, as a practice area for bombers for 53 years, 1943-1996. The airfield was abandoned by the U.S. Navy sometime between 1945 and 1954, though usage as a bombing range continued until 1996. Two restricted airspace areas, R-4105A and R-4105B, currently overlay the island.

In 1952 the island was sold by the Crane family to the Navy.

The eastern third of the island has been managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) since 1975. Following an effort to clear the island of ordnance in 1997 and 1998, the entire island was transferred to the FWS for use as a wildlife refuge, primarily for migratory birds.