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Stonewall Pond is a salt pond in the town of Chilmark, Massachusetts.[2] Stonewall Pond connects to Menemsha Pond via Nashaquitsa Pond.[3][4][5] The beach that separates Stonewall Pond from the Atlantic Ocean is called Stonewall Beach.[6]
| Stonewall Pond | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Stonewall Pond | |
| Location | Chilmark, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 41°19′35″N 70°45′25″W |
| Type | Salt Pond |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 30 acres (12 ha)[1] |
Archeological exploration indicates that indigenous peoples of the Wampanoag tribe have inhabited the shores of Stonewall Pond and the neighboring ponds for approximately 10,000 to 7,500 years.[7] In his 1969 book, Archaeology of Martha's Vineyard, William A Ritchie excavated and carbon-dated materials found in the shell middens and living sites around the Vineyard including Stonewall Pond.[8][9]
It is not uncommon during big storms for the Atlantic Ocean to breach Stonewall Beach and enter the Menemsha Pond ecosystem via Stonewall Pond.[2] In the historic 1938 New England hurricane, the Atlantic Ocean entered the ponds through Stonewall and decimated any buildings near the water, including almost the entire fishing village of Menemsha.[2]
In an early 1990s report by the Martha's Vineyard Commission, Stonewall Pond was observed to host shellfish including soft shell clams, scallops, quahogs, blue crabs, and eels.[1] In this same report, the entire acreage of Stonewall Pond is designated an eelgrass resource.[1]
