Davis Lane Academy

Davis Lane Academy Davis Academy, at 49 Davis Lane, was built in 1836, and is available for summer rentals by the Reston family. Was cried, the Church Bell rang, the People ran.

THE DAVIS ACADEMY

Davis Academy, at 49 Davis Lane, was built in 1836 when its owner, David Davis, was 33 years old. Descended from a local family, Davis moved here from Maine. His first school was in a building mid-way down the block on the other side of Davis Lane. In February, 1836, Jeremiah Pease wrote in his diary: “At about ½ passed 12 o’clock (midnight) Fire! It proved to be the Academy bel

onging to D. Davis, situated in the centre of the Town. The fire could not be subdued when the people arrived. It burned to the ground.”

This building was then built, but the school didn’t last long. The Edgartown High School opened just up the street in 1850. Davis was a lawyer, state legislator, and the tax collector for Edgartown. He was also very community-minded, a quality well demonstrated by his establishment of the Edgartown Lyceum in his house. This was a debating society which took on the burning topics of the day. It’s founding principle was “the improvement of the intellect and cultivation of faculties by which mind can communicate with mind.” The Lyceum in the present day Academy is much how it was in Davis’ time. Davis was the most spirited debater of the initial seven founding members. The Lyceum movement, as it is called, was a a national phenomenon in the mid-19th century, but the most prominent in New England and the mid-West. Over the years such notables as Mark Twain, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Susan B. Anthony, and Henry Thoreau spoke at their local lyceums. The Edgartown Lyceum, under David Davis’ guidance, existed between 1837-1853, and was re-established in 1876-1890. Topics that were debated covered philosophy, politics, international relations, slavery, education, woman’s equality, and some of those topics are relevant today. A few examples are:
• “Was the conduct of our fathers toward the aborigines of this country justifiable?” 1845
• “Has the differences of opinion in politics caused more bloodshed than differences of opinion in religion?” 1840
• “Judging from the history of past Republics and the present condition of our own , is it probable that the U.S. will continue to flourish as a nation?” 1849
• “Are novels pernicious to morals?” 1838
• “Is fear a greater incentive o human action than hope of reward?” 1839
• “Is the cultivation of music more beneficial to the community than poetry?” 1842
• “Would the condition of society and woman be improved by placing the two sexes on an equality in respect to rights and duties?” 1838
• “Should the fugitive slave law be repealed?” 1850

In 1969 Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, James Reston, a columnist at the New York Times for thirty years, bought the house after he purchased the Vineyard Gazette and spent time here during the summers of the 1970s and 1980s. In the past three years the house has been lovingly restored by the family of Reston’s son, James Reston, Jr., who is the an author of some seventeen books. Some of them are on the shelves in the living room.

A Stormy day on the island, stay safe and dry everyone! Be sure to like Davis Lane Academy for more photos.
03/14/2017

A Stormy day on the island, stay safe and dry everyone! Be sure to like Davis Lane Academy for more photos.

A Stormy day on the island, stay safe and dry everyone!

A Stormy day on the island, stay safe and dry everyone!
03/14/2017

A Stormy day on the island, stay safe and dry everyone!

We luv our Airbnb guests!
09/03/2016

We luv our Airbnb guests!

House in Edgartown, United States. Located in the heart of the Edgartown Historic District, we offer a king bedroom with a private bathroom. If you're traveling with family or friends, we also have three additional bedrooms (2 twin, 1 king) can be added for an additional nightly fe...

Escaping Main Street in the heart of the storm to safe refuge at the Davis Lane Academy.
07/02/2016

Escaping Main Street in the heart of the storm to safe refuge at the Davis Lane Academy.

We love the Lane.
07/01/2016

We love the Lane.

06/16/2016

June 15th was a perfect Edgartown Day. Our thanks to Chappy Ferry for capturing it!

New ferry next summer!
10/11/2015

New ferry next summer!

Watch a time lapse video of the M/V Woods Hole hull being flipped right side up on the Bayou Black in Louisiana. The rest of the ferry modules that are const...

07/19/2015
07/15/2015

Two years ago, Julia Celeste and Tina Miller were working together at Flatbread Pizza near the airport. But today, both women were busy behind the counter of their new marketplace and take-away cafe, Rosewater, which held its grand opening Tuesday at 20 South Summer street in Edgartown after five mo…

Gale here this morning, but the Academy has weathered much worse. Sunny beach days to come and the garden needed the rai...
06/28/2015

Gale here this morning, but the Academy has weathered much worse. Sunny beach days to come and the garden needed the rain.

Address

49 Davis Lane
Edgartown, MA
02539

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