Book Talk: The Revolution on Cape Cod & the Islands

Join us on Thursday, October 30 at 4:30pm at the West Tisbury Library for a talk by author and historian Thomas Dresser. In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, Thomas will discuss The Revolutionary War on Cape Cod and the Islands — a compelling collection of 45 essays highlighting Revolutionary-era events, with a primary focus on Cape Cod and the Islands. The book features contributions from Bow Van Riper of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and Thomas Dresser himself. Free and open the public.

This new illustrated book, prepared in time for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, brings together under one cover the facts and narratives about the often little-known histories of the Revolution on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, from the period 1761 (end of the French and Indian Wars) to 1783 (Treaty of Paris). Co-written by 24 authors coordinated through the Cape and Islands Historians Committee, the book is available as of August 2025 in bookstores, libraries, and schools. Topics include: accounts of the few actual battles fought on Cape and Islands, privateering, the serious splits between Loyalists and Patriots, British shipwrecks off of Cape Cod which resulted in favorable outcomes for the Patriots, the history of African Americans and Native Americans from the region who served actively in the War, and the stories of 10 important individuals from the region who played important roles in the Revolutionary period. Published by West Barnstable Press, publication in summer 2025 is being followed by a series of presentations on highlights of the book.