Black Dog, Vineyard Haven

It was a desperately cold day in 1969. With the Vineyard having no year-round restaurant, Captain Robert Douglas' repast on that particular night was a bitter cup of coffee and a dry, packaged, store-bought donut. The Captain had finally had enough. He began sketching on a paper napkin. A small gambrel-roofed building started to take shape. There were more napkins and more sketches. Captain Douglas played with the placement of the windows, added dormers, and then pulled it all together with a large red brick chimney. The restaurant would look just right on the beach at the head of Vineyard Haven harbor, he thought. It would give Vineyarders and visitors a place to meet and eat.