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Photos: See archival shots from when 'Jaws' came to Martha's Vineyard

August 28, 2025

Special effects operative Richie Helmer scrubs the face of the shark prop. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum)

"Jaws" is full of notable, quotable characters. From the grizzled shark hunter Quint to the beleaguered police chief, Martin Brody, or even the boy on the yellow raft who meets an untimely fate, the movie's figures stick with you.

But one key character was present in every scene: the island itself.

Martha's Vineyard played host to the cast and crew of "Jaws" in 1974, providing the idyllic setting of the film's Amity Island.

The movie's production designer, Joe Alves, said the island ticked many of the boxes he needed for production: small tide, a bay with a low depth. But it was the look of the towns that put it on the top of his list.

"Edgartown was so perfect with the white houses and the picket fences, and there's this beautiful community," said Alves. "I said it was such a great looking community for a white shark to come and destroy."

The "Jaws" lighting crew rolls equipment down Main Street in Edgartown. A "Brickman's of Amity Island" prop sign hangs in the background. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum)

It was more than just the location that made the movie sing. The people of the island were deeply entwined in the film. Local islanders played bit parts or constructed sets for the movie.

"I hired all locals to do Quint’s shack, the boats, all those things," said Alves. "So the people that needed work on the island were very happy."

Vineyard resident Henry Carreiro, who played Felix the bounty hunter, stands to the left of the a decomposing tiger shark. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum) — Vineyard resident Henry Carreiro, who played Felix the bounty hunter, stands to the left of a decomposing tiger shark. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum)

And on island to capture it all was Edith Blake, photographer for the Vineyard Gazette. Her camera documented the Hollywood magic that turned the Vineyard Edgartown into Amity. Blake's images were donated to the Martha's Vineyard Museum, serving as a permanent reminder of the effort and community involved in "Jaws."

Blake, who died in 2023 at age 97, wrote a book about her time capturing the creation and what it was like for the islanders in her book "On Location... On Martha's Vineyard: The Making of the Movie Jaws."

Below are a series of Blake's images from the film.

The film crew works on the Orca, Quint’s boat in the film. Robert Shaw, who plays Quint, gazes at the camera from the deck of the boat. Richard Dreyfuss, who plays scientist Matt Hooper, stands in the center of the photo. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum) — The film crew works on the Orca, Quint’s boat in the film. Shaw, who plays Quint, gazes at the camera from the deck of the boat. Richard Dreyfuss, who plays scientist Matt Hooper, stands in the center of the photo. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum)

Steven Spielberg stands on a director's chair in the ocean. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum)

A shark and sunken 'Orca' boat prop sits in the water of Katama Bay. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum)

Crew members prepare for a shot in the ocean. Director Steven Spielberg stands shirtless on the dock to the left of the camera. (Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum)

(Courtesy of Edith Blake/Martha's Vineyard Museum)