Chilmark [Dukes County] on the island of Martha's Vineyard had the legal status of "manor", in the ownership of Thomas Mayhew and his grandson until 1714, when it was incorporated as a town.

The Native American name for Chilmark is Nashowakemmuck, formed from two Algonquian words meaning "the half way house".

Today, the year-round population of Chilmark is roughly 1,000, swelling to over 6,000 in the summer months.

The town of Chilmark includes the area known as Menemsha.