Blog · October 14, 2026 · Massachusetts
The Dukes County Plat Book: a Massachusetts guide
What a Dukes County plat book is, where to locate one around Chilmark, and the free map that covers the gaps.
Main page: Dukes County, MA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Dukes County facts and neighboring maps).
Platbookmapper is an Amazon Associate. If you buy through an Amazon link on this page, we earn a commission. The link is a product, not the county map.
The printed Dukes County plat book and the online parcel map answer the same question, who owns the land near Gosnold, in different ways. Here's what a plat book is, where to look for one in Dukes County, and the free official map that stays current between editions.
What a Dukes County plat book is
Think of the Dukes County plat book as a bound, printed version of ownership: township pages, owner names on each tract, and road maps for places like Aquinnah. Don't confuse it with a subdivision plat on file for lots in Aquinnah; that recorded plat is a legal document, while the atlas is a reference.
Opening the Dukes County parcel viewer
There's no separate Dukes County parcel site to hunt for; the MassGIS Interactive Property Map carries the county's parcels along with the rest of Massachusetts. Most people locate their Dukes County tract fastest by searching an address in Gosnold, then clicking the outline. Bookmark our Dukes County page too; it tracks the official Massachusetts link if it moves and lists the maps around Tisbury.
Finding a printed Dukes County plat book
Whether a current Dukes County edition exists varies, so ask locally in Chilmark before ordering; county offices often know if one is in print. Collectors and genealogists prize old Dukes County atlases since they show farm names and owners near Vineyard Haven long before online maps.
The lay of the land around Edgartown
From Edgartown, the seat of the county, the map spreads out to Aquinnah, Chilmark, Gosnold, and Oak Bluffs. Smaller places such as Vineyard Haven appear on the county map as little clusters of lots. Census Bureau estimates put Dukes County at about 20,819 residents in 2023 on about 103 square miles of land. Platted neighborhoods near Gosnold give way to rural acreage elsewhere in the county.
Recorded documents in Dukes County, Massachusetts
The parcel layer for Dukes County points back to recorded deeds and plats, kept by the county's recording office (its title varies by state). A deed book and page or instrument number on the county record is the fastest way to request the document for a lot in Chilmark.
Reading a Dukes County atlas page
Many atlases add rural residence listings and road maps, handy on back roads near Vineyard Haven. Acreage printed in a county atlas is rough; the deed and a boundary survey decide the real figure for a property near Tisbury. For a land purchase near Tisbury, rely on the county parcel record and a title search, not an atlas.
Old atlases and family history in Dukes County
Names in an older Dukes County atlas can lead you to the right deed in the grantor-grantee index for land near Vineyard Haven. Some buyers print the county parcel map at township scale to carry on back roads near Aquinnah.
Work and land use in Dukes County
County Business Patterns counted 1,229 business establishments in Dukes County for 2022, led by construction, retail trade, and accommodation and food services. Compared with national shares, Dukes County leans toward water transportation and scenic and sightseeing transportation, which shapes demand for land near West Tisbury.
Near the Dukes County line
Dukes County borders Barnstable County, Bristol County, and Nantucket County, and each keeps its own parcel map and records. Every map bordering Dukes County is listed on our Massachusetts directory.
Current owners without a printed book
Between editions, use the MassGIS Interactive Property Map; it lists owners, acreage and parcel IDs for land near Aquinnah at no cost. Pair the county map with a road atlas for the back roads near Aquinnah.
Quick answers for Dukes County
Are older plat books for Dukes County, Massachusetts online?
Check the library in Aquinnah, local historical groups and estate sales for older Dukes County editions.
Is the Dukes County, Massachusetts online map better than a plat book?
For current owners near West Tisbury, yes; the MassGIS Interactive Property Map updates as deeds are processed.
Can I use a plat book to locate lot lines near Aquinnah?
Only roughly; a Dukes County plat book is a reference, so a boundary survey decides the real line.
Can I buy a new plat book for Dukes County, Massachusetts?
Editions come and go; check at the courthouse, extension office or farm supply stores in Aquinnah.
Is a plat book the same as a recorded plat for a lot in Aquinnah?
No; a lot in Aquinnah answers to its recorded plat, and the county atlas is just a reference.
Open the official Dukes County, MA parcel map Dukes County in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.