Scattered throughout the six Vineyard towns is a cross section of nearly every type of American residential architecture, from simple, early Cape Cod-style houses to the grander manses built during the Federal, Greek Revival, Queen Anne and later eras.

Five of the six towns have designated historic districts designed to protect the architecture unique to their towns.

Balancing the rights and interests of private homeowners against the broader public interests of preserving historic buildings is not a simple equation. As anyone who has owned an old home can attest, keeping them up is a costly and constant endeavor. But there is no doubt that a big piece of the Island’s enduring charm and attraction to visitors is the impression it gives of a bygone era.

As the economy rebounds, downtown Edgartown has seen a mini building boom, with old houses being replaced or dramatically altered at a steady clip. Many of these houses lie outside the historic district, which was drawn nearly thirty years ago and is confined to a relatively small area that hugs the waterfront. To address the trend, the historic district commission has begun to test support for a plan to expand the boundaries of the district. A survey has been mailed to about three hundred property owners who would be affected by the expansion. Town residents will have a year to discuss the proposal and make changes before it comes to a town meeting vote, currently planned for 2016.

Meanwhile, in Oak Bluffs the town historical commission is considering whether to allow demolition of the Denniston house on Masonic avenue. The house was saved from the wrecking ball just a few years ago, but now a group of new owners wants to raze it. Built in 1895, the Denniston house served among other things as an early church welcoming Wampanoags and African Americans. Leaders of the African American heritage trail project have asked that the house be preserved, but others suggest that some kind of plaque or monument to mark the spot would be sufficient. The commission has put off a decision and will vote next month on whether to refer the demolition request to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission for possible review.

That the Denniston house played a significant role in Island history is indisputable, but the need to preserve the structure itself is less clear. Compared to houses in the Camp Ground and the Copeland district, for example, the house is undistinguished architecturally. Moreover, previous efforts to raise funds to save the house fell short, leading to its current disrepair.

The effort to expand the Edgartown historic district has more merit. Though the entire village, a total of 500 homes, was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, that designation does not prevent demolition. On the other hand, inclusion in the historic district does not prevent expansion or even major changes to the interior of buildings; there are numerous examples of renovations where only a single façade from the original building has been left intact.

The village of Edgartown remains a vibrant real estate market, and in reality most home buyers opt to move there precisely because of its historic look and feel. Many handsome old houses have been lovingly preserved by their owners through the years; others have been substantially renovated to achieve energy efficiency while keeping a traditional exterior. Preserving the best of the Island’s heritage should not be solely a matter of rules, but setting standards and enforcing them is worthwhile when the effect is to support the rest of the community.