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 The picky eater wisely savors his favorite morsel, thus the best is saved for last. And so it is on Cape Cod, for Provincetown—the very last town on the Cape—embraces you, and then will not let you go. As the dunes spill onto the road at the northern end of a particularly scenic portion of Route 6, Provincetown (known affectionately as ‘P’town’) begins to focus in the cross hairs. It’s not just that the Pilgrim Monument, tallest granite structure in the nation, seems close enough to reach out and touch. It is more that its visitors really start to feel really ‘free.’ Perhaps this is the reason artists and people of every lifestyle are so drawn to this stunning place surrounded by sea, sand and sky. This wonderful town is arguably one of the intriguing places in America and, as the local brochures are wont to mention—there are at least two of everything here—almost like a Noah’s Ark of humanity. Those who feel out of place elsewhere are remarkably at home here. Thus is the magic of Provincetown. It is postulated that Vikings—in the person of Thorvald Erickson—landed in Provincetown in 1004 AD and, in 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold, intrepid captain of the bark Concord, sailed into Provincetown Harbor and he and his crew explored the headland from Race Point to Wood End. Yet we know, factually, that on November 11 or 21, 1620 (depending upon which calendar you use), 102 Pilgrims first landed at Provincetown. One death en route was offset by one birth, keeping the number constant. Remaining in the area a mere five weeks before departing for Plymouth across the Bay, Provincetown still remains the original New World landing site. The Mayflower Compact, an agreement whereby a free people would self-govern, was drafted in Cape Cod Bay. It is from this historic document, signed during the Pilgrims five-week stay in Provincetown, that the fullness of America’s liberties would eventually emerge. During the 18th century, the town established itself as a major fishing and whaling port (third largest after Nantucket and New Bedford, Massachusetts) and 75 wharves could be counted along its shores. Although no longer a major fishing port, a fleet of 40 fishing boats still departs each morning. Provincetown has long been home to a Portuguese community with deep roots which emanated from the Azores, the Canary Islands and Cape Verdes, whose residents were drawn here by employment in the whaling trade. Other locals found their fortunes closer to home. Villains known as ‘mooncussers’ erected lights along the shore thus luring unwitting vessels into the town’s dangerous shoals and, to their peril, the were boarded by these roguish characters who often murdered the crew and stole the cargo. These bandits gathered at ‘Helltown,’ a part of town which was scrupulously avoided by the town’s gentlefolk. Today, Provincetown, the Cape’s most colorful and, well, fascinating town, is an artist colony (America’s oldest continuous such colony), fishing town and resort—complete unto itself—self-contained and self-sufficient. Artists have been coming to P’town since 1899 when artist Charles W. Hawthorne founded the Cape Cod School of Art here, introducing the near-derelict fishing town to Greenwich Village intelligentsia. He was so besotted by its “jumble of color in the intense sunlight accentuated by the brilliant blue of the harbor” that he ended up teaching here for 30 years. His famous painting Fish Cleaners graces town hall. He also help found the Provincetown Art Association & Museum. Other artists drawn to town include such luminaries as Edward Hopper, Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell and Mark Rothko. Eugene O’Neill’s first plays were written and produced here (his work, Bound for East Cardiff, was staged in the tumble-down Wharf Theater in 1916, and actually launched his career) and the Fine Arts Work Center continues to have among its ranks some of the most important contemporary literati. Even screen stars are no strangers here, and Marlon Brando, Richard Gere and Al Pacino, among others, have all performed here. In the early 20th century, Provincetown—then a rather remote and sleepy fishing village—was further ensconced on the nation’s map when Presidents Roosevelt and William Howard Taft sailed in to town to bless first the cornerstone, then the completion of the Pilgrim Monument. Visitors touring New England should forget the prim village greens and conservative Yankee lifestyle they have seen elsewhere, for while Provincetown was founded by starchy Puritans, it now lies at the opposite end of the spectrum from those icons of conservatism. It’s fair to say that many of its residents—and even visitors—sort of enjoy thumbing their noses at convention. All lifestyles—straight, gay, lesbian, transvestite, artist, fisherman, day-tripper, local, Cape Codder, landlubber—are welcome and co-exist peacefully in a nurturing, cooperative milieu. The family daytrippers and conservatives from Boston or Boise, Idaho, must not take offense to two ladies or men holding hands as they stroll along Commercial Street, the three-mile long, one-way, chockablock-with-locals-and-visitors mercantile ‘strip’ which runs the length of town, ending at the more sedate ‘west end.’ On any given day, one might espy motorcycling lesbians, cross-dressers, Portuguese fishermen, racily-clad roller bladers and the odd middle American family wondering just what they have stumbled into en route to what they thought would be a sedate day whale watching. This is, after all, New England’s gay and arts Mecca. In every sense, Provincetown is as ‘far out’ as the Cape gets. There are myriad shops, boutiques, art galleries aplenty, truly outstanding restaurants featuring the very freshest seafood, toothsome Portuguese and Italian entrees (a few renowned eateries almost seem to have been here since 1620). It’s easy to get lost in the wonderful eclectic mix of shops (one wonderful Commercial Street shop features an amazing collection of kaleidoscopes). Shops range from the tastefully arty to the outrageous. In summer, the streets teem with visitors and residents alike, milling around and browsing the galleries’ myriad treasures and taking in the three centuries of architecture—Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival, French Second Empire and Gothic, to name a few. Then there is the geography. Provincetown, at the very tip of the peninsula, is surrounded on three sides by water and 90% of it is contained within Cape Cod National Seashore. The Province Lands Visitor Center provides interpretive exhibits and films relating to the Cape’s geography and ecosystem. It was at the tip of Cape Cod that Henry Thoreau said, “... a man could put all of America behind him.” For those appreciative of quiet stretches of pristine beach, dramatic sand dunes and a fragile, interdependent ecosytem, the National Seashore offers many idyllic spots. Throughout the town, visitors and residents are reminded of this idyllic location. From the top of the Pilgrim Monument, the entire Cape is visible, from the Bridges to Race Point. And it is an incomparable sight. The soft, diffused light combine with the azure of the harbor and the soft pastel hues of the town’s sands to deliver an elixir which knows no equal. Provincetown—serene and spirited, hauntingly beautiful and nurturing—refreshes and renews. Beaches: Herring Cove Beach, end of Route 6. A narrow and long beach which is a favorite for sunsets (crowds often applaud at particularly beautiful sunsets). Race Point Beach, Race Point Road. In addition to the beach and impressive surroundings, not far from the present Coast Guard Station is the Old Harbor Station, a US Lifesaving Service building towed here by barge from Chatham in 1977 to rescue it from an eroding beach. Provincetown Harbor, along the northern side of town. Although some of the beach disappears at high tide, this is a perennial favorite of locals and visitors wanting to take a quick snooze in the sun. At low tide, though, it’s a hike to get to the water. Visitors can reach the beach at several spots along Commercial Street Nature Trails: Beach Forest Trail, Race Point Road. This one-mile self-guided trail is a shaded path which circles a shallow freshwater pond whose surface is a sea of water lilies and then heads into the woods. Shifting dunes encroach on the forest, where usually many turtles sun themselves in the bright spots.
Art’s Dune Tours, Commercial and Standish Streets. This is, really, the only way to experience the magic of Provincetown’s spectacular dunes. There is an excellent narration during the tour and photo stops on request. See the famous ‘dune shacks,’ flora and fauna of this surreal and unforgettable area. The Expedition Whydah Sea Lab and Learning Center, MacMillan Wharf. In 1984, Cape Codder Barry Clifford made news when he discovered the 17th century pirate ship Whydah 1,500 feet off Wellfleet’s coast. Only partially excavated, it has already yielded more than 100,000 artifacts including 10,000 gold and silver coins and its namesake bell. Visitors can observe the reclamation work and ask questions of the scientists and scholars at work in addition to the many interpretive exhibits. Closed January-March. Province Lands Visitor Center, Race Point Road. Features an observation deck overlooking 360° of the surrounding heath and moors, a theater where informative introductory films are shown and rangers are available to answer questions. There are hiking, cycling and horse trails. Provincetown Dunes: just west of Truro/Provincetown line. These wondrous dunes are not only fun to explore, but make for dramatic and memorable photographs. Provincetown Art Association & Museum, 460 Commercial Street. Founded in 1914 for artists, sculptors and art collections, the Museum includes works by Charles Hawthorne and many 20th century artists. There is a museum shop, art classes are offered as are concerts, lectures and films. Open extended season and weekends in winter. Provincetown Heritage Museum, 356 Commercial Street. Originally built as a Methodist church, the building is now an art gallery and museum featuring marine and Victorian artifacts, antique fire equipment and the world’s largest half-scale indoor schooner model of the Rose Dorothea. MacMillan Wharf, Route 6A and Lopes Wharf. This is the maritime ‘heart’ of Provincetown, with boat rentals, a fishing fleet of more than 50 vessels (landing approximately 10 million pounds of fish) and venue for the annual Blessing of the Fleet. Seth Nickerson House, 72 Commercial Street. Built by ship’s carpenters using some materials from shipwrecks, this is the oldest standing house on Cape Cod and is an excellent example of pre-1750 Cape architecture. Oldest Cemetery in Provincetown, Winthrop Street. Four Mayflower passengers who died during the Pilgrims’ brief stopover in Provincetown are buried here. Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, Pole Hill Road. The 252-foot granite Monument was modeled after the bell tower in Siena, Italy and is the tallest granite structure in the United States. Visitors reach the top through a series of 60 ramps and 116 steps and are rewarded with an incredible panorama of Provincetown and, on clear days, as far as Boston and the Bridges. The bas relief at the base commemorates the Pilgrim’s first landing on November 11, 1620. The Provincetown Museum features maritime, natural history, Provincetown history and Cape Cod exhibits and collections of arctic explorer Donald MacMillan. Open year round. Whale Watching: Because Provincetown is close to the Stellwagen Bank, whale feeding grounds, many whale watch cruises depart from the town’s MacMillan Wharf. Several operators offer such cruises between April and October usually with morning, afternoon and sunset cruises lasting three to four hours. Some operators provide commentary from scientists from the Center for Coastal Studies who accompany the cruise while capturing data. |
