Provincetown, Massachusetts "Provincetown"
Provincetown .
Provincetown, Massachusetts Aerial view of Provincetown, Cape Cod Aerial view of Provincetown, Cape Cod Official seal of Provincetown, Massachusetts Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Provincetown.
Provincetown / pr v ns ta n/ is a New England town positioned at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, in the United States.
A small coastal resort town with a year-round populace of just under 3,000, Provincetown has a summer populace of as high as 60,000. Often called "P-town" or "P'town", the town is known for its beaches, harbor, artists, tourist industry, and its status as a vacation destination for the LGBTQ community.
8.1 Provincetown in prominent culture Later that day, after catching a "great store of codfish", he chose instead to name this outermost tip of territory "Cape Cod". Notably, that name referred specifically to the region of modern-day Provincetown; it wasn't until much later that that name was reused to designate the entire region now known as Cape Cod.
After two days of floundered attempts to sail south against the strong winter seas, they returned to the safety of the harbor, known today as Provincetown Harbor, and set anchor.
Although the Pilgrims chose to settle athwart the bay in Plymouth, Cape Cod appreciateed an early reputation for its valuable fishing grounds, and for its harbor: a naturally deep, protected watershed that was considered the best along the coast. In 1654, the Governor of the Plymouth Colony purchased this territory from the Chief of the Nausets, for a selling price of two brass kettles, six coats, 12 hoes, 12 axes, 12 knives and a box. That land, which spanned from East Harbor (formerly, Pilgrim Lake) near the present-day border between Provincetown and Truro to Long Point, was kept for the benefit of Plymouth Colony, which began leasing fishing rights to roving fishermen.
The name chosen by its inhabitants was "Herringtown", which was rejected by the Massachusetts General Court in favor of "Provincetown". The act of incorporation provided that inhabitants of Provincetown could be territory holders, but not territory owners.
The populace of Provincetown remained small through most of the 18th century.
The town was affected by the American Revolution the same way most of Cape Cod was: the effective British blockade shut down most fish manufacturing and shipping and the town dwindled.
It was, by happenstance, the locale of the wreck of a British warship, HMS Somerset at the Peaked Hill Bars off the Atlantic Coast of Provincetown in 1778.
Following the American Revolution, Provincetown interval quickly as a fishing and whaling center. The populace was bolstered by various Portuguese sailors, many of whom were from the Azores, and settled in Provincetown after being hired to work on US ships.
By the 1890s, Provincetown was booming, and began to precarious a resident populace of writers and artists, as well as a summer tourist industry.
After the 1898 Portland Gale severely damaged the town's fishing industry, members of the town's art improve took over many of the abandoned buildings.
The Provincetown Players was an meaningful experimental theatre business formed amid this period.
In 1898 Charles Webster Hawthorne opened the Cape Cod School of Art, said to be the first outside school for figure painting, in Provincetown.
The town includes eight buildings and two historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places: Provincetown Historic District and Dune Shacks of Peaked Hill Bars Historic District.
Provincetown, Commercial Street In the mid-1960s, Provincetown saw populace growth.
By the 1970s Provincetown had a momentous gay population, especially amid the summer tourist season, when restaurants, bars and small shops serving the tourist trade were open.
There had been a gay existence in Provincetown as early as the start of the 20th century as the artists' colony developed, along with experimental theatre.
Drag queens could be seen in performance as early as the 1940s in Provincetown.
In 1978 the Provincetown Business Guild (PBG) was formed to promote gay tourism.
Today more than 200 businesses belong to the PBG, and Provincetown is perhaps the best-known gay summer resort on the East Coast.
The 2010 US Enumeration revealed Provincetown to have the highest rate of same-sex couples in the country, at 163.1 per 1000 couples. The housing bust of 2005 - 2012 caused property values in and around town to fall by 10 percent or more in less than a year. This did not slow down the town's economy, however.
Provincetown's tourist season has expanded, and the town has scheduled created celebrations and seven-day affairs throughout the year.
Provincetown is positioned at the very tip of Cape Cod, encompassing a total region of 17.5 square miles (45 km2) 55% of that, or 9.7 sq mi (25 km2), is territory area, and the remaining 7.8 sq mi (20 km2) water area. Surrounded by water in every direction except due east, the town has 21.3 miles (34.3 km) of coastal shoreline. Provincetown is bordered to the east by its only neighbor, the town of Truro, and by Provincetown Harbor to the southeast, Cape Cod Bay to the south and west, Massachusetts Bay to the northwest and north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the northeast.
The town is 45 miles (72 km) north (by road) from Barnstable, Hyannis, Massachusetts and 62 miles (100 km) by road to the Sagamore Bridge, which spans the Cape Cod Canal and joins Cape Cod to the mainland.
Provincetown is 45 miles (72 km) east by southeast from Boston by air or sea, and 115 miles (185 km) by road.
About 4,500 acres, or about 73% of the town's territory area, is owned by the National Park Service, which operates the Cape Cod National Seashore, leaving about 2.7 sq mi (7.0 km2) of territory under the town's jurisdiction. To the north lie the "Province Lands", the region of dunes and small ponds extending from Mount Ararat in the east to Race Point in the west, along the Massachusetts Bay shore.
The Cape Cod Bay shoreline extends from Race Point to the far west, to Wood End in the south, eastward to Long Point, which in turn points inward towards the town, and provides a natural barrier for Provincetown Harbor.
The town's populace center extends along the harbor, south of the Seashore's lands.
The water encircling Provincetown has the effect of moderating temperatures, such that the entire town is encompassed in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, which indicates an average annual extreme minimum temperature (1976 2005) of between 0 and 5 F ( 17.8 and 15.0 C). The water also has the effect of delaying the onset of the seasons, by keeping spring temperatures cooler and fall temperatures warmer than the rest of the state.
Climate data for Provincetown, Massachusetts For nearly all of Provincetown's recorded history, life has revolved around the waterfront especially the waterfront on its southern shore which offers a naturally deep harbor with easy and safe boat access, plus natural protection from the wind and waves.
An additional element of Provincetown's geography tremendously influenced the manner in which the town evolved: the town was physically isolated, being at the hard-to-reach tip of a long, narrow peninsula.
The East Harbor, which provided the most protected mooring place in Provincetown, had a 1,000-foot-wide (305 m) inlet from Provincetown Harbor, and effectively blocked off access to Provincetown by land.
Until the late 19th century, no road led to Provincetown the only territory route connecting the village to points back toward the mainland was along a thin stretch of beach along the shore to the north (known locally as the "backshore"). A wooden bridge was erected over the East Harbor in 1854, only to be finished by a winter storm and ice two years later. Although the bridge was replaced the following year, any traveler who crossed it still needed to traverse a several miles over sand routes, which, together with the backshore route, was occasionally washed out by storms.
This made Provincetown very much like an island.
Maps of Provincetown, 1835 and 1889.
Until the late 1800s, the East Harbor opened into Provincetown Harbor, and there were no roads into Provincetown. East Harbor was diked in 1868, making way for the barns , then the automobile. The barns was not the only late arrival to Provincetown.
The town's internal road layout reflects the historic importance of the waterfront, the key to communication and commerce with the outside world.
Paine Smith, The Provincetown Book (1922) A residentiary street in Provincetown Provincetown is the easterly end of U.S.
The state-controlled portion ends with a "State Highway Ends" sign as the road enters the Cape Cod National Seashore, after which the road is under federal maintenance.
Route 6 - A passes through the town as well, mostly following Bradford Street (whereas US 6 originally followed Commercial Street before the bypass was assembled and Commercial Street was switched to one-way westbound), and ending just south of the Herring Cove Beach.
Provincetown is served by two cyclic ferries to Boston and one to Plymouth. They all dock at Mac - Millan Pier, positioned just east of the Town Hall in the center of town.
When operating at full capacity, the pier accommodates in any given day: 11 ferry trips carrying over 5,000 passengers; five whale watch vessels each running up to three trips a day with a total capacity of 3,600 passengers; the town's commercial fishing fleet of 55 vessels; and many other excursion and visiting vessels. It also plays host a several times per year as a destination port-of-call to passengers of organized cruise ship tours, whether themed towards the gay traveller, or towards eco-tourism, arts and other aspects of Provincetown and the outer cape. The town has no rail service; the town's only stockyards directed from 1873 until the early 1960s, when it was abandoned by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
Provincetown is at one end of the scenic "Bike Route 1" from Boston called the Claire Saltonstall Bikeway.
The Provincetown Municipal Airport is positioned just east of Race Point.
This 378 acres (1.53 km2) airport is surrounded by the Cape Cod National Seashore, and is used mostly for General Aviation, but does receive regular scheduled service to Boston or White Plains, New York (with optional car service to Manhattan) via Cape Air, which also operates code-share flights for Jet - Blue. The airport is a well-equipped, if small, general-aviation airport with a single 3,500-foot (1,100 m) runway, an ILS approach, and full lighting.
Enumeration agency about the densely populated downtown area, see Provincetown (CDP), Massachusetts.
Enumeration of 2010, there were 2,942 citizens residing in the town (down 14.3% since 2000). The populace density was 304.2 inhabitants per square mile (117.5/km2).
The ethnic makeup of the town was 91.5% White, 4.0% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 1.6% from other competitions, and 1.7% from two or more competitions.
The per capita income for the town was $41,488. About 2.1% of families and 15.4% of the populace were below the poverty line, including 26.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over. Provincetown's ZIP code has the highest concentration of same-sex couple homeholds of any ZIP code in the United States. They often reveal unusual results, as in this case, where the number of housing units far exceeds the Town's total population, where that number of housing units rose 15% while the populace dropped 14%, and where nearly 61% of the housing stock is vacant, with 53% designated "for cyclic, recreational, or occasional use", as stated to the census. In the decade spanning the years 2000 through 2010, Provincetown's small year-round populace declined 14.3% from 3,431 to 2,942, yet amid the summer months, populace estimates vary wildly, ranging from 19,000 to 60,000. Enumeration figures are unable to capture these dynamic populace fluctuations that are associated with cyclic tourism.
Provincetown Town Hall Provincetown is governed, like most New England towns, by the Open town meeting form of government.
In the Town Meeting form of government, the people, gathered in the town meeting, act as the legislative branch and approve the budget and amend the town's bylaws, while the popularly propel Board of Selectmen act as the executive branch and hire and oversee the Town Manager, meet regularly to determine policy and appoint members of other boards and commissions.
Provincetown is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Fourth Barnstable District, which includes (with the exception of Brewster) all the suburbs east and north of Harwich on the Cape.
The seat is held by Democrat Sarah Peake, a former Provincetown selectman.
The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Cape and Islands District, which includes all of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket except the suburbs of Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich and a portion of Barnstable. The Senate seat is held by Democrat Julian Cyr.
Provincetown is patrolled by its own Police Department as well as the Second (Yarmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police. On the nationwide level, Provincetown is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is presently represented by Bill Keating.
Provincetown is governed by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a town manager and a board of selectmen.
The town's postal service is positioned along Commercial Street, near the town's Fourth Wharf.
The Provincetown Public Library is a member of the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing library network and is also positioned along Commercial Street, in the former Center Methodist Episcopal Church building since 2005.
Provincetown Schools is an International Baccalaureate World School.
Provincetown Schools formally joins the IB improve as an IB World School - PYP and MYP continuum program.
Provincetown Schools is now the only school in Massachusetts to offer the IB continuum, grades PK-8.
Provincetown Schools educates approximately 120 kids in Grades Pre - K - Grade 8.
The Veterans Memorial Community Center homes Provincetown Schools Early Learning Center (Wee Care and Preschool ages 3 5).
In 2010, the Provincetown school board propel to phase out the high school program Provincetown High School at the end of the 2012 2013 school year, and send students to close-by Nauset Regional High School in North Eastham, beginning with the 2013 2014 academic year.
Provincetown High School's last senior class graduated on June 7, 2013.
The final Senior class, consisted of eight students. There are no private schools in Provincetown; high school students from the town will now attend Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich or Nauset Regional High School in North Eastham.
Prior to its closing, Provincetown High School (PHS) served students from seventh through twelfth grades (and for a time also accepted students from Truro).
In 2012, Provincetown High School was recognized as one of the smallest high schools in the nation with a student populace of 32 students in grades 10-12.
The Fine Arts Work Center is a nonprofit educational enterprise, positioned in Provincetown since 1968.
Its stated mission is to encourage the expansion and evolution of emerging visual artists and writers through residency programs, to propagate beautiful values and experience, and to restore the year-round vitality of the historic art colony of Provincetown.
Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) is a nationally recognized, year-round cultural institution that jubilated its Centennial in 2014.
Between 2004 and 2007, PAAM received four Rural Development grants and loans totaling $3 million to increase the exhibition's space, add climate-controlled facilities, renovate a historic sea captain's home (the Hargood House) and cover cost overruns. As the mission of the Rural Development program is "To increase economic opportunity and advancement the character of life for all non-urban Americans", the USDA considered Provincetown's inhabitants in the 2000s to still be non-urban and to still require such federal assistance.
In 2003, Provincetown received a $1.95 million low interest loan from the Rural Development program of the U.S.
The Atlantic House in Provincetown is considered the earliest gay bar in the US and Frommer's calls it "the nation's premier gay bar". Provincetown is the setting for the annual "Women's Week" festival.
The Provincetown International Film Festival, honors the best in autonomous and avante garde film.
In November, 2011, the Provincetown Theater Company became the first theater business in New England to stage a live-action dramatic theatrical presentation of horror-fantasy author H.P.
Provincetown in prominent culture in Cynthia Voigt's 1981 first novel of the "Homecoming" series, Homecoming, the chief characters, Dicey, James, Elizibeth, and Sammy are from Provincetown.
Some of the characters return or in prequel live in Provincetown.
Denis Johnson's 1991 novel Resuscitation of a Hanged Man is set in Provincetown.
Norman Mailer's novel Tough Guys Don't Dance and Annie Dillard's novel The Maytrees are primarily based in Provincetown.
Jon Loomis's Frank Coffin mystery series is set in Provincetown.
The town is mentioned, along with various other Cape Cod locations, in the Vampire Weekend song "Walcott," encompassed on their 2008 debut album Vampire Weekend.
Most of the affairs in the 2012 film Bear - City 2: The Proposal take place in Provincetown amid Bear Week.
On the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim show The Venture Bros., Colonel Gentleman describes a sexual neologism referencing Provincetown.
In Glee prominent couple Kurt and Blaine honeymoon in Provincetown following their joint wedding with Brittany and Santana.
In Season 6, Episode 17 of the TV series 30 Rock, Jack Donaghy's mother Colleen references Provincetown in her explanation as to why she never says "I love you" to her son.
We don't have to say it out loud like a couple of gays getting married in jean shorts in Provincetown, while I'm just trying to appreciate an ice cream on the pier." In the TV series 30 Rock, Jack Donaghy's nemesis Devon Banks references Provincetown in a threat to Donaghy.
"If this Liz Lemon universal loses one penny, I am going to publicly flog you like well, like me at the Provincetown Flogging Festival." The lyrics of Boston grindcore band Anal Cunt's song, "02657", from their 1996 album 40 More Reasons to Hate Us, lampoon Provincetown's large LGBT community.
Its title is a reference to Provincetown's ZIP code.
In Kate Scelsa's 2015 Young Adult novel, Fans of the Impossible Life, Provincetown is mentioned as a summer home locale for Jeremy's family and is where Sebby and Mira run away to, and is thus intertwined into the lives of all three chief characters.
Town of Provincetown: https://provincetown-ma.gov/ a b c "Historical Timeline of Provincetown, Massachusetts" (PDF).
Town of Provincetown.
Karen Christel Krahulik, Provincetown: From Pilgrim Landing to Gay Resort, NYU Press, 2007, p.
Provincetown artist colony (excerpt feat.
Provincetown, Massachusetts: Metro Pictures Corporation.
"Town of Provincetown Open Space and Recreation Plan".
Town of Provincetown Open Space Committee & Recreation Commission.
"Climate Statistics for Provincetown, Massachusetts".
A map of the extremity Of Cape Cod including the Townships of Provincetown & Truro: with a chart of their sea coast and of Cape Cod Harbour, State of Massachusetts (Map).
Massachusetts: Provincetown Sheet (PDF) (Map).
Provincetown or Odds and Ends From the Tip End.
The Provincetown Book.
"Provincetown Ferry - Fast & Luxurious".
Boston-Provincetown ferry Retrieved on Aug 2, 2010 Town Talk; Provincetown.
"Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010".
Index of Legislative Representation by City and Town, from Mass.gov "Town of Provincetown - Official Website - Police".
Town of Provincetown.
Provincetown Public Library, provincetownlibrary.org.
Provincetown Magazine.
"Provincetown Blows the Candles Out on 30 Years of Celebrating Women in 2014".
Provincetown Tourism Office.
Women Innkeepers of Provincetown.
Building Provincetown.
Provincetown, Mass.: Town of Provincetown and Provincetown Historical Commission.
Provincetown, Massachusetts Town of Provincetown official website Provincetown official tourism website Provincetown Chamber of Commerce
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Towns in Barnstable County, Massachusetts - Gay villages in Massachusetts - Landmarks in Massachusetts - Populated coastal places in Massachusetts - Provincetown, Massachusetts - Towns in Massachusetts
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