Provincetown Massachusetts - Selected Photos of My Happy Place


	Southern New England: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island

Also showing my hometown, in Connecticut halfway between NewYork City and Boston; CAPE COD with Provincetown at the very tip.

* * * * *

The Pilgrims first landed in Provincetown in the year 1620 before proceeding to Plymouth Massachusetts

Cape Cod is noted for fishing and in the 1800s whales were hunted off the coast. Portuguese immigrants from the Azores and Cape Verdes Islands came to settle in Provincetown because of the whale and fishing industry and were the predominant ethnic group there for many years.

On the fishing pier there is a tribute to the Portuguese women of Provincetown

The tower is Pilgrims' Monument

A view of the town from McMillan Wharf

One view of Commercial Street

The waters of the Bay are very calm. It's where the boats dock and moor.

Hindu - A restored 19th century schooner

Me on board the Schooner Hindu

Some photos of the town follow. In recent years most of the old buildings in town have been renovated at great expense. The very wealthy are now the major "ethnic" group.

One of the few remaining Portuguese businesses and restaurants

In the mid 1900's artists discovered Provincetown which, being nearly surrounded by ocean, is drenched in sunlight from dawn to dusk. The artists were considered bohemians and many were gay or lesbian and so Provincetown became a magnet for hippies and LGBTs in the 1960s and 1970s.

Rainbow flags are now ubiquitous in PTown. Gay guest houses and businesses sprang up during the 70's and 80s. When the AIDS epidemic hit, the gay population of Provincetown was decimated and the Lesbian residents and businesses kept the LGBT atmosphere form being lost to changes altogether. The LGBT vibe remained alive and well and is still a vital part of the town's economy and identity into the decades of the 2000's.

Change was coming none the less. The small seaside town was very desirable and well-to-do LGBT folks began buying up properties, many of which hadn't been kept up very well. Renovations transformed many a home or business into multi-million dollar properties.

Many of the old Portuguese families began selling their homes as prices rose exponentially for several years (beginning approximately around the year 2000).

Now, it seems only the wealthy are able to own property and the shift toward exclusivity has created a difficult housing situation for seasonal and service workers, many of whom are foreign nationals (from Latin America or Jamaica or the West Indies) and are relegated to low-income housing.

There is limited low-income housing for full time residents, but the cost of living is very high. Groceries, utilities, goods and services are expensive even for us as tourists.

There are many nice gardens and flowers in town along Commercial Street - one of the two main streests in town. (There is a larger residential area beyond the main streets but I have no photos)

Homes on the Bayside are very close with narrow walkways between

Commercial Street is narrow and One-Way traffic only

Antique shops and kitschy store windows abound

We cannot afford to stay in any of the many guest houses or hotels in town, so we will generally stay at the campground. Even there, the rates are high.