Provincetown Volume II

By John Hardy Wright

Book Overview

By the beginning of the twentieth century, picturesque Provincetown-- incorporated in 1727--was no longer one of the major seaports of Massachusetts involved in the whaling industry. The fishing industry was still going strong due to the hard-working Portuguese fishermen, but commercial interests looked towards tourism as they had in many other towns and cities. Where once fishing shacks and warehouses dotted the shoreline off Commercial Street, comfortable and well-appointed guesthouses and restaurants emerged to support the growing numbers of day-trippers (many of whom arrived by ferry from Boston) and vacationers who were discovering this charming town at the very tip of Cape Cod. Tourists had visited Provincetown early on. Henry David Thoreau made three walking trips on Cape Cod around 1850, but it was not until the turn of the century that artists, followed by playwrights, authors, and musicians, realized they could live inexpensively in a community that fostered creativity. The artistic and literary culture of Provincetown was enhanced by hangers-on who enjoyed the Bohemian lifestyle. Counter-culture hippies of the 1960s blended in with the colorful personalities of those individuals who came to "P-town" to pursue an alternative lifestyle. Gays and Lesbians have transformed many aspects of the town--both architectural and cultural--in its evolution from a fishing village to a popular and prosperous year-round resort community. Provincetown Volume I, published in 1997, focuses on the architecture and social history of this atypical town. This eagerly anticipated sequel features views of the shore, harbor, and ocean, the whaling and fishing industries, art and artists, playwrights and authors, entertainers, and alternative lifestyles.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0738590274
• ISBN13: 9780738590271
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (SC)
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.6" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Review for 1997-1998 two volume edition of book...

There were two volumes (I-1997 and II-1998) for this book and both were filled with interesting B/W photos and old postcard images of Provincetown, MA (of which I am a fan). The emphasis of the book is on the images, so there in no text other than captions. Volume I looks at Historical Background, Getting There, The Town Center, The Pilgrim Memorial Monument and Museum, The West End and The East End. Volume II looks at Shore and Harbor Views, Whaling and Fishing, Back Shore Views and Shipwrecks, Art and Artists; Playwrights, Actors and Authors; Entertainers, Alternative Lifestyles. I would add that the author John Handy Wright has a bit of 'dated' attitude in his photo captioning for the late 1990's with that last section.

great book in a great series

My father loved this book. Everything in this series seems to be well written and well researched.

A glmipse of the past.

What a wonderful glimpse into the past of such an interesting town! This small treasure allows us to watch as a small fishing village, transforms into an artist colony then to the vibrant alternative showplace it is today! A must for all P'town enthusiasts!