On October 18th, the Rodgers branch of the family headed out to Provincetown, at the very end of the Cape Cod peninsula, where we spent many a vacation when our kids were growing up. We thought it would be deserted, since the summer season is well over, but it was Women’s Week, and the streets were crowded with visitors. Exhausted from the emotions and activities of the previous day, we had lunch and did some shopping, but didn’t stay too long. But before we left I kept taking pictures of signs – there were so many creative ones…
An historic fishing port, Provincetown is situated at the tip of Cape Cod in an area of spectacular natural beauty, surrounded by miles of dunes and beaches. Provincetown has a diverse and singular history. The Pilgrims first landed in Provincetown in 1620 and signed the Mayflower Compact, a declaration of self-determination and radical thought that characterizes the history and people of Provincetown, even today. Provincetown has been home to sailors, pirates, fishermen, painters, and authors for centuries. In the nineteenth century, Provincetown, with the largest and safest natural harbor on the New England coast, was one of the greatest and busiest seaports in the country. The rich texture of cultural and social influences has produced a sense of place that is uniquely Provincetown. For over a century, these special qualities have attracted artists, tourists, and bohemians who have then blended with the local population and produced a unique community character. Provincetown is truly like nowhere else.
~ Town of Provincetown website
Glad you had some fun family time in PTown ! Yes it looks like a town of signs!
I had a bunch of friends going up this past weekend. I think there was a recovery workshop? Or boys just want to have fun!
You’d probably appreciate all the photography galleries up there, Jeff. It is a great place for having fun – you should make a trip up there with your friends some time. We miss having the family’s house to stay in, so we hadn’t been there since 2009…
Ohhhhhhh, in scrolling through your vivid photographs I could practically taste the salty tang in the air!
That salty tang in the air is such a catalyst for healing, Laurie – it’s no wonder Provincetown is a refuge for so many of us!
Tim must have been happy to see a book store named after him. I think it can be so much fun photographing signs in a place like this.
It was lots of fun, Kathy, and if I hadn’t been so exhausted I would have taken even more photos! We’ve been visiting “Tim’s” bookstore for many years and were happy to find it still there…
Hi Barbara. I think I head into that bookstore and the two ‘by the sea’ shops. I have some of those glass floats by the Shell Shop! Jane
I have a feeling it would be fun to go strolling and shopping with you in Provincetown, Jane! I actually bought a shell I had never seen before in the Shell Shop.
Lovely photos, Barbara! Provincetown has such a colorful history. It must have been a wonderful place to spend time as a child. I love looking at signs too, they can give such interesting insight into the personality of a place.
Thank you, Colleen! We so enjoyed our summers in Tim’s grandparents’ old house, and are grateful for the memories. Tim fondly remembers when he was a boy riding bikes along the paths in the dunes at Cape Cod National Seashore, and our kids got to do that, too.
I think a gentle stroll was just what you needed …
I think you are right, Sybil. It was just the right amount of diversion and respite…
Provincetown seems like a pretty place. I also find the signs very creatively done.. Thanks for the pictures, its nice to visit new places this way 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed these pictures, Sonali. 🙂 There are so many things in Provincetown and the sea and dunes around it – it’s definitely a photographer’s paradise.