This story was reported for NBC10 Boston
Provincetown is a famous destination at the very end of Cape Cod, known for its expansive beaches, thriving art scene and long history of welcoming the LGBTQ+ community.
But how did Ptown become the artsy, progressive retreat that it is today? The answer is found in over 100 years of history that centers around progressive ideas, acceptance and art. Here’s a brief summary.
Provincetown finds a new life as an art colony
At the turn of the 20th century, Provincetown was in shambles, according to a history provided by the Provincetown Business Guild.
A historic storm, which became known as the Portland Gale, tore through New England in 1898, and Provincetown was devastated. Because of the extensive damage to the town’s fishing fleet, the economy was at a standstill. Plus, many fishermen died in the storm, leaving behind a lot of widows.
Around that same time, a man named Charles Hawthorne was looking for a place to open an art school. He looked all around New England for the ideal location, and when he came upon Provincetown, decided that was the place for it. Many women in town offered up housing for artists.
The Cape Cod School of Art was founded in 1899, and in the years that followed, a strong connection formed between New York City and Provincetown, with more and more artists hopping onto the train to the Outer Cape. Others began to go to Ptown, too, including writers and actors, as well as thinkers who were open minded to ideas on sexuality and expression.
Many of the locals took to the ideas, and a strong allyship formed.
By the 1920s, it was becoming more widely known around the country that Provincetown was a morphing into a haven for LGBTQ+ people. More people began to visit and even move to the town, and over the decades that followed, a number of milestones furthered its reputation and culture within the arts and gay communities.
“There’s… some would say a natural affinity between the arts and performing arts community and the LGBTQ+ community,” Executive Director of the Provincetown Business Guild Rachael Brister said. “And it started to become known as the place to be, the place go, the place to find community and also to be a part of that arts colony.“
Provincetown of today: Art, culture and community
As executive director of the business guild, Brister heads up an effort to promote Provincetown as the premier LGBTQ+ destination in the entire country, while helping to showcase the community’s businesses and also putting on over a dozen major events throughout the year, including Provincetown Pride.
Brister explained that while there’s a lot of joy in Provincetown’s history, “it’s not all wine and roses.” There have been pivotal moments of protest and activism, too. Many people who were impacted by HIV during the AIDS crisis traveled to Provincetown to find respite, and in some cases, spend their final days.
Aside from the fun events the guild puts on, Brister said they work to keep the city’s history alive — from the good to the bad.
“We’re just one of many organizations or businesses in town who uplift that history,” Brister said. “There are people here that have lived here for 50, 60 years that are part of the LGBTQ+ community. And I think it’s really important to make sure that their voices are heard.“
A lot of the history is reflected in the art that’s created in Provincetown – and there’s a lot. Art galleries line Commercial Street, alongside famed clubs, lounges and restaurants.
“I’m a little biased, but there’s just so much to do here,” Brister said. “There’s so much culture, there’s so many events, there’s such community here.”
A destination for wellness
Provincetown is well-known as a destination for art, food, culture and fun, but this year, there’s a new push underway to establish it as a wellness destination, too.
The Provincetown Business Guild has a “Welltown” promotion underway, highlighting the area’s quieter activities and natural beauty for a different Ptown experience. Welltown is a play off Helltown — an urban legend about an area of town that’s said to be haunted.
“We’re trying to amplify the amount of things that you can do here that are outdoors as well or that are more wellness-focused,” Brister said. “So whether it’s taking a yoga class or going on a hike, renting a bike…I think that’s another part that sort of, um, fits into that recipe of this being a safe and welcoming space.”
Finding belonging in community
Regardless of one’s reason for traveling to Provincetown, Brister says that members of the LGBTQ+ community can expect to find belonging and acceptance, in keeping with over 100 years of history.
“Having both a physical space to go to and get away to, but also the community and being able to be somewhere where you might just need to shut the world out for a little while,” Brister said. “Honestly, it’s crucial.”