National Register of Historic Places

Provincetown Historic District

Provincetown, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Listed
August 29, 1989
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89001148

About this property

The Provincetown Historic District encompasses most of the dense urban center of Provincetown, Massachusetts. The district is roughly bounded to the north by U.S. Route 6; to the west by the west end of Commercial St.; to the south by Provincetown Harbor; and to the east by the southeast end of Commercial St. It covers about 300 acres (120 ha), and includes more than 1,000 buildings. Its historic character spans more than 200 years of settlement, from the city's early years as a fishing community, to its development as a summer resort area and artists' colony beginning in the late 19th century. The district was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Four properties in the district are also individually listed.

Location

Provincetown, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
42.05179, -70.18579

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTCOMMERCENATIVE AMERICANLITERATUREEUROPEANARCHITECTUREMARITIME HISTORYPERFORMING ARTS
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Provincetown Historic District

This page lists Provincetown Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Provincetown Public Library
Industrial
0.1 mi
First Universalist Chruch
Industrial
0.1 mi
Center Methodist Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
US Post Office-Provincetown Main
Industrial
0.2 mi
Hawthorne Class Studio
Industrial
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Provincetown Historic District listed on the National Register?

Provincetown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 29, 1989.

What type of historic resource is Provincetown Historic District?

Provincetown Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Provincetown Historic District?

The period of significance for Provincetown Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Provincetown Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Provincetown Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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