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1889 Map of Provincetown

Name: 1889 Topographic Map of Provincetown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1921
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1921

About this map

Provincetown and the northern tip of Cape Cod appear here during the late nineteenth century, defined by a maritime infrastructure built for safety and navigation. The coastline is heavily marked with life saving stations, including Race Point, Peaked Hill Bar, and High Head, reflecting the dangerous waters surrounding the outer cape. Essential navigational aids like Highland Light and Race Point Light stand as primary landmarks against the Atlantic Ocean.

Inside the hook of the cape, the settlement of Provincetown is clustered near Provincetown Harbor, while the interior landscape is dotted with numerous small bodies of water such as Clapps Pond and Shank Painter Pond. The topography reveals the shifting sands of Pilgrim Beach and the marshy expanses of Salt Meadow and Moon Pond Meadow, illustrating the delicate balance between the established village and the encroaching coastal elements.