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1944 Map of Provincetown

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Provincetown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

The tip of Cape Cod at Provincetown reveals a landscape defined by shifting dunes and a deep maritime history at the close of the 1940s. The dense settlement of the town clings to the inner harbor, while the surrounding Province Lands Reservation is dotted with numerous freshwater bodies like Shank Painter Pond, Duck Pond, and Clapps Pond. This period captures the early operations of the Provincetown Airport alongside the traditional presence of the New Haven and Hartford railroad line terminating near the water.

Maritime safety remains paramount on this exposed coastline, as shown by the trio of beacons: Race Point Lighthouse, Wood End Lighthouse, and Long Point Lighthouse. The iconic Pilgrim Monument stands as a clear landmark above the town, overlooking the Municipal Wharf and the protected waters of Provincetown Harbor. Inland features like Mt Gilboa and the Snake Hills rise above the marshes of Hatches Harbor, illustrating the complex topography of the outer cape before modern expansion.