Loading map...

1958 Map of Provincetown

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Provincetown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Provincetown sits at the northern tip of Cape Cod, showing a landscape defined by maritime infrastructure and shifting sands in the late 1950s. The town's historic density along the Provincetown Harbor contrasts with the expansive Province Lands State Reservation, where numerous freshwater bodies like Shank Painter Pond and Clapps Pond are scattered among the dunes. Marine navigation is heavily documented through the Race Point Lighthouse, Wood End Lighthouse, and the Municipal Wharf, reflecting the town's enduring reliance on the sea.

Evidence of mid-century transportation is prominent, from the Provincetown Airport at Race Point to the tracks of the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad reaching into the heart of the settlement. Local landmarks such as Telegraph Hill and Mt Gilboa rise above the residential areas of Mayflower Heights, while the Shank Painter Cemetery provides a specific point of interest for those researching local family history.