Provincetown, Massachussetts
It's time for some random vintage scans!
We'll start with this undated (but certainly 1950's) shot of an impressive 252 foot (and change) tall campanile in Provincetown, Massachusetts (Cape Cod, yo!). It's the Pilgrim Monument, built to commemorate the landing of the Pilgrims, as well as the signing of the Mayflower Compact in 1620.
The tower was designed by Willard T. Sears, and is based on the Torre de Mangia in Sienna, Italy. Teddy Roosevelt laid the cornerstone! It opened in 1910 to much criticism over the fact that the design had nothing to do with those early Puritans. Nevertheless, it has become a tourist destination, and some folks think it resembles a lighthouse, so it's all good!
Here's a neat aerial photo showing Provincetown and its harbor, with the Pilgrim Monument easily visible.
It's a good thing Jimmy Stewart can't see this photo looking down the series of ramps and steps that lead to the top. I feel an indescribable desire to drop stuff from here. Toy army men with plastic parachutes, for instance.
As an extra bonus, here's another photo of some mysterious location that I could not identify. It sure has that Massachusetts look to it. I spent more time than I'd like to admit looking for photos that might show those two buildings with their distinctive cupolas, but... no cigar. Any ideas?!
8 comments:
Something about that last picture makes me think Mystic CT, but I can't see anything in a modern aerial view that looks like that.
I suddenly have the urge to eat lobster. What cool scans, I can almost smell the sea air. I want to vote for Kennedy in 60. But enough about me, these photos are all winners. I like the mystery photo best 'cause I can imagine having a summer home there and mingling with the colorful locals. Let's just say that I'm delusional and call it good. Oh heck, you're all invited for a BBQ and fish soiree. Thanks Major for a New England kinda morning.
I went in a whale watching trip to Provincetown in Junior high school; I have a much fuzzier picture of that tower in a box somewhere.
That last image does have a Mystic, or perhaps Bristol, CT vibe about it. Major - please, no spitting.
Dean Finder, Mystic Seaport was definitely one of the places I investigated, but I just couldn’t nail down and ID for sure. Thanks for the suggestion though!
Jonathan, in the summer of 1978, my family went to Chappaquiddick for a week, and it was so great. Spent time in Martha’s Vineyard, ate lots of good food, and played at the beach, and got into all kinds of mischief. This was only two years after “Jaws” was a hit, and of course it was filmed near there too, so we couldn’t help thinking about great white sharks cruising the water beneath our kicking legs! It didn’t help that we saw fishermen pulling small sharks out of the surf.
Melissa, as you know, fuzzy pictures are welcome on GDB!
Nanook, Bristol, that’s one I haven’t checked (or heard of, ha ha). I’ll take a look, thanks.
Major, that sounds like fun. I have always wanted to visit Martha's Vinyard. I have only visited the east coast a couple of times, but never got to go. I wonder if sharks like lobster too?
I also have a bunch of fuzzy pictures from the Mystic Seaport Museum, from the same trip. All the pictures I took of figureheads look more like perfume bottles.
Jonathan, the “Chappy” trip was one of those family trips that I’ll remember as long as my brain keeps working (another three months at least!). I don’t know if sharks will eat lobsters (maybe some actually do!), but there were also horseshoe crabs on the beach - fascinating and prehistoric.
Melissa, the figureheads look like perfume bottles?! Those must be some seriously fuzzy pictures!
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