Here are some of the many digital resources that have been invaluable in my research for Provincetown Encyclopedia and Building Provincetown. Unfortunately, websites come and go over time. I apologize in advance if a link on this list no longer works. I also welcome suggestions and additions.
Facebook. This social media site may not be everyone’s idea of a scholarly preserve, but a number of enormously knowledgeable and dedicated individuals have built Provincetown-specific pages that are rich in images, narrative, and well-informed comments. Among the ones I use the most are:
My Provincetown Memorabilia Collection, by Salvador R. Vasques III. A Provincetown native and son of a fishing caption, Vasques began collecting artifacts and documents decades ago — long before the study of town history was a popular undertaking. In my estimation, Sal’s archive is the greatest single private repository of Provincetown memorabilia, and he has been enormously generous in sharing it.
Provincetown Diaspora, by Ben Kettlewell. Like Althea Boxell, Ben has spent far more of his life away from Provincetown than in it. But he brings a great deal of firsthand experience — and the relentless instincts of a private detective — in tracking down illuminating images, many of which I’d never seen before.
Maps. There is no better way to understand the dimensions of the town at any given moment than through street maps. Fortunately, there is a wealth of them online, including a few of the minutely detailed Sanborn insurance maps.
1835 | A Map of the Extremity of Cape Cod: Including the Townships of Provincetown & Truro. (Boston Public Library, Norman B. Leventhal Map Center.)
1889 | Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Provincetown. (Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.)
Current | Full Town Map. (Town of Provincetown Assessor.)
Provincetown History Preservation Project, by the Town of Provincetown Historical Commission. This is the single richest digital resource for researching town history. Unfortunately — at least as of this writing in May 2024 — it is also the quirkiest and toughest to use. The search box only works with a single, one-word term. You can’t construct searches with multiple terms modified by conjunctions or prepositions. Still, it is well worth exploring. Your patience will most be well rewarded. The jewel of this collection is the Scrapbooks of Althea Boxell. Description to come.