Vintage Map of Lower Cape Cod Tea Towel

Provincetown is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,431 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2007 population of 3,174. Sometimes called "P-town", the town is known for its beaches, harbour, artists, tourist industry, and its status as a vacation destination of gays and lesbians. The area was originally settled by the Nauset tribe, who had a settlement known as Meeshawn. Bartholomew Gosnold named Cape Cod in Provincetown Harbour in 1602. In 1620, the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact when they arrived at the harbour. They agreed to settle and build a self-governing community, and then came ashore in the West End. Though the Pilgrims chose to settle across the bay in Plymouth, Provincetown enjoyed an early reputation for its fishing grounds. The "Province Lands" were first formally recognised by the union of Plymouth colony and Massachusetts Bay colony in 1692, and its first municipal government was established in 1714. After harbouring ships for more than a century Provincetown was incorporated by English settlers in 1727. The population of Provincetown remained small through most of the 18th century.