If someone from the late 1970s were magically transported to present day Provincetown, they would notice that not much has changed. Except for the occasional person talking on a cellphone or men’s short hairstyles, they might not believe that they were in the future at all. The quaint shops on Commercial Street look pretty much the same and most of the gay bars are the same, including the Atlantic House, which dates back to 1798.
The town on the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has fiercely protected its picturesque architecture and rich history. And Provincetown is gearing up for a big historic anniversary. The Pilgrims first arrived in Ptown on November 11, 1620 and tourism boosters hope to capitalize on the coming 400-year anniversary to remind the world that the Pilgrims’ first stop was Provincetown, not Plymouth Rock.