The Pilgrim Monument & Museum

Standing High above the town of Provincetown, MA on High Poll Hill stands the 252ft tall granite Pilgrim Monument. It was built to honor the Mayflower Pilgrims’ first landing in Provincetown on November 21 of 1620.  The corner stone was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 and it was dedicated three years later by President Taft.

Before going up the monument we enjoyed the Provincetown Museum. Here we got a lesson about the town’s history as a whaling village and then a fishing town. We learned that many of the homes in Provincetown had been moved from nearby Long Point. Many of the fisherman had built there homes out on the point to allow them to be closer to the fishing grounds. When those fishing ground had shifted and it was no longer practical to stay out there many of those homes had been moved by barge back to town. Those homes are marked with a  blue plaque of a home sitting on a barge to indicate they had been moved.

Once done with the museum we headed outside and up the stairs to the monument.

Interesting facts include that there are 116 steps and 60 ramps. At its 252 ft it holds the record for the tallest all granite structure in the US. The granite came from Stonington, Maine. There are plaques inside to honor donations from cities, towns, and organizations that made donations to the building of the Monument. At its top it is 350 ft above sea level. Its design is patterned after the Torre Del Mangia in Sienna, Italy.

Once inside we began our accent which took roughly 10 minutes. Upon arrival at the observation deck we enjoyed the full 360-degree views of Provincetown. It was fun trying to pick out the house we had stayed in the night before and the location of all the places we had explored earlier in the day and the entire day before.

The monument’s observation deck wasn’t at the very top of the monument however. Above stood a vaulted ceiling with large arches. They have also been some modern changes made to the observation deck. Each of the viewing areas now had glass windows installed behind the steel fencing.

After spending 10-15 minutes at the top we made our way back down where we captured some great pictures of the monument.

Provincetown Causeway

Constructed in 1911 to protect the town’s harbor from the shifting of the sand dunes on Long Point, the Provincetown Causeway also known as Breakwater Walk crosses the harbor. The breakwater has done its assigned duty well over the years, but its rock structure has also added to the town’s beauty and the accessibility of the Cape’s tip.

Tourist and residents alike can follow its path across the harbor. The breakwater is roughly 1 mile in length from start to finish. Depending on how quickly you walk you can cross in one to two hours. The rocks are not laid evenly so only the sure footed should attempt to cross.

 We took the time to walk the distance across and along the way took some great pictures of the causeway. Since the tide was out the harbor floor was almost dry and allowed us to explore it. Beside the many mussel shells you can find other interesting things like a boat motor from some lost and likely destroyed boat.

It is important to be aware of the tide schedule since the breakwater is either mostly exposed as it was for us or in some spots the water can sometimes rise above the rock passage at high tide. Once on the other side those who have made the journey can continue on to Long Point Light at land’s end or find a spot along the sandy shore to take a swim or catch some sun.