2010 Population: 2,942 Provincetown grew very slowly during the 18th century and its population fluctuated with the price of fish. Farming was of secondary importance and aside from the fishing industry, there were only some salt works and one mill. After the Revolution, the town boomed and its population rose 276.6% between 1790 and 1830. Despite its relative lack of good farm land, by the middle of the 19th century, Provincetown had developed as the prime maritime, fishing and commercial center of the Cape. The Civil War, which destroyed so much New England business, only provided more markets for Provincetown's fish. Portuguese sailors, picked up by American ships in the Azores and Cape Verde Islands to fill out their crews, came to Provincetown to live and additional Portuguese immigrants had moved to town by the 19th century to work on the whaling boats and coastal fishing vessels. In 1875, there were 25 coastwise and 36 ocean vessels operating in town, more than any community in the state including Boston. Provincetown was a bustling place with all of the ancillary maritime businesses operating, such as ship chandlers, shipwrights, sail makers, caulkers, riggers and blacksmiths. |
Provincetown's Most Unusual Restaurant!
Located in the Heart of Provincetown, Napi's has been an Outer Cape tradition for 49 years!
Whether indulging in a house classic, an innovative original, or keeping it casual with a juicy burger, Napi's chefs create something for everyone.
We’re honored to feature some of the original dishes including the award winning Portuguese Kale Soup, New England Clam Chowder, and some other Mediterranean favorites.
Our dining rooms provide a visual feast of significant local art and craftsmanship.
7 Freeman St., Provincetown, MA
phone: 800-571-6274
map / details
Guardians of New England Heritage: The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands Thursday July 10, 2025 |
Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket?these iconic New England locales are not just summer destinations but the cradles of some of America's earliest colonial settlements. To preserve and celebrate the legacy of those who first settled in this unique region, a lineage society known as The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands (DCCI) was founded. This society brings together individuals who trace their ancestry to the early founders of Barnstable County and the surrounding islands, helping to keep this rich regional history alive for future generations.
Founding of The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands was formally established in 2005 as a nonprofit lineage society. It was founded by a group of genealogists and historians with deep family roots in southeastern Massachusetts. Their goal was to create an organization that would honor and preserve the heritage of families who helped shape the cultural and historical identity of the Cape and Islands region, which includes:
Cape Cod
Martha's Vineyard
Nantucket
Elizabeth Islands
The society reflects a growing interest in regional lineage organizations?groups that focus on specific geographic areas rather than national figures or wars?providing a more localized and community-based lens into early American life.
Purpose and Mission
The mission of the DCCI is threefold:
To identify and honor the descendants of the early settlers of Cape Cod and the Islands.
To encourage the study of the early history of the region through research, writing, and education.
To preserve historical sites, records, and stories connected to the colonial era in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket Counties.
The society also supports genealogical research and collaborates with historical societies and libraries throughout the region to ensure that vital records and family histories are conserved and accessible.
Who Qualifies as a Descendant?
To become a member of DCCI, individuals must prove direct lineal descent from a settler who lived in Cape Cod or the islands before the year 1700. These settlers include those who:
Arrived with or soon after the Mayflower,
Migrated from Plymouth Colony to Cape Cod towns,
Established early island settlements like Edgartown, Nantucket, and Falmouth.
Early settlers eligible for lineage documentation include prominent family names such as:
Freeman (Sandwich)
Hinckley (Barnstable)
Mayhew (Martha's Vineyard)
Starbuck and Coffin (Nantucket)
Applicants are required to submit primary genealogical documentation, including birth, marriage, and death records, wills, land deeds, and church registers.
Historical Significance of the Region
Cape Cod and the Islands hold a special place in colonial American history. Some highlights include:
1620: The Mayflower made its first landfall at Provincetown, where the Mayflower Compact was signed before the settlers moved on to Plymouth.
1630s?1650s: English Puritans settled Cape towns such as Barnstable, Sandwich, Yarmouth, and Eastham.
1642 onward: Thomas Mayhew Sr. and Thomas Mayhew Jr. established settlements on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, initiating early missionary work among the Wampanoag.
The region became a hub for whaling, shipbuilding, and commerce throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
Preserving this early colonial footprint is central to the DCCI's mission.
Activities and Preservation Efforts
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands engage in a variety of activities:
Hosting annual meetings and conferences with speakers on colonial New England history.
Supporting genealogical publications, including family group sheets and transcriptions of early records.
Placing historic markers at cemeteries and significant homes.
Partnering with organizations such as the Cape Cod Genealogical Society and the Nantucket Historical Association.
Members also contribute to newsletters and collaborative research projects and are encouraged to submit their own family stories for publication.
Sources
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands ? Official Website
Cape Cod Genealogical Society
Philbrick, Nathaniel. Away Off Shore: Nantucket Island and Its People, 1602?1890. Penguin Books, 2003.
Martha's Vineyard Museum ? Archives and Colonial Collections
Conclusion
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands offers more than just a connection to the past?it provides a living legacy of coastal resilience, community-building, and historical preservation. For those with ancestral ties to the sandy shores and windswept harbors of southeastern Massachusetts, DCCI offers a unique way to celebrate and safeguard the memory of the region's earliest European settlers.
If your family tree reaches back to Barnstable, the Vineyard, or Nantucket before 1700, you may find yourself part of a story that helped shape the very roots of American history.
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Center for Coastal Studies to begin weekly guided nature tours of Provincetown Harbor Thursday July 10, 2025 |
PROVINCETOWN ? Beginning this Friday, July 11, 2025, nature lovers will have an opportunity to learn more about the ecology of Provincetown harbor while enjoying the scenery from the water thanks to a partnership by the Dolphin Fleet and the Center for Coastal Studies. ?Science in the Harbor?, a guided tour offered every Friday morning [?]
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Cape lawmaker wants bars and restaurants to have happy hours again Thursday July 10, 2025 |
PROVINCETOWN ? Cape and Island State Senator Julian Cyr is once again calling for a repeal of the Massachusetts ban on happy hours. The state prohibited the period of time where bars offer discounted drinks in 1984, in order to reduce drunk driving incidents. Cyr, who has filed similar legislation in the past, says he [?]
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V-notch lobster regulations here to stay, despite Outer Cape outcry Wednesday July 09, 2025 |
PROVINCETOWN ? The Outer Cape Lobstermen's Association and Maine fishermen say restrictions effective this month put a severe clamp down on fishing for breeding lobsters around the region. The state decided to maintain the regulations for parity with federal rules, however local state-permitted lobstermen had been exempted since 2000. Fishermen are required to mark breeding [?]
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