Provincetown 275

In celebration of the 275th anniversary of the Town of Provincetown's incorporation on June 14, 1727

PROCLAMATION by the Provincetown Board of Selectmen.

Be it hereby proclaimed that

WHEREAS, The Town of Provincetown is historically recognized as the place where the Mayflower Compact was written and signed; and WHEREAS, The Bas Relief was erected and dedicated by the Town in 1920 to celebrate the 300 Anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrims and the "Founding of a Nation in our Harbor"; and, WHEREAS, The Town of Provincetown in coordination with the Beautification Committee, Department of Public Works, Visitor Services Board and funding from the Tourism Fund have worked together to redesign, landscape and improve the Bas Relief; in honor of the Town of Provincetown's 275th Anniversary of Incorporation, and WHEREAS, The Town of Provincetown was incorporated on June 14, 1727, marking today as the 275th Anniversary of that event.

NOW, THEREFORE, in recognition of the renovation of the Bas Relief and of the Town's Memorial to the signing of the Mayflower Compact in Provincetown Harbor the Provincetown Board of Selectmen do hereby proclaim

FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2002
As the Occasion of the
REDEDICATION OF THE BAS RELIEF

In witness whereof, we hereunto set our hands and cause the seal of Provincetown to be affixed, by vote of the Board of Selectmen on the fourteenth day of June, in the year of Two Thousand and Two; and the year of Provincetown's incorporation, the two hundred and seventy-fifth. By the Board of Selectmen: Mary-Jo Avellar, Chairman; Dr. Cheryl Andrews; Michele Couture; Richard Olson; and Sarah Peake

This weekend marks the 275th anniversary of the Town of Provincetown's incorporation as a Town on June 14, 1727. I want to thank the Cape Cod Pilgrim Memorial Association for planning and hosting this series of events this weekend. Having this institution play such a pivotal role in celebrating the Town's birthday is a clear signal to me not only of the community-mindedness of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, but also of the spirit of cooperation that exists` between our two institutions-- the Town and the Monument.

For you non-history buffs, just a reminder that there were 107 years between the Pilgrim's first landfall in our harbor in 1620 and the incorporation of a Town of Provincetown in 1727. And it is that latter event that we are celebrating this weekend-- although we have chosen venues which clearly commemorate the former event-- the Bas Relief on Friday and the Pilgrim Monument today. No wonder, then, that at least one local media outlet has reported that this weekend marks the 275th anniversary of the signing of the Mayflower Compact.

We still have another 18 years to plan for that event's next big anniversary. Mark your calendars now: November of 2020 will mark the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim's arrival in the New World-in our harbor. And the Town's next milestone-- the tercentennial of Provincetown's incorporation as a Town is only 25 years away. And some of you in the audience here today will be in the audience in June of 2027 when the Town celebrates its 300th anniversary.

What sort of world will we live in then? What sort of community will Provincetown be?

In this, our 275th year, there are many things that we are doing that will take us to our 300th year and beyond. We've rebuilt MacMillan Pier to last another 40 years. We're building a sewer system-which was but a dream at our 225th anniversary in 1947, by the way. We're preserving our heritage and our commitment to a lifetime of learning through the construction of our new library at the Heritage Museum. We're ensuring the continuation of nursing home services in Provincetown through pursuit of the Cape End Manor Care Campus proposal.

Even with these accomplishments, though, we face challenges. The challenge to provide affordable housing not only for those who want to live here, but also for those who work here. The challenge to strike the appropriate balance between the environment that surrounds us and the need to maintain a vibrant community of human beings in a year-round community.

So what will it be like in 2027, when we celebrate our 300th birthday?

What sort of world will we live in then? A world that is free from terror-- a world in which September 11th is as distant to us as December 7th , but one in which we still revere the memories of both days. A world that cherishes democracy-- as represented by the Mayflower Compact. [An aside-- it was in 1802-- 200 years ago-- that John Quincy Adams first invoked the importance of the Mayflower Compact as a sort of proto-Constitution. "Here was a unanimous and personal assent by all the individuals of the community to the association, by which they become a nation," Adams said.]

And what sort of community will Provincetown be then? A community that continues to welcome diversity. A community which remains a special place for artists and writers. A community with a revitalized fishing industry. A community with a strong year-round economy, through cultural, educational, and environmental tourism. A community that takes care of the needs of its elderly. A community where the people that work here can afford to live here.

As Provincetown celebrates its past, we have our eyes squarely on the future. And working together, we can make our dreams become a reality. So, happy birthday, Provincetown!

PROCLAMATION by the Provincetown Board of Selectmen.

Be it hereby proclaimed that

WHEREAS, the Town of Provincetown was incorporated as a Town on June 14, 1727; and WHEREAS, in the intervening 275 years, Provincetown has been recognized world wide as the oldest continuous American Art Colony and center for art studies, and WHEREAS, Provincetown is historically known as the birthplace of American Liberty with the signing of the Mayflower Compact in her harbor in 1620; and WHEREAS, Provincetown's Fishing Fleets and her staunch fishing crews dominated the fishing industry market for over two centuries, and WHEREAS, people from all over the world come to Provincetown to experience her beauty, whale watching excursions, promise of individual liberties and freedom of choice, and WHEREAS, the Board of Selectmen wishes to honor the achievements made by the Town and its people and their proud tradition of fairness, equality, diversity and preservation of all things valued for history and the arts;

NOW, THEREFORE, in recognition of the weekend of activities planned to celebrate the Town's 275th birthday, the Provincetown Board of Selectmen does hereby proclaim.

THE WEEKEND OF JUNE 14-16, 2002
as the
275TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS INCORPORATION
in the Town of Provincetown.

In witness whereof, we hereunto set our hands and cause the seal of Provincetown to be affixed, by vote of the Board of Selectmen on the tenth day of June, in the year of Two Thousand and Two; and the year of Provincetown's incorporation, the two hundred and seventy-fifth. By the Board of Selectmen: Mary-Jo Avellar, Chairman; Dr. Cheryl Andrews; Michele Couture; Richard Olson; and Sarah Peake