By K. David Weidner, Ph.D., Executive Director
2022 was a big year for the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum (PMPM), one that Cape Cod’s oldest non-profit organization and the entire community will long remember. Please join us in our annual look back at the many great events and milestones of 2022.
The Bradford Street inclined elevator – our new front door
The completion of a vision that dated back to 1910 was realized. After years of planning and construction, we could not be more pleased to say our new, ADA-compliant (Americans with Disabilities Act) inclined elevator began operation. Now, visitors are lifted to the top of High Pole Hill via a comfortable and scenic ride where TRUTH: Tolerance | Respect | Unity | Trust | Her-His-Their-Story stands tall.
We celebrated the new elevator with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 1, which was attended by more than 125 dignitaries, members, current and former trustees, and the general public. Addresses were made by President of the Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod, Lisa Oliver, President of lead-engineering firm, Coastal Engineering, John Bologna and Massachusetts Senator, Julian Cyr who read a proclamation from Governor Baker. It was truly an incredible day complete with a custom-made hat by Timothy J. O’Connor with a 3-D scale replica of the inclined elevator provided by the manufacturer, Inauen-Schӓtti AG.
(Left to Right): Arthur Parker, Jr. Trustee; Thomas Burton, Senior VP, Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod; Lisa Oliver, CEO/President, Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod; Dr. K. David Weidner, Executive Director, CCPMA; Dr. Steven Ridini, President, CCPMA; Jan Von Flatern, Secretary, CCPMA; Brian Johnson, Treasurer, CCPMA; Betsi Corea, Vice President, CCPMA; John Bologna, CEO/President Coastal Engineering; Jay Cashman, Founder & Chairman, Jay Cashman, Inc.; Julian Cyr, Massachusetts Senator; and Paul deRuyter, Former CCPMA Trustee and Chairperson of the Bradford Access Project Committee.
New exhibits
Later in June, we debuted a new permanent exhibit, our second in three years: An Anecdotal LGBTQ+ History of the Last Century of Provincetown. Curated by The Generations Project, this exhibit proudly showcases the stories of our local LGBTQ+ community over the past 100+ years. It shares documented first-hand accounts and a short documentary video series entitled “Remnants: An Excavation of Provincetown ” chronicling the lives of those who lived on the Outer Cape.
Adjacent to An Anecdotal LGBTQ+ History of the Last Century of Provincetown, we enhanced our exhibit dedicated to Provincetown’s Hat Sisters – Timothy J. O’Connor and the late Dr. John Michael Gray. Described as “fixtures on the Boston and Provincetown charity scene,” the Hat Sisters are known for their matching outfits, elaborate hats and creating an amazing and lasting positive impact on the community.
If you did not get to experience these new exhibits in 2022, we strongly encourage you to stop by when we re-open on April 1 in 2023. You won’t want to miss them!
Long may they wave
The Pride Flag flying at PMPM
PMPM continues to recognize the people who make up the very fabric of our community and make Provincetown the incredible place it is, known for acceptance, tolerance and welcome.
In tribute to these members of our community, this year we were proud to fly the Rainbow flag during Pride month, the Pan-African flag on Juneteenth and the Portuguese flag during the Provincetown Portuguese Festival. We also flew the Jamaican flag on August 6th in honor of Jamaican Independence Day and the many generations of residents from Jamaica who have become a part of the lifeblood of our community.
Flying these flags is one of the many ways we demonstrate our commitment to welcoming pilgrims of all kinds – including Afro-Caribbean, Jamaicans, Eastern Europeans, Portuguese, gays, straights, transgender, artists, environmentalists and others. This gesture exemplifies PMPM’s core values and our ongoing mission to foster and promote TRUTH.
Annual Lighting
We closed out our 2022 season on November 11 with the Annual Lighting of the Pilgrim Monument. This time-honored tradition commemorates the weeks that the Mayflower spent in Provincetown Harbor before raising anchor and sailing onto what is now known as Plymouth, MA.
We loved hearing everyone’s reaction when we “flipped the switch” as folks around town gathered to celebrate the lighting. The cheers and the honking of car horns could be heard everywhere. Thank you to all who got loud for the lights!
Our mission of TRUTH
All the wonderful programs, exhibits and events that we hold each year simply could not be possible without the support of our members, visitors and the community as a whole. Everything we do is to uphold our mission of TRUTH.
This holiday season, we hope that you will please support Cape Cod’s oldest non-profit as we continue to pursue our important mission and all the work we put behind it. Every little bit helps us create programs and show our respect for the history that has made Provincetown the incredible community that we all love. Please help the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum today.
We hope that everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday season. We cannot wait to see you in April 2023!