251-253 Commercial St

Historic District Survey information for 251-253 Commercial St

Architectural Description: Address in the field is 253 Commercial Street; 251-253 Commercial St. is a 2-story, 5-bay, commercial building; cross-gable roof is sheathed in asphalt shingles; exterior is clad in wood shingles with wood trim; building sits on a brick and stone foundation; fenestration includes 2/2 wood DHS windows in 2nd story, single-pane wood fixed windows in 1st-story storefront with wood panels below, 3/3 wood DHS, 1/1 DHS replacements; primary entrance is accessed by recessed modern metal and glass doors; band of low-relief sawtooth molding above 1st-floor storefront; enclosed porch has stone foundation; rear gable ell..

Historical Narrative: As per Tom Boland (1994): "The former address of this location is 244 Commercial Street. First appearing on the 1858 atlas, 251-253 Commercial Street is noted as owned by A. Young and is the location for Provincetown's first telegraph office. There was also a wharf between this building and 255-257 Commercial which, unfortunately, is not named but does appear on the 1836 map as Young's Wharf. In 1880, the site was still in the Young family, at this time owned by L. Young. The name of the wharf, however, had changed to C. Cook. By 1889, it is evident that a bakery and jewelry shop were also housed under the roof of this large building. On the upper floor the Nautilus Club, a women's club which still exists, held its meetings. The bakery continued to be located here and in 1901 was under the ownership of Joshua A.T. Small who succeeded N.H. Drie as baker in 1878. Small purchased the property from Jacob Gross in 1882. The owner for 1907 is J.F. Small. This structure, in conjunction with 255-257 Commercial serve as unaltered examples of early 'head of the wharf' buildings in Provincetown. Although the wharf is now gone, they do well to create an idea of the town's maritime history." Currently "Shalom's Gift Shop" (2003).

Bibliography and/or References: Barnstable County Atlas., 1880. Barnstable County Atlas., 1907. Cape Cod Directory, 1901. The Extremity of Cape Cod. Map, 1836. H.F. Wallings Co. Map of Provincetown Village. Atlas, 1858. Resident Directory. W.F. Richardson & Co., 1886. Resident Directory. W.H. Hopkins, 1889. Ruckstuhl, Irma. Old Provincetown in Early Photographs. Toronto, 1987.

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Commercial Street (Provincetown, Mass.), Dwellings, and Historic Districts--Massachusetts--Provincetown

 (Mass. Historical Commission Form B)