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| Bob McCamley and Ron Tipton during our first visit to Provincetown, Mass - 1974 |
Here it is folks, some of my photos from my summer vacations in Provincetown, Massachusetts during the Seventies. I have posted some of these photos in previous blogs and have had requests from several of my readers to post more. I'll post what I have now. I may have posted some of these photos before so please excuse any duplication.
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| By the way, I have resumed my "cowboy" Olde Time Photos - this from last year at Rehoboth Beach with my friend Larry - 2011 |
I'll scan the rest of my photos into my computer in the coming weeks and I'll also post them. I hope these photos bring back as many pleasant memories for those of you who were part of that special time during true Seventies and Eighties which was "P-Town Freedom."
I remember the first time I visited Provincetown. I'll always remember the year because the time was during the Watergate hearings in the summer of 1974. My good friend Bob McCamley and I had heard so much about "P-town" that we decided we would take the town by the storm. We were both young and hot (looking and hormones) so what could be better? We considered ourselves butcher than the average gay guy so we insisted on staying at a "butch" place. The place we chose was "The Ranch."
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| "The Ranch" - 198 Commercial Street Provincetown, Mass - our butch accommodations - 1974 |
We arrived in Provincetown Saturday night, after an eight plus hour drive in Bob's pickup truck, looking for "The Ranch." We thought "The Ranch" was some kind of dude ranch. Sure. Uh huh. The address was 198 Commercial Street. As any regular visitor to the gay mecca known as P-Town in the Seventies knows, Commercial Street is the main drag (no pun intended, well maybe) of Provincetown. And Saturday night? The street was packed!
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| "The Ranch" map - we couldn't find any horses! |
We didn't know what to make of the whole situation. This wasn't how we envisioned Provincetown and The Ranch. Commercial Street was clogged with same sex couples holding hands, kissing, arms around shoulders, laughter, sights, laughter, screams, yells. WHAT WAS THIS? We felt at home because of the relaxed atmosphere.
Free, free, thank God almighty free at last!
That's how we felt. But at the same time we had to maintain our butcheness.
As our pickup truck inched its way through the festive, carnival atmosphere that was P-Town in the summer of 1974, we found "The Ranch." OMG! More about that later. For now I want to share what photos I have, some of which are of a later date.
That summer began a whole new chapter in my life. A chapter that for the first time in my life I felt equal (or better) than straight people. For the first time in my life I realized that I was no longer alone.
WARNING! Serious memories to follow. Enjoy!
Gay flag on Commercial Street Provincetown, Mass
"Angels' Landing" - where I usually stayed in P-town
Brad, Gino and Bob - 1980
Commercial Street Provincetown, Mass - 1980
"Fish House" Provincetown, Mass - 1980
Gino and Bob at "The Cottage" - 1980
Gino, Bob and Me - on Commercial Street - 1980
Long shot Gino, Bob and me on Commercial Sreet - 1980
Brad and me - whale watching - 1980
Lynn Tamlin - Herring Cove - 1979
Outdoor cafe - P-Town - 1980
Me (what's with my mouth?), Gino and Bob - 1980
Gino and Bob two sheets to the wind - 1980
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| Gino, Bob and Brad - sitting in court at Angels' Landing - 1980 |
Provincetown harbor from the Monument - 1980
Me and Brad at The Cottage - 1980
Me near Bob White's Motel - 1978
Me at Angel's Landing - 1977
Me on The Pier - 1976
Me in front of the Monument (wow! short shorts!)
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| Me still "butch" after all these years - Rehoboth Beach 2011 |
