Long Point (Cape Cod)
Long Point is a peninsula located in Provincetown, Massachusetts, at the extreme tip of Cape Cod, as it curls back in on itself to create Provincetown Harbor. The Long Point Light was built on this point in 1827. The lighthouse once shared this peninsula with a settlement of fishermen that came to be known as Long Point, Massachusetts. This Provincetown village grew and thrived from 1818 until the late 1850s. When the settlers decided to leave Long Point, they took most of their houses with them – about 30 structures in all – by floating them across the harbor.
Long Point | |
|---|---|
Village | |
Long Point Light and remains of a Civil War artillery battery. Also shown is the Darby cross erected by the Beachcombers club. | |
Long Point Long Point, the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts | |
| Coordinates: 42.027°N 70.172°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Barnstable |
| Town | Provincetown |
| Village settled | 1818 |
| Lighthouse built | 1827 |
| Village disbanded | circa 1857–1863 |
| Battery built | 1863 |
| Battery abandoned | 1872 |
| Area (roughly 150 acres) | |
| • Total | 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 24 ft (7 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (1850) | |
| • Total | 260 |
| • Density | 1,100/sq mi (430/km2) |
| • Current pop. | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (E. Daylight (EDT)) |
| GNIS feature ID | 616615 |
During the American Civil War, the military established a defensive coastal artillery post and garrison at this location. The Long Point Battery came to be known as "Fort Useless" and "Fort Ridiculous" among the local residents.
Today, nothing remains of the village of Long Point, except for the lighthouse and an earthen mound, the last remnant from the earlier military post.