Provincetown History Snippet: What is the History of MacMillan Wharf?

April 3, 2020

History

Back in the days when Provincetown was a significant whaling capital, and then when its big Grand Banks schooners went out to Stellwagen and beyond for fishing, there were approximately 50 working wharves along the harbor. As these industries died out, the wharves were little-used, and one by one fell prey to winter storms.

Except for one: the Old Colony Railroad Wharf, built in 1873, where ferries deposited people and fishing boats’ catches were loaded onto the railroad cars, which came all the way down to the end of the pier.

When Provincetown’s most famous son conquered the North Pole with Admiral Peary, the wharf was renamed in his honor, and it is now called MacMillan Wharf.

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