Provincetown Smallpox Cemetery

Provincetown Smallpox Cemetery is located within the Cape Cod National Seashore. It is northwest of Duck Pond. Parking is permitted along the side of Route 6 in order to allow access the various conservation area hiking trails.

The trail that will lead to the cemetery is the first area after Shank Painter Road. Follow the trail to the fire access road gate. Go past the gate about 30 feet to the small area where the trail branches off in 3 directions. On the right, there is a narrow trail that goes up a hill. Follow this trail to the top and then along the ridge. At a low point along this trail, there will be another narrow trail that branches off on the right and leads down to the base of the hill. The cemetery is "enclosed" by the hill one two sides and wetlands on the other two sides. There is no sign. Seven headstones (intact and stubs) can be found here. The site is overgrown.

The smallpox cemetery consists of 14 small numbered markers and the depression left from the now demolished “Pest House.” Back in the 1800s, pestilence houses, or Pest Houses, were known as small treatment buildings for those plagued with smallpox. At this particular Pest House site, 14 people perished from the disease. The grave markers display no names, but the records are kept in the town’s “Book of the Dead.”

Provcem3 — Memorial bench plaque located in the **Provincetown Smallpox Cemetery** in Cape Cod National Seashore.

Dedicated to the memory of those victims of smallpox epidemics in the 19th century who were isolated from the community and now lie buried beneath numbered stones in today's national seashore. Their names from the town records are:

Adam Dyer, died 1855, age 22
John Roberts, died 1855
Monson W. Barnard, died 1855
Elizabeth Hill, died 1860, age 51
Kennis Fergerson, died 1864, age 22
Antone Domingo, died 1872, age 22
Mary Rogers, died 1872, age 25
George G. Hallett, died 1872, age 31
Tamsin Manuel, died 1872, age 73
Frank Sofrine (Small), died 1872
Manuel Terceira, died 1872
William H. Butler, died 1873
John McDonald, died 1873
Thomas Basell, died 1873

They rest in a remote place, but may their memory be kept close to our hearts in Provincetown.

As the smallpox disease became a thing of the past during the early 20th century the small cemetery became overgrown, forgotten, and the majority of the stones were damaged. As of today only four stones remain in good condition Numbers 5, 6, 9, and 10. Sadly the names of those buried seemed to have vanished with time as well, leaving them as unknowns.

Provincetown Smallpox Cemetery

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