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Provincetown :: Saturday, May 17th 2008
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Stay in a Dune Shack
Applications are Due by February 15
By Kahrin Deines
January 6th, 2008
There are seventeen of them. And they stand with a certain defiance and independence that is perfectly representative of the various peoples that have found a way to prosper on the isolated land that forms the Cape’s last curve.
| Although most of the dune shacks are maintained and used by their original owners or their families, there are now two shacks, “C-Scape” and the “Fowler Shack,” which are reserved to provide lucky members of the public access to this unique area. |
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They are the dune shacks of the Peaked Hill Bars National Register Historic District. Nestled into the ever-shifting shapes of the Province Lands dunes, they are primitive in structure, but surrounded by a rare sort of richness – the mesmerizing environment of the ever-changing dunes, great undulations of sand that are constantly swept by the ocean’s winds into new shapes and that have long been a place of withdrawal for artists, eccentrics, writers and Cape residents.
In fact, the very simplicity of their stubborn facades, clinging to the shifting backside of the meanderings of the Outer Cape, testifies to the power and allure that the area has exerted upon many peoples’ lives and lifestyles over time.
Although most of the dune shacks are maintained and used by their original owners or their families, there are now two shacks, “C-Scape” and the “Fowler Shack,” which are reserved to provide lucky members of the public access to this unique area through one- and three-week residencies that are allotted through lottery. Each year, one fellowship and residency is also given to an artist who is chosen by jury.
“C-Scape,” like the other dune shacks, is a simple structure. It has three small rooms, the oldest of which dates back to the 1940’s. It is without electricity, indoor plumbing or telephone service, and this austerity, combined with its isolation in the Province Lands, offers residency winners a rare solitude.
The “Fowler Shack” is also austere. It was built in 1949 by Stan and Laura Fowler as a 1-story, 3-room shack, but a gabled bedroom and bathroom were later added. Both shacks have composting toilets.
Residency winners must pay weekly rent, which falls somewhere between $200 and $500 depending on the shack, the time of the stay, and ability to pay. The residency program is administered by the Provincetown Compact, a community organization that also puts together the annual Swim for Life fundraiser, in collaboration with the Cape Cod National Seashore.
For more information about how to apply for a dune shack residency, go to www.thecompact.org. The application deadline is February 15.
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