A Historic Travel Guide of Cape Cod

Have you ever consulted a travel guide, online resource, or even just asked friends and family for recommendations when planning your vacations? The answer is almost certainly yes! But where would you turn if it wasn’t easy to find a safe place to stay? The Green Book, and other Black travel guides – like similar books for Jewish audiences – were developed to help Black Americans enjoy the pleasures of travel without fear.

This year’s Creating Cape Cod exhibit will highlight lodgings on Cape Cod that advertised in the Green Book and other Black travel guides. Cape Cod listings included tourist homes, cottages, and motels. Scroll through the images shown here to learn more about some of these unique and essential tourist institutions found on the Cape in the mid-twentieth century.

Cape Traveler

The Cape Traveler Motel was located on Route 28 in West Yarmouth and was owned by Phinette and Louis Corrado. They advertised in the Green Book between 1963 and 1966.

Postcard in the collection of Heritage Museums & Gardens.

Captain Jonathan

The Captain Jonathan Motel was located on Route 28 in South Yarmouth. They advertised in Travelguide from 1962 to 1963.

Postcard in the collection of Heritage Museums & Gardens.

Pilgrim Colony

Pilgrim Colony Motel and Cottages was owned by Mr. and Mrs. John F. Williams and is still in business today in North Truro! They advertised in Travelguide in 1962-1963.

Postcard in the collection of Heritage Museums & Gardens.

Provincetown Bradford House

The Bradford House Inn is still in business today, but this motel portion has been demolished. They advertised in Travelguide in 1956-1957 and 1962-1963.

Courtesy of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum.

Provincetown Hatchway

Isabel Hatch ran the Hatchway as a “family-style inn” in Provincetown. She advertised in Travelguide in 1950-1951.

Courtesy of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum.

Provincetown Mt. Pleasant House

The Mt. Pleasant Guest House advertised in Travelguide in 1950-1951.

Courtesy of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum.

Kalmar Village

Kalmar Village was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Alton E. Ramey, and is still in business today in North Truro! They advertised in the Green Book (1957-1966), Travelguide (1952-1957, 1962-1963), and Go Guide to Pleasant Motoring (1952-1955).

Postcard in the collection of Heritage Museums & Gardens.

The Wigman

The Wigwam in Mashpee was owned by Edward Mitchell, and was well-known as a resort for Black and Native travelers. They advertised in Go Guide to Pleasant Motoring in 1954-1955.

Postcard in the collection of Heritage Museums & Gardens.

Go Guide The Roost 1955

The Roost, located in Osterville on Route 28, was owned by Henry O. Hylton and H. Alex Hylton. They did the most advertising of any Cape location in Black travel guides including the Green Book (1951-1962), Travelguide (1952-1957), the Go Guide to Pleasant Motoring (1952-1959), and Ebony magazine’s annual June travel issue (1960-1963). This ad was featured in the Go Guide to Pleasant Motoring in 1955.

Courtesy of the New York Public Library.

Jones Cottage

This cottage was owned by Mrs. Thomas Jones in Hyannis. This ad ran in Ebony magazine in June 1965.

Courtesy of the New York Public Library.

Lighthouse Lane Cottages Go Guide

Lighthouse Lane Cottages was in Cotuit and owned by Leo and Grace Houston. They advertised in the Go Guide to Pleasant Motoring between 1952 and 1959. This ad appeared in 1955.

Courtesy of the New York Public Library.

Wood Cottages Ebony June 1963

Norman and Theresa Wood owned cottages for rent in South Dennis. They advertised in Travelguide (1957-1962), and this ad appeared in Ebony magazine in June 1963.

Courtesy of the New York Public Library.

Wagon Wheels Ebony June 1960

The Wagon Wheels resort was owned by Marie Elliot in Sagamore. She advertised in the Green Book (1953-1966), Travelguide in 1955, and the Ebony magazine June travel issues in 1960 and 1965.

Ad in the collection of Heritage Museums & Gardens.