Cape Cod National Seashore

Cape Cod National Seashore, protected area of shoreline, natural habitats, and historically significant structures on Cape Cod, eastern Massachusetts, U.S. The seashore was established in 1966 and comprises 68 square miles (176 square km) of beaches, ponds, marshes, dunes, and woodlands extending for 40 miles (65 km) between Provincetown and Chatham. The national seashore chiefly fronts on the Atlantic Ocean, but the central part extends across the cape to Cape Cod Bay. Historic sites include the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station at Race Point Beach (Provincetown), which displays artifacts related to shipwreck rescues; the Captain Edward Penniman House (1868), built during the whaling era; the Atwood-Higgins House (c. 1730); and five lighthouses. Some hunting and fishing are allowed, but commercial development is strictly regulated.