Situated on the northern tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown is bordered by Truro on the east and surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on all other sides. It is 49 miles north of Hyannis, 78 miles east of Plymouth, 114 miles southeast of Boston. Provincetown was incorporated in 1727, but its history begins much earlier since its well-protected harbor offered excellent protection from storms. By the middle of the 19th century, Provincetown had developed as the prime maritime, fishing and commercial center of the Cape. Poets, novelists, journalists, socialists, radicals and dilettantes formed a colony, and in 1915 opened the Provincetown Players. In the 1920's the artistic and literary productions of the town became internationally famous and many studios, galleries and shops were built. Today, with a year round population of 3400, Provincetown has a wealth of preserved historic buildings and the lure of the sea to support its huge tourist and summer home industry.