Back twenty years to... Tuesday, October 17th, 2006. Day 192.  A reunion with my best friend from back-home, the Salem witches, and the cradle of the revolutionary war. Beautiful launderettes, an Art Deco school building and some great signage. Campfire cooking and an 'End of Season' party.

"Parked-up in Provincetown now, and we go on the hunt for breakfast. Gradually it's dawning on us that the place is full of transvestites. Grown-up guys wearing women's clothes. A very 'gay' community anyway – these older men dress to the nines, and even bring their wives here each year, for a kind-of 'Cross-dressing Convention'. We find a hot dog and coffee takeaway stand, and walk around the shops, observing the most peculiar goings-on, as the guy-gals stride purposefully up-and-down the main street. There are so many of them – that I guess they feel entirely empowered so to do.

Having made the excursion and gotten a feel for the place, it seems to me that Provincetown is open for anything, and – in one of the most Conservative States of the first thirteen, it’s most certainly seen to be demonstrating a fair and inculpable understanding of the now universally accepted mantra: "Life, Liberty – and the Pursuit of Happiness." – as is so firmly proposed in the 'Declaration of Independence'. And so. Cross-dressing, homosexuality, as well as much other liberating, and possibly more questionable, alternative stuff, is now a well established feature of the incontestable 'American Way' – at least it is right here, in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

It’s a mile out of town now to the 'Best Western Chateau' – and it’s a decent enough place. While Wayne takes his customary nap, I get my pictures loaded, send a batch off to the website, get some e-mail done and make a couple of voice-recordings.

On the way, walking back into town now for dinner, and we come-across an 'End of Season Party'. I just love a good party, and glance across at Wayne, as if to gain his approval – to go 'swimming around', in-amongst the metaphorical sharks and sharp rocks. He smiles, his own eyes light-up, and we’re warmly welcomed and invited to join-in. And an extraordinarily gay party it is too, just one day after his own Special Day."

In Search of Small-Town America: Volume 1 is a free-of-charge Pdf digital download – available from our shop. A table of contents, the introduction, the route-map – and featuring content on the first two States travelled: New Mexico and Arizona.

Jeremy Hammond I am a British writer and photographer, and have travelled through India, China, Southeast Asia and Australia, but most extensively in North America. In the late seventies and early eighties, I worked as lighting crew, and later designer, for many top-named British bands, on tours through Europe, Japan, and the USA. I’ve worked as a cruise-ship photographer, in office and store design, database design, visual arts book publishing and as a London-based freelance photographer, specialising in interiors and architecture.