An unmarked path leads through the distinctive landscape of the Dune Shacks of Peaked Hill Bars Historic District to the Atlantic Ocean. The dune shacks form part of the rich history of Provincetown and Truro. The earliest shacks were built as temporary dwellings for families of surfmen stationed at the Peaked Hill Bars Life-Saving Station, and some were built by the fishing community for shelter and gear storage. American playwright Eugene O'Neill spent time in a shack in 1919 and later lived in the life-saving station after it was decommissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard. Over the decades, artists, writers, and others seeking remote and rustic dune life have drawn inspiration from this landscape and its solitude, and that tradition continues today as the shacks remain occupied by private citizens and are also used by local non-profit organizations.