Grace Gouveia and Mary Goveia, 89 Bradford Street, courtesy of Susan Leonard.
Grace Gouveia, pictured at No. 89 with her mother, Mary Goveia, was born in Olhao, Portugal. Her father, Charles, was a Grand Banks fisherman. She recalled: “My mother would get word that the vessel was sighted off the back side, and without stopping for anything, she’d grab me by the hand, and take me down to the beach, where other women were gathered. They waited in silence … to see if the boat was coming in at half-mast. Once they saw it was not half-masted they knelt and blessed themselves, and went home to prepare for their men. If the ship came in at half-mast, as it often did, there was weeping and wringing of hands, and prayers were offered.” Gouveia taught for 27 years, joined the Peace Corps, and helped establish the Council on Aging, which was housed until recently in the Grace Gouveia Building. The house was built in 1847.
Building Provincetown 