On May 17, 2004, the first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. took place in the state of Massachusetts. This historic event was made possible by an earlier decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court stating that marriage between same-sex couples would be legal commencing on May 17.

The small Cape Cod town of Provincetown (pop.4,000), long a favorite gathering place of gays and lesbians, was particularly busy on that day as dozens of same-sex couples came to Town Hall to register to marry. Beginning at eight o'clock in the morning and continuing all day, extra clerks were on hand...