PLYMOUTH

Plymouth Rock 

Plymouth Rock is under this Roman portico, built in 1920 to protect it.  The top half was moved in 1775 to Plymouth's meetinghouse so that the British wouldn't harm this national treasure during the revolution.  It was later moved to Pilgrim Hall and finally reunited with the bottom half in 1880 and the date 1620 carved into it.

View of Plymouth Harbor between the portico columns.

Plymouth Rock is the traditional site where William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims first stepped onto land.  It is about one third it's original size because over the years pieces were taken, bought, and sold.

Scott enjoying Plymouth Rock.

Mayflower II

Mayflower II is a replica of the original Mayflower.  It's hard to imagine that it held 102 passengers.

On the stern is a carved Hawthorne blossom or English Mayflower.

Leyden Street

This house sits at the foot of Leyden Street near Brewster Gardens.

Leyden Street is where the Pilgrims first settled upon arriving in Plymouth.  It runs from the harbor up to Burial Hill.  Town Brook is adjacent to Leyden Street so it provided water for the early colonists.

Richard Sparrow House

The Richard Sparrow house is the oldest house in Plymouth, built in 1640.  As a freeman, Richard was granted a house tract with six acres, which required him to build a house on the land within 4 years.

Cross summer beam construction can be seen on the ceiling.

Leaded glass window

Hearth

Front door hinge

Grist Mill

The grist mill was grinding samp while we were there and we didn't know what that was so we asked. Samp is yellow cornmeal, ground coarser than grits.  New Englanders since colonial times have referred to cornmeal mush or cereal as samp.

Plymouth Harbor

National Monument to the Forefathers

This 81 foot tall monument, finished in 1889, was commissioned by the Pilgrim Society to honor the Mayflower Pilgrims.

Faith is situated on the main pedestal with her hand pointing towards heaven; below her on four sides are Liberty, Education, Law, and Morality.

This plaque is on the front of the statue, two other panels list the names of all the Mayflower passengers.

Liberty

Education

Law

Morality

It's even Halloween in Plymouth!  I loved this house - it has these giant spiders around the front door and on the roof too, over 30 spiders!  Would you trick-or-treat here?