Things You Should Not Miss
Of course you've just got to visit the rock. Located in Pilgrim
Memorial State Park, and during the summer months, staffed by guides
who can answer your questions about the voyage of the Pilgrims and the
2. Take in Mayflower II. Stand among its galleys and imagine a 65 day journey with 101 other people.
The Plymouth Rock Monument in Plymouth Harbor and Pilgrim Memorial State Park.
What is There NowPlymouth Rock - Now only a shadow of its former self, the rock signifies the landing of the Pilgrims on December 21, 1620 and the start of the Plymouth Colony approximately 650 feet from the location of the original rock along the shoreline.
The Plymouth Rock Monument - The granite canopy , pictured above, was built at the location where the rock was moved in 1920. The inscription in the canopy reads, "Erected by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America to Commeorate the Three Hundredth Anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrims."
The Mayflower - The replica of the Mayflower II is anchored in Plymouth Harbor at Pilgrim Memorial State Park. Pilgrim Memorial State Park is a small, landscaped waterfront park. It is heavily visited.
Plimoth Plantation - Located south of Plymouth, the plantation is home to a reconstruction of the original settlement. A replica of Mayflower II is also part of the Plantation exhibits, but now located in the harbor near Plymouth Rock. Plimoth Plantation includes the Henry Hornblower II Visitor Center, the 1627 English Village, the Wamponoag Homesite, a new orientation film, and the Nye Barn. The plantation is open from late March through late November.
Plymouth is a town that has grown alot since those colony days, but is a medium sized town. Only forty miles from Boston, there are a good variety of places to stay. Check out the lodging choices at your favorite Expedia or other online lodging choice, or contact the local or state visitors bureau.
Plymouth Colony LinksPilgrim Memorial State Park
Nearby AttractionsMassachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
Boston National Historic Park
Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau
Plymouth Rock Then and Now
Plymouth Rock Then
|Landing of the Pilgrims -
(pictured above) of the landing on Plymouth Rock by William Bradford
and the pilgrims with the Mayflower in the distance. Lithograph
by Sarony and Major, 1846. Courtesy LOC. The site had
previously been the location of an Indian village that had been wiped
out in 1617 by a plague.
Plymouth Colony - Established in 1620 as the second permanent English settlement in America by the Pilgrims. The colony remained independent until 1691 when it joined the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The pilgrims would become noted for their town meeting form of government, the Mayflower Compact, as well as the Congregational Church. They had come to America due to the persection of their religious beliefs as Puritans. There were 102 passengers onboard the ship Mayflower when they set sail for America. The journey took 65 days.
Plymouth Rock Now
Size of the Rock - At one time, Plymouth Rock was estimated as weighing 20,000 pounds. Today only 1/3 of the top portion of the rocks remains.
Visiting the Rock Today - From late May to Thanksgiving Day, Plymouth Rock is staffed by Pilgrim Memorial State Park employees who tell visitors about its history. The historic site is run by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. In the harbor onsite, sits a replica of the Mayflower. This site, actually part of Plimoth Plantation, can be visited in combination, or separately from the plantation itself.