Plymouth, MA

Though we enjoyed our time in Rhode Island and we left Florida in mid-June, we all have this feeling that our trip is just getting started.  Our first stop after going through the Cape Cod Canal was in Plymouth, MA.  This was a very quick stop over.  We had a mission to see the Plimoth Plantation (yes, that is spelled correctly - more on that later) and the Mayflower II, and that's it.  Since we are studying American History, we thought this was a very important stop.  Craig and I both envisioned the town to be flat and somewhat barren.  We were pleasantly surprised to see it was quite the opposite with lots of trees and somewhat hilly.

The town of Plymouth is the largest "town" in the US (60 square miles)

The Mayflower II - a reproduction of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to New England

Now, that is one large block

Looking up at the crows nest

Three little pirates

The actual rock etched with "1620" at the waters edge

The monument built around the rock

The Wampanoag Homesite and the 17th Century English Village are outdoor living history exhibits.  The home above is a re-creation of the homesite of Hobbamock (a Pokonoket man) and his extended family in the 1620s.  This is a typical bark covered house.

These are mishoon's.  They used fire as a tool to hollow out a tree.

Fox skins and handmade woven bags on display

Maggie grinding the corn into meal

Kate asking about what she is cooking in the pot 

Inside a typical home for a Native American family of five (one room and smaller than our boat)

 17th Century English colony overlooking Cape Cod Bay

 The museum employees are dressed in character

A colonial home had one large room big enough for a bed, a desk and chair and in the corner was the fire and cooking kettle.  Some homes had a loft but none of them had multiple rooms like we have today.

This is a 17th Century garden.  They grew many vegetables like carrots, potatoes, beets, and parsnips.  Every home had a garden complete with herbs for eating, making tea and medicinal purposes.

 An impressive wood pile 

Kate feeding goats through the fence

The craft center is a modern setting where artisans create some of the items that would have been imported from England in the 1600s.  We spoke with a woman who was making buttons for a mans jacket and a gentleman making small pots on a potters wheel.

Wood shavings

Plymouth Harbor is full of lobster boats like these.  I particularly liked the one with the sail.