Photo: T.S. Custadio aka ToddC4176 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Pilgrim Memorial State Park commemorates the landing site of the Pilgrims in 1620 and contains several historical monuments, a craft shop run by Plimoth Plantation, and the portico enshrining Plymouth Rock. Locals will roll their eyes if you express disappointment with the fact that Plymouth Rock is, in fact, just a rock. "What did you expect?" is the reaction you are likely to receive. To be fair, the rock is small, with the year "1620" engraved on it as its only decoration. The rock was once much larger, weighing over 20,000 lb (9,100 kg). It was displayed at several different locations in town over several hundred years, but was broken in half by transport and several large pieces of it were taken or sold. A 40-lb. piece resides in the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn Heights, New York. Smaller pieces were reportedly chipped off and stolen as "souvenirs." The surviving Plymouth Rock is only 1/3 of the upper half of the original stone, so keep that in mind before passing judgement.
Pilgrim Memorial State Park comprises two monuments — Plymouth Rock and the National Monument to the Forefathers — in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Closely related to these memorials is the Myles Standish Monument State Reservation which can be seen across the Plymouth Bay in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, these sites are managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
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Performances by various bands are given Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights outdoors during the summer near Plymouth Rock.
Run by the Society of Mayflower Descendants, tour a beautiful 1750s house and visit the authoritative library on Pilgrim genealogy.
A historically accurate, full-scale replica of the 17th-century vessel the Pilgrims arrived aboard. The reproduction was made in England using traditional shipbuilding methods in conjunction with Plimoth Plantation. Upon its completion, it set sail on April 20, 1957 from Plymouth, England across the Atlantic to Plymouth, Massachusetts, recreating the original voyage.
Twilight lantern tours through cemeteries and haunted historical areas. Scavenger hunt for the young and young at heart.
Held annually late September-October. Features an art stroll, live poetry performances, concerts, and viewing of the accepted entries and winners of the annual exhibition in painting, drawing, photography, and other media. Artwork submissions for the show are typically submitted in late August for review. Accepted entries are displayed in the show and considered for prizes.
Reenactment of a description of the Pilgrims walking to church given by Isaac DeRaisiers, a Dutch trader, in 1627. Costumed actors parade from the Mayflower Society House, down Water Street past Plymouth Rock, and up Leyden Street to Burial Hill. Organized by the Plymouth Rock Foundation and occurs on Friday evenings during the month of August and on Thanksgiving Day.