The Mayflower in Plymouth, Massachusetts
Mayflower in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The Mayflower was a 17th-century English merchant ship that became historically significant for transporting the Pilgrims, a group of English Separatists and other settlers, from Plymouth, England, to the New World in 1620. Here’s a detailed overview of the Mayflower and its connection to Plymouth, Massachusetts:
The Mayflower: Key Details
Type and Size: The Mayflower was a three-masted, wooden cargo ship, likely a fluyt, commonly used for trade. It was approximately 100–110 feet long and about 25 feet wide, with a cargo capacity of around 180 tons.
Voyage of 1620:
Departure: The ship left Plymouth, England, on September 6, 1620, carrying 102 passengers (about 50 Separatists, later called Pilgrims, and others, including crew and non-Separatists) and a crew of roughly 25–30.
Journey: The 66-day voyage across the Atlantic was grueling, marked by storms, cramped conditions, and limited provisions. One passenger, William Butten, died during the crossing, and one child, Oceanus Hopkins, was born at sea.
Arrival: The Mayflower reached Cape Cod on November 9, 1620, anchoring at what is now Provincetown Harbor. After exploring the coast, the settlers landed at Plymouth (named after their departure port) in December 1620, establishing Plymouth Colony.
Conditions: The ship was not designed for passenger travel. Passengers endured cold, damp, and unsanitary conditions below deck, with limited food (mostly salted meat, hardtack, and dried goods) and no privacy.
The Mayflower Compact: Before disembarking, 41 male passengers signed the Mayflower Compact, a document establishing a basic government for the colony based on majority rule. It’s considered a foundational step in American self-governance.
The Mayflower in Plymouth, Massachusetts
Role in Founding Plymouth Colony: After landing, the Mayflower served as a temporary shelter for the settlers during the harsh winter of 1620–1621, as they built homes ashore. Nearly half the passengers and crew died that winter due to disease, malnutrition, and cold.
Departure: The Mayflower left Plymouth, Massachusetts, on April 5, 1621, returning to England. It did not remain in the New World or make further voyages to the colony.
Legacy in Plymouth: The ship is central to the history of Plymouth, Massachusetts, as it carried the founders of one of the earliest permanent European settlements in North America. Plymouth is often called “America’s Hometown” due to its association with the Pilgrims and the Mayflower.
Historical Significance
Cultural Impact: The Mayflower’s voyage is iconic in American history, symbolizing religious freedom, perseverance, and the beginnings of European colonization in New England. The Pilgrims’ story, including the first Thanksgiving in 1621, is tied to the ship’s legacy.
Plymouth Today: Plymouth, Massachusetts, embraces its Mayflower heritage:
Mayflower II: A full-scale replica of the Mayflower, built in 1956, is docked at Plymouth Harbor (State Pier, Water Street). It’s maintained by Plimoth Patuxet Museums and offers visitors a glimpse into the ship’s conditions. The replica underwent major restoration from 2014–2020 and is open for tours (check plimoth.org for hours and tickets).
Plymouth Rock: Near the Mayflower II, this iconic (though debated) rock marks the traditional landing site of the Pilgrims. It’s housed in a portico at Pilgrim Memorial State Park.
Plimoth Patuxet Museums: This living history museum in Plymouth recreates the 17th-century Pilgrim village and a Wampanoag homesite, providing context for the Mayflower’s passengers and their interactions with Native peoples.
Events: Plymouth hosts events like the annual Thanksgiving parade and reenactments tied to the Mayflower’s history.
The Ship’s Fate
After returning to England in 1621, the Mayflower resumed merchant activities. Its exact fate is unclear, but it was likely scrapped or sold by 1624. No original artifacts from the ship survive, though some items, like the Peregrine White cradle (from a Mayflower baby), are displayed at the Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth.
The ship in Plymouth, Massachusetts, known as the Mayflower II, is a reproduction of the original Mayflower. The original Mayflower, which carried the Pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620, returned to England in 1621 and was likely scrapped or sold by 1624. No physical remains of the original ship exist.
The Mayflower II is a full-scale replica built in Devon, England, between 1955 and 1956 as a cooperative effort between the UK and the US. It sailed across the Atlantic in 1957 to commemorate the historic voyage and has been docked at Plymouth Harbor (State Pier, Water Street) ever since, maintained by Plimoth Patuxet Museums. It underwent major restoration from 2014 to 2020 and is open for public tours, typically from April to November, offering insight into the original ship’s conditions.