Today we went to the outter banks of Massachusetts to the town of Plimouth. Do you know what Plimoth is?? I’ve heard of Plymouth which, of course, is the city where the Pilgrims landed in America, but this spelling is different???? Plimoth is, I learned today, the Old English way of spelling it. I didn’t know that!!!
We arrived at Plimoth and watched the film of the story 102 English colonists, known as the Pilgrims, landing in 1620 at Plimoth rock, and creating the Plimoth Plantation. At this Plimoth Plantation we entered into the living reenactment of the Wampanoag Indian village and the colony that the Pilgrims made their home.
The Wampanoag site was on the banks of the Eel River and the Natives were reenacting tending a garden, building a boat, and cooking over an open fire & roasting game, We sat in the wetu, or house, on the fur covered benches around an open fire, and listened to a Wampanoag mother share stories and information of how they lived. Each wetu would accommodate an entire family including grandparents, aunts & uncles, etc. The older and younger family members would sleep closer to the fire.
Next, we following the trail along the Eel River to the English village where we found many costumed role players speaking the English dialects of Shakespeare’s day, and portraying actual residents of colonial Plimoth. There were many houses with thatched roofs lining the hill with the church and lookout building at the top of the hill for complete protection. Women were cooking over the hearth in several houses, making bread or stew of some kind. A blacksmith was demonstrating making nails. We stopped a lady portraying an actual Pilgrim woman and she was amazing in character. She had the heaviest English accent that it was very hard to understand her at times. She told us the story of Samoset walking through the village in his “naturals” (meaning naked). She was hysterical because she completely stayed in character even when we asked for a picture – she said, “That’s strange, you want me to stand here and smile??” We loved it.
Over by the barn there was many types of farming animals including Kerry and Milking Devon cows, Wiltshire Horn sheep, San Clemente and Arapawa Island goats, Tarnworth pigs and chickens. At the craft center skilled artisans were making pottery and showing us the different types of pottery, and what they are used for.
Down the road and in the small town of Plimoth lies the Mayflower II, a full-scale reproduction of the ship that crossed the Altantic Ocean in 1620. The working crew talked about their historic crossing. It was an awesome experience to be on the ship and feel how rugged, dark, and cramped it would have been. They were a brave group of people.
Plimoth rocks stands out front of the Mayflower with the date 1620 carved on it.
Cape Cod is the outer banks peninsula straight out from Plimoth rock and the bay is Cape Cod – I had no idea we were that close.
It was a fabulous historical reenactment and re-creation of the real thing. I was very impressed with everything that the village portrayed and it made me thankful that they endured such hardships to come to a new country for all of our freedom!
No comments:
Post a Comment