Plymouth (/ˈplɪməθ/ⓘPLIM-əth; historically also spelled asPlimouth andPlimoth) is a town and county seat ofPlymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Located inGreater Boston, the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore, and culture, and is known as "America's Hometown". Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by theMayflowerPilgrims, whereNew England was first established. It is the oldest municipality in New England and one of the oldest in the United States.[5] The town has served as the location of several prominent events, one of the more notable being theFirst Thanksgiving feast. Plymouth served as the capital ofPlymouth Colony from its founding in 1620 until the colony's merger with theMassachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. The English explorerJohn Smith named the area Plymouth (after the city in South West England) and the region 'New England' during his voyage of 1614 (the accompanyingmap was published in 1616). It was a later coincidence that, after an aborted attempt to make the 1620 trans-Atlantic crossing from Southampton, theMayflower finally set sail for America fromPlymouth, England.
Plymouth is located approximately 40 miles (64 km) south ofBoston in a region known as theSouth Shore. Throughout the 19th century, the town thrived as a center of rope making, fishing, and shipping, and was home to thePlymouth Cordage Company, formerly the world's largest rope making company. It continues to be an active port, but today its major industry is healthcare and social services.[6] The town is served byPlymouth Municipal Airport and contains thePilgrim Hall Museum, the oldest continually operating museum in the United States. It is the largest municipality in Massachusetts by area,[7] and the largest in southern New England. The population was 61,217 at the 2020 U.S. census.[8] It is one of twoseats of Plymouth County, the other beingBrockton.[9]
Prior to the arrival of the Pilgrims, the location of Plymouth was a village of theWampanoag tribe calledPatuxet.[10] The region was visited twice by European explorers prior to the establishment of Plymouth Colony. In 1605, French explorerSamuel de Champlain sailed toPlymouth Harbor, calling it Port St. Louis.Captain John Smith was a leader of the colony atJamestown, Virginia, and he explored parts of Cape Cod Bay and is credited with naming the region "New Plimouth."[11]
Two plagues afflicted coastal New England in 1614 and 1617, killing between 90% and 95% of the local Wampanoag inhabitants.[12] The near destruction of the tribe from disease resulted in their cornfields and cleared areas being vacant for the Pilgrims to occupy.[12]
Plymouth played a very important role in American colonial history. It was the final landing site of the first voyage of theMayflower and the location of the original settlement ofPlymouth Colony. Plymouth was established in December 1620 byseparatistPuritans who had broken away from theChurch of England, believing that the Church had not completed the work of theProtestant Reformation. Today, these settlers are better known as the "Pilgrims", a term coined byWilliam Bradford.[13]
TheMayflower first anchored in the harbor ofProvincetown, Massachusetts on November 11, 1620. The ship was headed for the mouth of theHudson River (which was in the notional territory of theColony of Virginia at the time, before the establishment ofNew Amsterdam) but it did not go beyondCape Cod.[14] The Pilgrim settlers realized that they did not have a patent to settle in the region, so they signed theMayflower Compact prior to disembarking.[15] They explored various parts of Cape Cod and eventually sought a suitable location for a permanent settlement to the westward inCape Cod Bay. They discovered the sheltered waters ofPlymouth Harbor on December 17. From the protected bay they found a site for the new settlement after three days of surveying.
The settlers officially disembarked on December 21, 1620. It is traditionally said that the Pilgrims first set foot in America at the site ofPlymouth Rock, though no historical evidence exists in support of this claim.[16]
The First Thanksgiving, painted byJean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863–1930). The First Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth in 1621
The Plymouth colony faced many difficulties during its first winter, the most notable being the risk of starvation and the lack of suitable shelter. From the beginning, the colonists depended on the assistance of Native Americans. One colonist's journal reports:[17]
We marched to the place we called Cornhill, where we had found the corn before. At another place we had seen before, we dug and found some more corn, two or three baskets full, and a bag of beans. ... In all we had about ten bushels, which will be enough for seed. It is with God's help that we found this corn, for how else could we have done it, without meeting some Indians who might trouble us.
During their earlier exploration of the Cape, the Pilgrims had come upon a Native American burial site that contained corn, and they had taken the corn for future planting. On another occasion, they found an unoccupied house and had taken corn and beans, for which they made restitution with the occupants about six months later.[18]
Even greater assistance came fromSamoset andTisquantum (known as Squanto by the Pilgrims), a Native American sent byWampanoagChief Massasoit as an ambassador and technical adviser. Squanto had been kidnapped in 1614 by a colonist and sold into slavery inMálaga,Spain. With the help of another colonist, he escaped slavery, and returned home in 1619. He taught the colonists how to farm corn, where and how to catch fish, and other helpful skills for the New World. He also was instrumental in the survival of the settlement for the first two years.[citation needed]
Squanto andHobomok, another guide sent by Massasoit in 1621, helped the colonists set up trading posts for furs.[19] Chief Massasoit later formed a Peace Treaty with the Pilgrims. Upon growing a plentiful harvest in the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims gathered with Squanto, Samoset, Massasoit, and ninety other Wampanoag men in a celebration of thanksgiving to God for their plentiful harvest. This celebration is known today as theFirst Thanksgiving. It is commemorated annually in downtown Plymouth with a parade and a reenactment. Since 1941, the United States has observedThanksgiving as afederal holiday.[20][21]
An 18th century Plymouth deed signed byJosiah Cotton as Register of Deeds
During theRevolutionary War, the Plymouth County militia was led by Colonel Theophilus Cotton of Plymouth. News reached Plymouth of theBattles of Concord and Lexington, and Cotton gathered his soldiers and marched on the town ofMarshfield. A small British barracks had been established there on the estate of Nathaniel Ray Thomas, known today as theDaniel Webster Estate. Cotton's forces surrounded the British troops, but Cotton determined not to fire, allowing the British to escape by water down the Green Harbor River and back to the security of the British forcesoccupying Boston.[26]
In the 1800s, Plymouth remained a relatively isolated seacoast town whose livelihood depended on fishing and shipping.[27] The town eventually became a regional center of shipbuilding and fishing. Its principal industry was thePlymouth Cordage Company, founded in 1824,[28] which became the world's largest manufacturer of rope and cordage products. At one point, the longest ropewalk in the world was found on the Cordage Company's site on theNorth Plymouth waterfront, a quarter-mile (0.4 km) in length. The company thrived into the 1960s, but was forced out of business in 1964 due to competition from synthetic-fiber ropes.[29] The factory has been renovated for use as numerous offices, restaurants, and stores, and is known as Cordage Commerce Center.[30]
Plymouth has enjoyed rapid growth and development since the late twentieth century. It became more accessible toBoston in the early 1970s with improved railroads, highways, and bus routes, and the town's inexpensive land costs and low tax rates were factors in attracting thousands of new residents. Its population grew from 18,606 residents in 1970 to 45,608 residents in 1990, a 145% increase in 20 years.[27] Plymouth has surpassed several Massachusetts cities in population, but it is still officially regarded as a town and continues to be governed by a board of selectmen rather than a mayor.
Plymouth spans several exits on the town's primary highwayMassachusetts Route 3. Additional access is possible via an extension toU.S. Route 44.
Samuel Champlain's 1605 map of Plymouth Harbor1846 map of Plymouth HarborA simulated-color satellite image of the Plymouth Bay region taken onNASA'sLandsat 3
The latitude of Plymouth is 41.95833 and its longitude is −70.66778.[31][32] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 134.0 sq mi (347 km2), of which 96.5 sq mi (250 km2) is land, and 37.5 sq mi (97 km2) (28%) is water.
Located in thePlymouth Pinelands, the town of Plymouth has many distinct geographical features. The town's Atlantic coast is characterized by low plains, while its western sections are extremely hilly and forested. Plymouth contains several small ponds scattered throughout its western quadrant, the largest being theGreat Herring Pond (which is partly in the town of Bourne).[33] A major feature of the town is theMyles Standish State Forest, which is in the southwestern region.[34]Cachalot Scout Reservation, operated by the Cachalot District of the Narragansett Council of theBoy Scouts of America, lies adjacent to the state forest lands. There is also a smaller town forest, as well as several parks, recreation areas and beaches.
Plymouth has nine public beaches, the largest beingPlymouth Beach. Plymouth Beach guardsPlymouth Harbor and consists mostly of a three-mile (5 km) long, ecologically significantbarrier beach.Clark's Island, a small island inPlymouth Bay, is the only island in Plymouth. It is off the coast of Saquish Neck and has nine summer houses but no year-round inhabitants.
Plymouth has ahumid continental climate (Dfb) which is the predominant climate for Massachusetts. Due to its location on the Atlantic Ocean, humidity levels can be very high year-round. Plymouth's coastal location causes it to experience warmer temperatures than many inland locations in New England.[35] Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy and often snowy.
Plymouth's warmest month is July, with an average high temperature of 80.6 °F (27.0 °C) and an average low of 61.6 °F (16.4 °C). The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 38.1 °F (3.4 °C) and an average low of 20.1 °F (−6.6 °C).[36]
Much like the rest of the Northeastern seaboard, Plymouth receives ample amounts of precipitation year-round. On average, summer months receive slightly less precipitation than winter months. Plymouth averages about 47.4 inches (120 cm) of rainfall a year. Plymouth, like other coastal Massachusetts towns, is very vulnerable toNor'easter weather systems. The town is sometimes vulnerable to Atlantichurricanes andtropical storms, which infrequently threaten the Cape Cod region during the early autumn months.
Climate data for Plymouth/Kingston, Massachusetts (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1905–present
As of thecensus[51] of 2010, there were 56,468 people, 21,269 households, and 14,742 families residing in the town; by population it was the largest town in Massachusetts. It was also the21st–largest municipality in the state. Thepopulation density was 536.0 inhabitants per square mile (207.0/km2).[52] There were 21,250 housing units, at an average density of 85.1/km2 (220/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 94%White, 1.8%Black orAfrican American, 0.3%Native American, 0.7%Asian, <0.1%Pacific Islander, 0.9% fromother races, and 1.48% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2% of the population.[53]
There were 21,269 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% weremarried couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 20, 10.7% from 20 to 29, 28.8% from 30 to 49, 22.2% from 50 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years.
The median income for a household in the town was $54,677 as of the 2000 census, and the median income for a family was $63,266.[citation needed] Males had a median income of $44,983 versus $31,565 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $23,732. About 4.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Plymouth has a centralized municipal police force, the Plymouth Police Department.[60] The town also has a professional fire department, with seven firehouses spread around the town.[61] There are also six post offices for the town's fiveZIP codes, with one in the downtown area, one inNorth Plymouth, one inManomet, one inWhite Horse Beach, one near the Plymouth County Jail, and one near the town forest in "The Village Green" shopping area ofThe Pinehills.[62][63]
Plymouth's major industry is tourism, with healthcare, technical and scientific research, real estate, and telecommunications also being primary industries.[citation needed] The largest employer in the town isBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Plymouth has experienced commercial and industrial success, with the downtown area andNorth Plymouth each becoming commercial centers and an industrial park opening outside of the town center.Colony Place was completed in late 2007, located near the industrial park. It consists of several large retail stores and various chain restaurants, and it contains one of the largest designer outlet malls on the South Shore.[66] Plymouth has also recently seen the development of several residential projects, among themThe Pinehills, which consists of 1,000 residential units, two golf courses, a country club, an inn and spa hotel, and a shopping village,[67] completed in 2010. It is expected to contain 2,877 homes.[68]
Plymouth operates a large school system, with an enrollment of over 8,000 students. ThePlymouth School District is one of the largest in the state, operating fourteen schools. This is larger than the Massachusetts average of eight schools.[69] The school district operates 86 school buses under contract withFirst Student bus company.
The schools in Plymouth include the Mount Pleasant Preschool, eightelementary schools (Cold Spring, Federal Furnace, Hedge, Indian Brook, Manomet, Nathanial Morton, South and West Elementaries) which generally serve students from kindergarten to fifth grade, twomiddle schools that serve grades 5–8, Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS) and Plymouth South Middle School, and twohigh schools,Plymouth North andPlymouth South.[70] Both high schools play in the Atlantic Coast League, and the two schools share a rivalry with each other. Students who decide to receive a technical education have the option of attending eitherPlymouth South Technical School or Plymouth North which now offers Technical studies in either Engineering or Facilities management . There were also 120 home educated children in Plymouth as of 2011.[citation needed]
There is also acharter school in the town,Rising Tide Charter Public School,[71] which serves middle and high school-aged students. Two special education schools, the Baird School and the Radius Pediatric School, are located in the town.
The town has two institutions of higher learning.Quincy College has a campus located in Cordage Park. The Plymouth campus opened in 1991, and the college's main campus is inQuincy.[72]Curry College has a campus at the northern edge of Plymouth Center in theCitizens Bank building. The campus opened in 1994, and the main campus is located inMilton.[73] While theUniversity of Massachusetts Boston does not have a campus in Plymouth, it offers some courses at another location in Cordage Park.[74]
Plymouth's Beth Israel Deaconess – Plymouth Hospital (Jordan Hospital)
Plymouth is home toBeth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth (Jordan Hospital), the largest hospital in the southern region of the South Shore. It is the only major healthcare provider in the town. The hospital is a community medical center serving twelve towns in Plymouth and Barnstable counties. It consists of more than 30 departments, with 150 patient beds.[75] The hospital also offers a rehabilitation center inThe Pinehills region.
While Beth Israel Deaconess – Plymouth Hospital (Jordan Hospital) is the only hospital in Plymouth. South Shore Hospital operates several offices and physician labs inSouth Pond. South Shore Hospital, inSouth Weymouth, is the largest hospital in southeastern Massachusetts.[76]
Plymouth lies along the "Pilgrims Highway" portion ofRoute 3, which is the major route between Cape Cod and Boston. The town can be accessed from six exits on the highway, which is more than any other municipality along the Pilgrims Highway. Plymouth is also the eastern terminus ofU.S. Route 44. The route has changed recently, as a new divided highway section has linked it to Route 3, before heading south and exiting at its old location before terminating atRoute 3A, which more closely follows the shoreline and passes through Plymouth Center.Route 80's western terminus is at its intersection with old Route 44.Route 25 goes through a remote section of the town north ofBuzzards Bay, but does not have an exit. Finally, the shortPlimoth Patuxet Highway allows easy access between Routes 3 and 3A, with an exit that allows direct entry toPlimoth Patuxet's parking area. The highway is north of Manomet and south of Plymouth Center.
There is a seasonal ferry toProvincetown and several other excursion lines that offer cruises ofPlymouth Bay andCape Cod Bay. The ferry is operated byCapt. John Boats and offers one round trip daily from June to September. The ferry leaves from the State Wharf in Plymouth Center.[77] In addition to the ferry,Plymouth Harbor offers service for harbor excursions,whale watching tours, and deep sea fishing.
ThePlymouth & Brockton Bus Company (formerly known as thePlymouth & Brockton Street Railway; commonly abbreviated asP&B) offers daily scheduled intercity coach bus service from Plymouth to Boston'sLogan International Airport,South Station inDowntown Boston and theHyannis Transportation Center on Cape Cod with several intermediate stops along the way.[78] P&B buses can be conveniently boarded in the Park-and-Ride Lot at Exit 13 off ofMassachusetts State Route 3 adjacent to the Information Center behind the McDonald's rest stop.[79] TheGreater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) provides local public transportation service on four separate bus routes within the Plymouth Area Link (PAL) service district. The Mayflower Link Route serves various points within the town and offers a direct connection with P&B bus service at the same Exit 13 Park-and-Ride facility.[80] The Freedom Link and the Liberty Link both originate fromPlymouth Center and serves several shopping destinations in Plymouth and neighboring Kingston.[81][82] A deviated route is provided by GATRA along the town's coastal shoreline between the neighborhoods of Manomet and Cedarville in the southeastern section of Plymouth.[83]
The town is home to thePlymouth Municipal Airport, which lies on the border between Plymouth andCarver. Founded in 1931, it offers scheduled service toNantucket, as well as private service. The airport features a local restaurant and gift shop, but does not have an on-site trafficcontrol tower.[84]
Plymouth Rock is one of Plymouth's most famous attractions. Traditionally, the rock is said to be the disembarkation site of thePilgrims. The first identification of Plymouth Rock as the actual landing site was made in 1741 by 94-year-oldThomas Faunce, whose father had arrived in Plymouth in 1623, three years after the arrival of theMayflower.[86] The rock is located roughly 650 feet (200 m) from where the initial settlement was thought to be built.
Plymouth Rock became very famous after its identification as the supposed landing site of the Pilgrims, and was subsequently moved to a location in Plymouth Center. During the process, the rock split in two. It was later moved toPilgrim Hall and then to a location under a granite Victorian canopy, where it was easily accessible and subject to souvenir hunters. The rock was finally moved back to its original location along the town's waterfront in 1921.
Plymouth Rock, a large boulder, now sits under the historic Plymouth Rock Portico. The Neo-Classical Revival structure was designed by the highly influential architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White, designers of the Boston Public Library, Rhode Island State House and the former Pennsylvania Station in New York City. Built in 1921. the existing granite portico replaced an earlier Gothic Revival style monument designed by Hammatt Billings (who also designed the National Monument to the Forefathers).
In 1970 the Plymouth Rock Portico was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The rock and portico are the centerpiece ofPilgrim Memorial State Park. The park is the smallest park in the Massachusetts state forest and park system, but is also the most heavily visited.[87]
Plimoth PatuxetA booth for Plymouth 400, a group planning events for the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth Colony.
Plimoth Patuxet is aliving history museum located south of Plymouth Center. It consists of a re-creation of the Plymouth settlement in 1627, as well as a replica of a 17th-century Wampanoag homesite. The museum features role playing tour guides, as well as a large crafts center. The Nye Barn, a replica of a 1627 farming homestead in Plymouth, is also part of the museum. The farm features several animals that would have been found in Plymouth Colony, but are very rare in modern times.[88]
The museum opened in 1947 asPlimoth Plantation under the guidance of Henry Hornblower II, a wealthy Boston stockbroker who grew up in Plymouth.[89] The museum originally consisted of theMayflower II and a "First House" exhibit in Plymouth Center, but was expanded into a large fortified town and a Native American village by 1960.
TheMayflower II is a full-size replica of theMayflower, the ship which brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620. It is located at the State Pier in Plymouth Center. The ship is open as a museum about the Pilgrims' historic voyage fromPlymouth, England, and is considered a faithful replica of the originalMayflower.[90] It is officially a part of Plimoth Patuxet.
The ship was built inBrixham, England in 1956, and sailed to Plymouth across the Atlantic Ocean in 1957 by famous marinerAlan Villiers.[91] The ship is stillseaworthy, and routinely takes voyages around Plymouth Harbor. In the year 2007, theMayflower II celebrated the 50th anniversary of its arrival in Plymouth.[92]
In addition to the Plymouth Rock Memorial, several other monuments were constructed in celebration of Plymouth's tricentennial. These include statues ofMassasoit andWilliam Bradford, and a sarcophagus containing the bones of the 51 Pilgrims who died in the winter of 1620, which rests atopCole's Hill.
Pilgrim Hall Museum, founded in 1824, is the oldest continually operating museum in the United States.[93] It is located in Plymouth Center. TheJabez Howland House is the only house in which one of the Pilgrims lived that still stands. Plymouth also features theNational Monument to the Forefathers, which was dedicated in 1889.[94] Standing at 81 feet (25 m) tall, it is the tallest free-standing solid granite monument in the United States.[95] Other notable historical sites include thePlimoth Grist Mill, a working replica of an original mill built in 1636 (also officially a part of Plimoth Patuxet), as well as the 1640Richard Sparrow House, the oldest house still standing in Plymouth. At the edge of the town onRoute 80 isParting Ways, a 94-acre (380,000 m2) site that is notable for containing the remains of four formerslaves who fought in theAmerican Revolutionary War and their families.[96] Other historic houses include theMayflower House Museum.
"The Pilgrim Maiden" statue in Brewster Gardens, Plymouth, MA
There are 21 locations in Plymouth that appear on theNational Register of Historic Places, including Plymouth Rock, Cole's Hill, and Pilgrim Hall.
Myles Standish State Forest, the Commonwealth's second largest state forest, is located in Plymouth. It is a camping and hiking destination, and contains 16 freshwater lakes and ponds.[34] It is home toPinewoods Dance Camp, a traditional dance and music camp listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[97]Ellisville Harbor State Park, located in the extreme southern portion of the town, contains a natural beach insideCape Cod Bay.[98] Plymouth is also home to 11 public and private golf courses, which include Squirrel Run,Pinehills, Plymouth Country Club, and Southers Marsh, a course that runs through a series of actively maintained cranberry bogs.
^"USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map". US Department of Agriculture - The United States National Arboretum. March 2, 2006. Archived fromthe original on March 3, 2015. RetrievedJanuary 19, 2007.
^"1950 Census of Population"(PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. RetrievedJuly 12, 2011.
^"1920 Census of Population"(PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. RetrievedJuly 12, 2011.
^"1890 Census of the Population"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. RetrievedJuly 12, 2011.
^"1870 Census of the Population"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. RetrievedJuly 12, 2011.
^"1860 Census"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. RetrievedJuly 12, 2011.
^"1850 Census"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. RetrievedJuly 12, 2011.
^"Mayflower II: 50th Celebrations". Plimoth. Currently, Mayflower II is in Mystic Seaport, Connecticut undergoing restoration work and its return to Plymouth is set for spring 2019. Plantation. Archived fromthe original on July 26, 2007. RetrievedJuly 31, 2007.
Core cities are metropolitan core cities of at least a million people. The other areas are urban areas of cities that have an urban area of 150,000+ or of a metropolitan area of at least 250,000+. Satellite cities are in italics.
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