Plimoth Plantation

I wish I could enlarge this more but it goes into my side bar... feel free to click on any images to enlarge them. This is Plimoth Plantation, a re-created living history museum to show us what the original settlement might have been like. Read more HERE

 I asked why this was here not in the original location a few miles away?? Well, the town grew from this, and as it grew people tore down original structures to make way for "progress" and new homes, and it grew continuously since they landed into the modern town of Plymouth!

The Pilgrims came from England and the Netherlands on two ships (Mayflower and Speedwell) in search of religious freedom. The two groups did not even agree on how to worship yet they along with the Native American tribes nearby, managed to live in relative harmony for a time.

The re-enactors were awesome. I learned so much about the time period and how people survived the elements. The native interpreters are actual tribes people of the general area. The curved structure in the background would have mats covering it woven from nearby grasses as this was a summer home.

This artisan was making porcupine hair head dresses. He said feathers would be earned and rare.

His people have been making these for a long time, him since age 6.
The concoction would be held on by pulling their long hair through an opening in the headdress.
I was fascinated with the colors, and did not take pictures of pottery, skins, mats, etc. 

They also had more permanent structures and villages inland. They found peace and trading with the Europeans who built quick dirt floor structures to get them through the winters.

Even in times of survival, the wealth was obvious when seeing the different dwellings. This one had more furniture. All had open hearths. All had many people sleeping in one space on the floors. Wall to wall people. I asked this young woman about that, and she said, men and women slept on blankets. Some men would stumble over them each night, stepping on them! It was quite hot this day, and they were all in buttoned up clothing and the women in stays.

 Every item had to be brought over with them. Additional items were sent by ship later, but not always what they needed or requested. They expected more food and supplies but got more people to house and feed!!

They had one structure to have meetings, services, and canon that could shoot for miles against ships.

Imagine, seeking a new place to settle, across an ocean with no protection or back up services, with approximately 200 people in your entire group.
Men and women alike, working to pay back their new start, sending what resources they could back to the investors hoping to earn land in the future.

I asked if they mostly got along... well... people being what they are, no.

Each had a garden to tend, and there were chickens, cows, and a few animals also brought over that roamed around the settlement.

 They had no doctors, but some people had a knowledge of healing.
One man pretended to be a minister, but was a crook!   People!
I imagined the lives these women gave up in cities of Europe, to cope with the ravages of this new world.
Their beliefs must have been mighty strong and they must have been mighty tormented in Europe to leave on this adventure.