In My Footsteps Podcast Episode 94: Visiting Plymouth for Thanksgiving, Michael Jackson's Thriller at 40, A Forgotten Cape Cod Nightlife Icon, Weird Old Thanksgiving Foods(11-17-2022)

 

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - The Pilgrim Landing 400th Anniversary

    It’s Thanksgiving time again. That means turkey, football, and family for most. However all of these blessed events and traditions would not be possible if not for a group of English settlers known as the Pilgrims. 2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower on this continent.

    The collection of 102 passengers aboard the famed ship is most commonly connected with their landing in the future Plymouth Colony; however they have a large connection to Cape Cod. It is on the Cape where the Pilgrims first walked and explored.

    First off a little bit of the journey of the Mayflower. It was the initial intention of the Pilgrims to land somewhere in present-day Northern Virginia. The ship was to be accompanied to the New World by a vessel named Speedwell. This ship was cursed it seemed as even on its way to meet the Mayflower in Southampton in July 1620 it began leaking. In fact the pair of vessels departed twice from England only to have to return to port when the Speedwell began leaking. Finally on September 6th the Mayflower left Plymouth, England to cross the Atlantic Ocean. 66 days later the Mayflower found land and docked. However it was not Northern Virginia, it was Cape Cod, more than 400 miles north. These locations that follow are spots where the Pilgrims explored on the Cape and can still be explored today.

1. Pilgrims’ First Landing Park, Commercial St., Provincetown - On November 11, 1620 the Mayflower circled around the tip of Provincetown and docked in Provincetown Harbor. The first steps on shore by the Pilgrims are commemorated here at the rotary at the west end of Commercial Street. There is a plaque which celebrates this moment of not just American but World History as well. The location was discovered via a map in the 1622 book Mourt's Relation written by Edward Winslow and William Bradford. It was a firsthand account of the landing and thus the map is seen to be accurate.

First Landing Park

2. Pilgrim Monument, High Pole Hill Rd., Provincetown – This granite tower was erected in 1910 overlooking the harbor. It is 252-feet tall and stands 350-feet above sea level. The view from the top is simply incredible. The first stone of the tower was laid by then President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 and is a very fitting tribute to the colonists. Although not directly tied to the Pilgrims landing it is still an impressive attraction and one of the best known locations on Cape Cod.

3. Pilgrim Spring Trail, Pilgrim Heights Rd., Truro - This trail leads through the woods out to a breathtaking scenic overlook of the dunes and ocean from a raised vantage point. From the overlook it is a quick walk to a plaque telling the tale of the Pilgrims’ first drink of fresh water in the new land. On November 16, 1620 an exploring party came upon a spring from which they drank. There is a small pool there to this day but it is not certain if this is the very same one since it was 400 years ago.

4. Pilgrim Pond, Pond Rd., Truro - It was here that a group of sixteen Pilgrims, led by Myles Standish and William Bradford, spent their second night on the shores of Cape Cod. It is an unassuming piece of history with a small park complete with a couple of benches along the water. The best view of the pond is a short walk from the park but overall it is difficult to see much of the water. However it is still a marvelous chapter of the Pilgrims’ story on the Cape.

Pilgrim Pond 

5. Corn Hill/Corn Hill Beach, Corn Hill Rd., Truro - It was near the beach on November 16, 1620 that the same group of sixteen Pilgrims purportedly came upon a Wampanoag stash of corn and fresh water which they took and used to sustain their people. The physical Corn Hill stands upwards of one hundred feet above the beach. The views are somewhat limited due to the homes which dot the area atop the hill. It is possible to drive the road and gaze down at Little Pamet River to the south to get a taste of the amazing panoramic scenery.

6. First Encounter Beach, Samoset Rd., Eastham - The ‘first encounter’ the name speaks of is one between the group of sixteen Pilgrims, led by Myles Standish and William Bradford, and the Nauset Tribe of the Wampanoags. On December 8, 1620 the two groups met along the beach here. Earlier European explorers had visited and even captured members of the Nauset Tribe leaving them with rightful bad memories of white travelers. Thusly the ‘first encounter’ consisted of arrows being slung from the Nauset Tribe and musket fire being directed by the Pilgrims. In the end both sides retreated.

The plaque at First Encounter Beach

As a result of this encounter the Pilgrims decided to look elsewhere for a settlement fearing more hostile interactions with local natives. Within days the Mayflower set sail across Cape Cod Bay and landed at Plymouth on December 16, 1620 where the new settlement began. Cape Cod would not see another attempted settlement until 1628 when Plymouth Colony established the Aptucxet Trading Post in present-day Bourne. It was created to allow settlers to trade with local natives and traveling Dutch sailors. That was a trading post and not a village though. In 1637 the town of Sandwich was formed and gave the Cape its first true settlement.

In five weeks on Cape Cod the Pilgrims explored much of the bay side coast from Provincetown down through Eastham. Their footprints are all over the land and their influence is as well. Take a few moments this Thanksgiving season to walk where they walked and feel the history and their importance all around you.

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View my previous blog posts: 

In Their Footsteps: New England History - Mercy Brown and the New England Vampire Panic

In My Footsteps: The Time Period I Wish I Could Visit

Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com

In My Footsteps: 4K New England - Plymouth Waterfront

In My Footsteps: Myles Standish Monument

Here is a video featuring a monument dedicated to legendary Pilgrim and leader of Plymouth Colony Myles Standish.  This is located high on a wooded hill in Duxbury and is a great spot to visit.  There is also a visit to his grave located nearby which is surrounded by four cannons.




The three books of the In My Footsteps series are available at Amazon.com.


In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide

In My Footsteps: A Traveler's Guide to Martha's Vineyard

In My Footsteps: A Traveler's Guide to Nantucket

In My Footsteps: Where the Pilgrims Walked

Check out my video showcasing where the Pilgrims visited on Cape Cod on their journey from England to America in 1620.




The three books of the In My Footsteps series are available at Amazon.com.


In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide

In My Footsteps: A Traveler's Guide to Martha's Vineyard

In My Footsteps: A Traveler's Guide to Nantucket

In My Footsteps: Trip 85: Thomaston, Maine

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 85:  Thomaston, Maine

October 2, 2010

            The tiny old seaport of Thomaston amazed me with its quaint, peaceful feeling.  However it was the ‘Museum in the Streets,’ an absolutely brilliant idea, that made this trip stand out for me.  The ‘Museum’ consists of thirty panels strategically located in front of, or across the street from, important and historical sites in the town.  These panels made the entire town appear to me to be more of a scavenger hunt; it was such a fun experience.  

Replica of Gen. Knox's Montpelier.

            Located in the area around the St. George River, the land on which Thomaston stands was originally a trading post established in 1630.  The most famous name associated with Thomaston is that of General Henry Knox.  Knox was a Revolutionary War hero who played a pivotal role in the ‘Siege of Boston’ in 1775-76 by bringing captured cannons to Boston from Fort Ticonderoga along the shore of Lake Champlain.  He brought them by sled a distance of over 200 miles.

            Knox became a close friend of George Washington when he was a General and Washington made him the United States’ first Secretary of War once he was named the first President.  There are two separate forts named for him, one near Louisville, Kentucky and another located in Prospect, Maine.

The only remaining building from the original Montpelier estate.

Knox retired to Thomaston in 1795 to his estate called Montpelier.  That original mansion was torn down in 1871 after it had decayed and Knox’s oldest grandson had no desire to repair it.  The only building remaining from the original Montpelier estate is a small brick building which was used as the train station for the Knox and Lincoln Railroad.  That building currently houses the Thomaston Historical Society.

The current Montpelier Museum is a reconstruction located on a hill at the corner of Rt. 1 and Rt. 131.  It is a magnificent building at an equally magnificent location.  There is a parking area off to the right of the white building; I parked in front of it where there is a small turnoff.  The building looked to me a lot like the White House with the golden eagle above the front door.  It had that sort of regal air to it the way it stands above everything else around it.

Watts Hall

The only surviving building from the original Montpelier is one of the stops on the ‘Museum in the Streets.’  In actuality this building, despite being an original piece of history, is not as eye-catching as the replica of Montpelier.  If I had not been specifically looking for it I would not have known that the small brick building, built in 1795, had any sort of significance but for the oval sign on the façade which alerts you to the fact that this is more than just a run of the mill train station.

The ‘Museum in the Streets’ plaques are scattered all over the little town of Thomaston but the main cluster of them can be found along Main Street and Knox Street.  One historic site I checked out was Watts Hall on Main Street.  The building was erected and donated to the people of Thomaston by Captain Samuel Watts in 1890.  The interesting part of the story is the fact that in 1915 there was a tremendous fire in the stable located behind the building which caused the entire block to burn to the ground.  The current Watts Hall was rebuilt by Watts’ daughter Mary Jane in memory of her father.  The building is used for town meetings and the large auditorium on the second floor is used by several theater groups.

St. Baptist Episcopal on left, Thomaston Baptist on right.

Another spot on Main Street with an interesting story is the location of two churches.  The Thomaston Baptist Church and the St. John Baptist Episcopal Church have been good neighbors ever since they were first built in 1816.  The two institutions have come to symbolize the love and respect between all religions in the small town.  In fact when the Baptist church’s steeple burned down in the 1990’s the money to rebuild it was raised by all of the other religious groups in town.  This lesson of love and respect between religions was not lost on me during this time in the world.

The ‘Museum in the Streets’ comes to an end along the banks of the St. George River where there are four plaques arranged around a large wooden cross on a green.  The cross was erected in commemoration of Captain George Waymouth’s landing there on June 12, 1605.  One of the plaques I found most intriguing was the one which featured information about an old wooden toll bridge which once spanned the river to the west.  There is a normal paved bridge there now but the story is that north of where that bridge stands was an original Indian trading post established by the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony in 1623.

Cross commemorating George Waymouth's landing.

Thomaston was also known as the town which built more ocean-going vessels than any other town in the entire country.  That fact surprised me when taking a drive around this little town.  It is amazing how much history, such as the building of all of those ships, happened in such a small place. 

There are a total of thirty plaques making up the ‘Museum in the Streets,’ many of those facing the place described on the plaque.  It is a fun way to learn about the history of a great little town, I never imagined during my trip to Maine that I’d been taking part in a sort of scavenger hunt, it was a lot of fun.  I highly recommend any visitor to the area take in the replica of General Knox’s Montpelier estate, breathe the salty air of the St. George River, and take some time to find all thirty of the plaques of the ‘Museum in the Streets.’  Have fun and happy traveling!

For more In My Footsteps items follow my Twitter Feed, view more photos at the In My Footsteps fan page on Facebook, or visit my homepage at ChristopherSetterlund.com.   Thanks for reading!

Directions:  Montpelier Museum:  Take Rt. 1 into Thomaston, turn onto Rt. 131/High St.  Museum is on the left, parking is on left just beyond it.

            St. George River:  Take Rt. 1 into Thomaston, turn right at Knox Street which is next right after Watts Hall.  Follow it to the end.  There is a parking area which is where the final plaques and wooden cross are located.

            Watts Hall:  Take Rt. 1 into Thomaston.  Watts Hall is 110 Main Street/Rt. 1.  This is where a cluster of Museum plaques are located as well.

References:    Wataview Cottage - Owl's Head, Maine 

The Museum in the Streets - Thomaston

            General Knox Museum.org

                Thomaston Historical Society.com

               

In My Footsteps: Trip 73: Duxbury, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 73:  Duxbury, Mass.

August 26, 2010

            Sitting only ten miles north of the Holy Grail of history, Plymouth, the town of Duxbury surprised me with how much history of its own it has inside its borders.  Plymouth may have the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock, but Duxbury may have just as much of a connection to the original Pilgrims.  It is here that many of those who arrived on the Mayflower were buried, and it is here where perhaps the most famous Pilgrim, Myles Standish, lived as well.

Powder Point Bridge leading to Duxbury Beach

            Yes, there is an overwhelming amount of historical significance throughout Duxbury there are also many other places to see as well.  The major attraction in this amazing South Shore town has to be Duxbury Beach.  It is made even more magnificent by the fact that it is accessible only by a drive across the narrow, wooden Powder Point Bridge.  The beach is very narrow at most points due to its exposure to any and all rough seas.  The Powder Point Bridge is popular for fishing and when I passed over it to go to the beach I had to make sure to go slowly. 

John Alden House

Gurnet Light

            As you travel south along the dirt road of Duxbury Beach you reach a point where it turns into the private Gurnet.  A twenty-seven acre peninsula The Gurnet is only accessible if you own a house at Gurnet Point, or if you are lucky enough like me to know someone who does.  My friend Steve’s family has a summer home on Gurnet Point and I was able to go out and take in the amazing views across Plymouth Harbor.  There is also Gurnet Light sitting high above the cliffs.  Originally there were twin lighthouses in this spot until one was torn down in 1924.  This lighthouse is difficult to see from the mainland and I was very glad that I got the chance to see it up close.

            My trip into the history Duxbury holds began at a cemetery called the ‘Myles Standish Burying Grounds.’  The oldest maintained cemetery in the United States it is here that many of the famous Pilgrims were laid to rest.  The most obvious name buried here is the one for whom the cemetery is named.  The grave of Myles Standish is unbelievable.  There are four cannons facing outward from the rock wall the surrounds the gravesite.  The ‘headstone’ is a large boulder with the name ‘Standish’ engraved on it.  I do not know how far beneath my feet the legendary Pilgrim was buried but it was an awesome feeling to be so close to someone so important to the beginnings of our country.

The grave of Capt. Myles Standish

            Not to be forgotten are the graves of John and Priscilla Alden which reside along the edge of the cemetery bordering Chestnut Street.  However there is a much better way to get a taste of what life was like for the Alden’s by visiting the John Alden House on Alden Street.  Dated 1653, the house is one of very few in the country from so far back to never have been renovated with such improvements as plumbing and electricity.  There is also the archaeological site of the original 1632 Alden Homestead on the grounds.  Archaeological pioneer Roland Wells Robbins excavated the site in 1960 and found the remains of the foundation of the original Alden house.  The house is now a museum and is open for tours throughout the summer months.     

Captain Myles Standish has a monument dedicated to him which located a short drive from the cemetery that bears his name as well.  On the way to the monument is the home of Standish’s son, Alexander.  Built in 1666 the house was occupied by Alexander and his wife Sarah Alden who was the daughter of John and Priscilla until 1688 when Sarah died.  Alexander then married Desire Doty.  Unfortunately the house is on private property and try as I might I was not even able to find a good vantage point for a shot of it.  I will have to take the Duxbury Historical Society’s word for it that it is there.

Myles Standish Monument

The Myles Standish Monument is located on Crescent Street atop the 200 foot Captain’s Hill, the 116-foot granite shaft is topped by a fourteen foot statue of Standish.  Myles Standish was hired to be a military adviser for Plymouth Colony and served as Plymouth’s representative to England.  He also helped found Duxbury and named it after Duxbury Woods in Chorley, Lancashire, England.  During the summer, mostly June and July, the monument is easy to get to, you can drive up the hill and park at the base of it.  However, on both of my trips up to the monument the gate was locked and I had to walk up the hill.  It is not a long walk and it should not dissuade any visitor from seeing this amazing tribute to an American legend.

            The monument itself can be seen from miles around as it rises high above the trees.  During the summer months there are opportunities to climb it, although it is wise to have a group to go and to call ahead.  For those who do get to climb they are rewarded with an amazing view of Kingston Bay as well as Duxbury Bay and Clarks Island.  The forest surrounding the monument is beautiful and the sweet pine scent filled the air.  I made sure to take my time and enjoy the site of this towering granite structure. 

            Although it may tend to be overshadowed by Plymouth to the south Duxbury can hold its own as far as history goes with any other town in the state.  After taking some time to relax at Duxbury Beach make sure to enjoy some of this history by visiting the Myles Standish Burying Ground and Monument.  Don’t forget the 350-year old John Alden House as well.  Have fun and happy traveling!

     My first book, In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide, is now available through Schiffer Books!

Directions:  Myles Standish Monument: From Rt. 3 take Exit 10, turn right at Rt. 3A.  Turn right at Chestnut St., right at Standish St.  Take slight right onto Crescent Street.  Parking area for monument is on a hill on the right, if gate is closed road must be hiked to the top. 

John Alden House:  From Rt. 3A heading north turn right at Alden Street.  Follow it .3 miles to house located on right.

Duxbury Beach:  From Rt. 3A heading north turn right at Alden Street.  Turn right at St. George St., turn left at the end and bear right onto Powder Point Avenue.  Follow it across the Powder Point Bridge to the beach. 

References:  Duxbury History.org

            John Alden House

            Duxbury, Ma. - Official Town Site

            Myles Standish Monument State Reservation - DCR

           

In My Footsteps: Trip 25: Plymouth & Duxbury, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 25: Plymouth & Duxbury, Mass.

February 19, 2010

            It is one thing to discover the amazing historical sites that nearly every town in New England has to offer, it is another thing all together to go to where the history of the country began.  Sure Jamestown, Virginia was technically the first settlement in the New World but the spot where the Pilgrims landed in 1620 is overflowing with history and that is Plymouth, Massachusetts.  One only has to round the corner on Water Street and come face to face with the Mayflower II or the granite monument housing Plymouth Rock to realize that you are in a very special place.

            Before hitting the two main attractions of Downtown Plymouth there is another area that needs to be seen.  Located diagonally across from the parking area for the Pilgrim Memorial State Park is the Elder Brewster Gardens.  This park which runs along both sides of Town Brook is on the original grounds of the garden land given to Elder William Brewster in 1620.  There was a huge congregation of ducks on this day despite signs telling visitors not to feed them it is safe to assume that people still do as these ducks were quite docile and showed little fear of humans.

            The park grounds include a paved pathway that travels underneath both the Market Street and Route 3A bridges.  The water rushing by echoes against the walls of the bridges as it heads down toward Plymouth Harbor.  The end of the pathway is the Jenney Grist Mill(left) and Museum.  Built in 1636 by John Jenney the mill is still operational.  It was strategically placed along Town Brook because the drop in elevation of the river allowed for a great amount of power in the water flow.  The river is spring fed which meant in times of drought for the Pilgrims the river never would run dry; also Town Brook is home to ample amounts of herring during the warmer months.  The Run of the Mill Tavern is located next to the mill and is a great family place to stop for lunch or dinner.  This park is a great first stop on a walk through downtown, but it is only the beginning of a magical trip through American history.

            Across the street from the Brewster Gardens is the Pilgrim Memorial State Park.  Here you can see not only a replica of the ship the Pilgrims took from England to America, but also the spot where they landed.  Plymouth Rock(right) is located on the shore of Plymouth Harbor at the foot of Cole’s Hill and is an amazing symbol of our heritage.  Although it is open to debate as to whether the rock is actually on the exact location where the Pilgrims disembarked one cannot deny the rock’s meaning.  The current granite house that covers the rock was built in 1920.

            Sitting a few hundred feet north of Plymouth Rock is the replica of the Mayflower called Mayflower II.  The ship was built in a joint effort between Englishman Warwick Charlton and Plimoth Plantation in 1955-56, and used 17^th Century building methods.  It was also built using Plimoth Planation’s Mayflower blueprints and is considered to be a nearly exact replica but for small enhancements like electric lights.  The ship is only 106 feet long and 25 feet wide which makes it even more amazing that such a vessel carrying about 130-135 people made the voyage across the Atlantic nearly 400 years ago.  The ship can be toured during the warmer months and I highly recommend it.

            The whole of Plymouth’s downtown is a great way to spend a day from Brewster Gardens to Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II(left).  However there is much more including several monuments to 30-time Governor of Plymouth, William Bradford and Wampanoag Indian legend Masasoit who is credited as being a ‘protector and preserver of the Pilgrims.’  Plimoth Plantation, a faithful recreation of the first colony at Plymouth, is also a must see.  It is located on Warren Avenue and is made a memorable experience thanks greatly to the folks who are completely dedicated to portraying their 17^th Century counterparts. 

            Another legend of American history, Myles Standish, has his own monument located a short drive north of Plymouth in Duxbury(below).  Located on Crescent Street atop the 200 foot Captain’s Hill, the 116 foot granite shaft is topped by a fourteen foot statue of Standish.  Myles Standish was hired to be a military advisor for Plymouth Colony and served as Plymouth’s representative to England.  He also helped found Duxbury and named it after Duxbury Woods in Chorley, Lancashire, England. 

            The monument itself can be seen from miles around as it rises high above the trees.  During the summer months it can be climbed and rewards those who do climb with an amazing view of Kingston Bay as well as Duxbury Bay and Clarks Island.  The forest surrounding the monument is beautiful and even on a winter day the sweet pine scent filled the air and made me hopeful for a return trip in the spring.

            Plymouth is the Holy Grail, if you will, of historic towns.  No other place in the United States can top being basically the starting point of all that we are today in this country.  It goes deeper than just Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II, there are many other historic places and monuments to see but those two should be first and foremost on any visitor’s list.  Take an amazing trip back through the first period of American history and visit Plymouth.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Plimoth Plantation: From Rt. 3 take Exit 5, turn right at South St., take 1^st right at Obery St.  Take slight left at Sandwich St.  Turn right at Rt. 3A/Warren Ave.  Plimoth Plantation is on the right designated by a sign.

Plymouth Historic Downtown: From Rt. 3 take Exit 5, turn right at South Street and keep right on South St.  Turn left at Rt. 3A North, take 3^rd right onto Water Street.  Parking is available at Pilgrim Memorial State Park.  Plymouth Rock and Mayflower II are on the right side, Brewster Gardens is on the left side diagonal from the parking area.

Myles Standish Monument: From Rt. 3 take Exit 10, turn right at Rt. 3A.  Turn right at Chestnut St., right at Standish St.  Take slight right onto Crescent Street.  Parking area for monument is on a hill on the right, if gate is closed road must be hiked to the top. 

References:  Plimoth Plantation

            Pilgrim Hall Museum

            Visit Plymouth - Plymouth Rock

            Mayflower History    

Plymouth on Dwellable

Plymouth on Dwellable