Some weekends I start off with a clear goal, identifying a destination, researching it thoroughly, and then creating a new post for this blog. Other weekends, a happy coincidence will lead me unexpectedly to a new destination, and I will gleefully recount the detours and circumstances that formed a new post. Then there are weekends like this one, when Friday, Saturday, and Sunday seem to teem with new experiences, a three day period of non-stop adventure.
With my girlfriend visiting Massachusetts for the past few days, we: stood high atop Boston and looked at a beautiful evening view, visited one of the oldest towns in America, saw an underwhelming national landmark, learned about the Pilgrims, and stopped by a 162-year old lighthouse. Once again, rather than a lengthy narrative, I thought I would again create a photo essay and let the images tell the story of the journey.
After dinner on Friday night, we stopped by the Skywalk Observatory in the Prudential Tower for a nighttime view of Boston.The South End of Boston, sprawled out before our eyes. If you want to learn more about the Skywalk Observatory, you can read about it in my post from this summer.Our Saturday destination: Plymouth Massachusetts and the Pilgrim Hall Museum.Since she had never seen Plymouth, I took my girlfriend to explore one of my favorite locations in Massachusetts. Founded in 1620, Plymouth is the oldest town in New England, and the ninth-oldest town in the United States.Our first destination was Plymouth Rock. As I detailed in a previous post, for all of its reputation, Plymouth Rock is one of the most underwhelming roadside attractions I have ever seen.After seeing Plymouth Rock, we walked up a hill to have a better view of Plymouth Harbor. The white portico in the foreground houses Plymouth Rock.At the top of the hill is a marker… this location is the burial ground of the first Pilgrims. Almost half of the original passengers of the Mayflower died during the first winter in Plymouth.As I detailed in a previous visit, the Plymouth Lobster Crawl is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. 29 5′-tall lobster statues have been placed around Plymouth. Each lobster is hand-painted by local artists, and is sponsored by various businesses and organizations.The Mayflower Society House, which is open to visit for anyone who is a descendent of the passengers aboard the Mayflower.Not as exclusive as the Mayflower Society House, Pilgrim Hall Museum is open to the general public, and it tells the story of the first settlers of New England. One of the oldest museums in America, it was built in 1824.The museum begins with an excellent exhibit on the impact of settlement on the Native American population near Plymouth (the Native American name for Plymouth was Patuxet). The museum houses many artifacts that were owned by the Pilgrims. This cooking pot belonged to Myles Standish, the military advisor to the Pilgrims.Other items owned by the Pilgrims, including a writing desk, candle holders, a chalice, and a platter. The object hanging on the wall that looks like a tapestry is actually a napkin.A sampler is a demonstration of skill in needlework. This sampler was made by Loara, the daughter of Myles Standish, in 1653. It is the oldest sampler in America. Although it has faded with time, originally this would have been a colorful work of art.The Bradford Patent, one of the original charter documents of Plymouth Colony. This is not a reproduction- the museum has placed the original (nearly 400 year old) document on display.The town where I live was chartered in 1649, and the original document was also on display in the museum. The land was purchased from Massasoit, the leader of the Wampanoag tribe, for 7 coats, 9 hatchets, 8 hoes, 20 knives, 4 moose skins, and 16.5 yards of cotton.The Great Hall, which displayed many artifacts, including a piece of Plymouth Rock that you can touch (in the background, beneath the large painting).This card table with an embroidered top was owned by Mercy Warren. She and her husband, James Warren, were major figures in the push for independence from England. She was also a direct descendent of Edward Doty, a passenger aboard the Mayflower.We emerged from the museum to darkening skies covering Plymouth Harbor. A winter storm was forecast to begin later that evening, bringing winds and 5″-8″ of snow.My girlfriend spotted this memorial for sailors from Plymouth who never returned home.
After a snowy Saturday night, the sun returned again on Sunday, along with warmer temperatures. As we both enjoy visiting lighthouses, we decided to turn our attention to Point Judith Light, a lighthouse in Rhode Island on Narragansett Bay. Built in 1856 after the original wooden lighthouse was knocked over in a wind storm, Point Judith Light is still in use as a navigation aid.
Our Sunday destination: the southern coast of Rhode Island.Sunday, sunny skies returned. The roads were dry, but snow covered the grass, the only evidence of the previous night’s storm.Arrived at Narrangasett Bay.Positioned on an active Coast Guard base, the lighthouse is not open to the public. This was as close as we were able to get.The 162-year old octagonal granite lighthouse continues to function as an active navigation aid.We took a walk along the beach, marveling at the rugged coastline.As my girlfriend remarked, each coastline we have seen is dramatically different from the others: the gentle and flat beaches of New Jersey, the soaring dunes of Cape Cod, and the rocky coastline of southern Rhode Island. No two are alike, despite all being relatively close to one another.And of course, a quick photo of my Accord. Now at 99,850 miles, the 100,000 mile mark is closing in!
A city skyline at night, the oldest town in New England, historic buildings, rugged coastlines, an active lighthouse, and lots of driving… this was truly a busy (and enjoyable) weekend! Pilgrim Hall Museum is open seven days a week from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm. The museum is $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, and children can enter for $8. Point Judith Light is closed to the public, but the adjacent park is free and open the public year-round. I hope you enjoyed reading this whirlwind tour, and thank you for coming along on another journey down the open road ahead!
Thanks Lynn! Reading about Plymouth Rock when I was in elementary school, I imagined Plymouth Rock as a huge boulder the size of a house. Reality didn’t quite match up to expectations.
Haha, I agree with Lynn on Plymouth Rock. I want that old writing desk! Pretty amazing the variety of things that have been preserved for museum exhibition over the years. The painted lobsters are a kind of neat way to showcase local artists’ talent.
The Open Road Ahead 
Awesome shots. I agree with you about Plymouth Rock 🙂
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Thanks Lynn! Reading about Plymouth Rock when I was in elementary school, I imagined Plymouth Rock as a huge boulder the size of a house. Reality didn’t quite match up to expectations.
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Haha, I agree with Lynn on Plymouth Rock. I want that old writing desk! Pretty amazing the variety of things that have been preserved for museum exhibition over the years. The painted lobsters are a kind of neat way to showcase local artists’ talent.
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The lobsters certainly catch your eye! I wonder how much it cost to have one painted. The museum alone was definitely worth the visit.
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