Saturday, July 6, 1985
We headed to Plymouth, MA
via I-195, I-495 to SR 58. First we went to Cranberry World on Water Street.
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| Cranberry World brochure 1 |
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| Cranberry World brochure 2 |
Walked through a simple carved wooden figure explanation of cranberry bogs. The
three working bogs looked a bit dry and weedy, but we did see some cranberry
vines, a few with flowers and a few with greenish-yellow fruit. In the museum
was a variety of tools and implements used with cranberry farming. There was
cranberry art (dried plants, cranberry-dyed material, etc.). Also graphic
explanations and scale models of the routine of cranberry farming. Downstairs
were displays of Ocean Spray products through the ages, a video of commercials
seen on TV, and exhibits of the paper bottle making and bottle filling, etc.
You could sample any of the juice products, and the kitchen was offering tastes
of the concoction of the day. Today it was a cranberry-raspberry, and
strawberry shake. Yum! They also had an extensive gift shop.
The cranberry is one of three native American fruits,
which include the Concord grape and the blueberry. Good berries are tested by
their bouncing ability!
We returned to the car and drove to park closer to the
Mayflower II ship, a replica that was made in England and made a similar voyage
as the original Mayflower. We had a coupon for a discount on the combination
ticket with Plimoth Plantation, for a mere $7 each for Kent and me, and $4.50
for Kyle. Erich was free.
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| Mayflower II guide |
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| Mayflower II |
Cardboard figures with cartoon speech balloons gave us a history of the Mayflower. A guide on the dock was available to give info on the Mayflower II. She explained that the people aboard the ship thought they were on the original Mayflower and only answered questions about that time in their olde English. We climbed a modern ramp onto the ship, then joined the lines to go through. When we were there, we heard the bells ring (at 15:00). A woman explained what they ate, to our lads. The ship captain had a bit to say, and Erich liked his pipe (whistle). Upon leaving the boat, exhibits tell of the building of the Mayflower II.
We walked over to see Plymouth Rock in raked sand near the water’s edge. It was protected by a rather large portico.
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| Plymouth Rock |
We drove three miles down the road to the 1627 replica village of Plimouth Plantation. We handed over our tickets and walked to the reception area to get maps. There was a small museum with a model of the original Plymouth Rock portico, some costumes, and a signal cannon. We followed a gravel path to the orientation center to see Indian and Pilgrim weapons and armor. We skipped the slide show and headed for the picket-fence-enclosed village.
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| Plimouth Plantation map |
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| Woven-branch fence |
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| Plimouth Plantation with Kent, Erich, Kyle |
First the guardhouse that was also the church. Inside was a woven-branch fenced enclosure. The village was inhabited by goats and costumed people who acted as if they belonged there.
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| Kyle and Erich in the stocks |
One guy was farming, a couple of woodcarvers were shooting the bull, a woman was sewing, a couple were lounging under a tree,
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| Pilgrim couple |
a guy was showing off his new gun, a married man was laughing about single men running to meet ships in hopes of grabbing (so to speak) one of the few women who might be arriving, etc. There were pigs and cows, and runaway chickens. The houses were furnished in period style and we were really intruding! Kyle was really interested, and Erich was tired and hungry, or so he said.
We wandered
down to the end of the village and then walked back up the hill to find the
Wampanoag summer settlement where black Indians were our guides. Saw carving
with clam shells, the beginning of dugouts (or burnouts?!), and shelters made
of bowed branches covered with straw. The beds inside the shelters were covered
with furs.
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| Wampanoag Summer Settlement map |
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| Wampanoag shelter |
A young “grandmother” was weaving a basket while sitting on a log.
There was also a storage shed in stilts, and a drying rack with a few dried
fish over a dead fire.
We made our way back to
the car and drove to SR 3. We got headed in the wrong direction and so took US
44 home. Had a quick finger lickin’ good dinner.
