Plymouth Rock and Its Important Place in America
Plymouth Rock is one of many important symbols of the United States. It ranks up there with the Statue of Liberty, The Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, just to name a few. When anyone mentions these historical symbols most people understand what they are and what they mean for America. However, Plymouth Rock seems to be different from all the others for it is the first symbol of freedom stepped upon by the Pilgrims as they descended from the Mayflower and founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. Of course, at the time no-one knew this would develop into one of the greatest nations ever known, America.
Oddly, Plylmouth Rock is not mentioned anywhere in writing until 121 years after the Pilgrams landed. It is not even mentioned in Edward Winslow’s, Mourt’s Relation, which was written between 1620-1621. It was a publication about what happened from the time the Pilgrams landed, to their exploring, and eventual settling of Plymouth Colony. One would think the rock might have been mentioned, but it apparently didn’t seem a significant point at the time. The first mention of Plymouth Rock is in the Pennsylvania Journal, written by Captain William Coit in 1775. He speaks of how he captured British sailors and brought them ashore “upon the same rock our ancestors first trod.”
Plymouth Harbor is the home of Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts. More specifically it is located at the foot of Cole’s Hill. Supposedly, during the first century of the Pilgrams landing, the rock was passed around from generation to generation. Later, in 1741 there were plans for a wharf to be built at the site of where the Pilgrams landed. Thomas Faunce, was a 94 year old elder of the church at that time. He was also the towns record keeper. He managed to identify the exact rock his father told him about. It was the first piece of solid land that the Pilgrims set foot upon.
Through out history, Plymouth Rock, has been relocated several times. In 1774, Col. Theophilus Cotton, along with the townspeople of Plymouth, decided they wanted to move the rock to the towns meeting house. In the act of moving the rock it split in two and it was decided to leave the bottom half behind at the wharf, while the rest of it went to the meeting-house. In 1834 the top portion of the rock was brought to Pilgrim Hall from the meeting-house. A victorian canopy was built for the rock in 1859. This was built at the wharf of the lower part of the rock. The canopy was finished in 1867. Later, in 1880 a decision was rightfully made to reunite the top portion of the rock, still located in Pilgram Hall, with the bottom portion at the wharf. This is when the year 1620 was engraved upon the rock.
In 1920 the rock was returned to its original site and the waterfront was rebuilt around it. It was built in a unique way so that it would remain at water level. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts took over the care of the rock. Unfortunately, during the many moves of the rock, many pieces of the rock were taken to be bought and sold. 1/3 of the top portion remains today. There are pieces at the Patent Building at The Smithsonian and at The Pilgrim Hall Museum.
Today, Plymouth Rock is located in the Pilgram Memorial State Park and is taken care of by the Department of Conservation and Recreation for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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