Fourth in Plymouth

This Fourth of July, we took a trip to Plymouth, Massachusetts. I have always wanted to visit this town due to its historical significance, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do so on the day we celebrate our country's birth.

We started the day by catching the parade that winds through downtown Plymouth.




The Fire trucks came first

An old ambulance

 

The Hot Wheels Truck was a big hit with my boys

After we had watched the fire trucks pass, we realized that we were not in the right spot for the parade, so we ambled through the streets of Plymouth, pausing on our way to gaze at Plymouth Rock and the statues of William Bradford and Chief Massasoit. Looking out over they bay, I tried to imagine what it would have been like to see the Mayflower approaching on the horizon. Likewise, I looked at the layout of the shore and the town and attempted to picture what's the pilgrims would have seen as they first arrived. We walked up the oldest street in the U.S., and I discovered signs that indicated where some of the first houses were built as well as other historic homes. Then I turned my attention back to the parade.

 

Plymouth Rock



My kids in front of Plymouth Rock

Chief Massasoit

K by the William Bradford statue




 

K and H by William Bradford

The third side of William Bradford -- K insisted on having her picture taken by each side





Joseph Tribble House

We finally settled down to watch the parade with these two churches behind us.

The First Parish Church in Plymouth.
Founded by the Pilgrims in 1620,
 it is now a Unitarian Universalist church.

Church of the Pilgrimage -- a congregational church.




My kids had never really watched a major parade, and they were thrilled when they learned that candy would be thrown their way. Don't get me wrong. The fire trucks, old cars, marching bands, and various floats were all exciting, but I know that they highly anticipated the next person throwing teeth-rotting delicacies their way. They also received small American flags and a copy of the Constitution, which, to their credit, thrilled them just as much as the candy. I finally told them to let the other kids have the candy, and they settled down to watch the rest of the parade.




A trolley shuttle

 

The only float with a blow-up figure



No parade is complete
without Uncle Sam.





The Veterans

The Blue Coats. These guys had the guns
and flags they were spinning around.

When the parade was finally over, we headed back to the apartment where we were staying to hydrate and reapply sunscreen. S fell asleep on the way, so we ended up hanging out in the A/C for a while before heading back out. It also allowed us time to plan our afternoon.

 



The hill where the Pilgrims buried their dead
 that first winter.

Once S woke up, we ventured out again toward the Jenney Grist Mill, a highlight in my book. We stopped for some shaved ice along the way, paused at the hill where the Pilgrims secretly buried their dead to hide their weakness, and meandered through Brewster Gardens as we made our way toward the mill.





Tribute to the immigrant settlers of the area.
At the base of the statue, it reads, "At great personal sacrifice, they established new homes in a new world and by their hard work enriched and transformed this town of their adoption, precious to a grateful posterity is the remembrance of their lives and labors."

Walking through Brewster Gardens

K by the Pilgrim Maiden. The plaque reads, "To those intrepid English Women whose courage, fortitude, and devotion brought a new nation into being, this statue of the Pilgrim Maiden is dedicated."  

Crossing the bridge

Walking alongside the brook that the mill uses to power its mill





The grist mill appealed to my often-neglected inner-engineer. The guide explained how it worked and answered my many questions to my satisfaction. My only disappointment in the whole experience was that I was unable to purchase cornmeal at the end of the tour. Their clutch was under repair, and they had not been able to grind any corn for more than a week. This meant that they were sold out for the time being. Maybe another day....

Back of the mill

Jenney Grist Mill



After the mill, we wandered down to the 1749 Courthouse Museum for a quick peak around. The upstairs houses a reproduction of the courtroom, and my kids enjoyed playing the parts of judges and witnesses in court. By this time, everyone was hungry, so we stopped for dinner before heading back to the apartment for some downtime before the fireworks.

 

 

Old fire engine in the 1749 Courthouse museum

Old handcuffs and legal document

Judge AJ

K tried to be serious in the witness stand...

But it is hard with such a silly brother

Judge H

Panel of Judges

Even Timo took a turn

 

 

Watching the band

When we arrived at the apartment, we met the owners, who told us that there was a band concert that evening before the fireworks. I knew my kids would enjoy the patriotic music, so we decided to stop and listen before settling down in a spot to watch the firework display. I was surprised that S seemed to enjoy the music more than any of my other kids, and he happily clapped along to the various marches that were played. When the band took an intermission, we left to scout out a spot for the much-anticipated fireworks.

The cannons

We thought about watching here, but we decided against it

Waiting for the fireworks



The reflection of the fireworks in
the water added to the thrill of
the event.

The fireworks did not disappoint us. I saw many I had never witnessed before, and the kids seemed to enjoy them as well. The bonus was the firing of the cannons. You've got to love a big boom. After it was all over, we headed back to the apartment for a much-needed night's rest.