Fellows and Host Families Visit Plimoth Plantation

PP2On November 5th, our cohort and several host families enjoyed a guided tour of Plimouth Plantation, a living history museum that exhibits a native Wampanoag Homesite and the original settlement of the Plymouth Colony established in the 17th century by English colonists, some of whom later came to be known as Pilgrims.  

At the Wampanoag Homesite, we learned from modern-day Wampanoag and other native people how the 17th-century Wampanoag would have lived along the coast during the growing season—the way they built their homes, planted crops, fished, hunted, and cooked, and the methods they used for building canoes, mats, and baskets. We also learned about efforts to sustain their cultures today.  

We then moved on to the 17th-Century English Village, a re-creation of the small farming and maritime community built by the Pilgrims along the shore of Plymouth Harbor. We saw timber-framed houses furnished with reproductions of objects that the Pilgrims owned, aromatic kitchen gardens, and livestock. Costumed actors portraying residents of Plymouth Colony interacted with us and gave us the feeling of what life was really like back then. Labada Mini of Mauritania and HHHP Director Jack McCarthy also joined in a military training exercise!

PP4Following the tour, we enjoyed an authentic 1700s meal including roast turkey, squash, traditional wheat bread, and a gingerbread-flavored pudding along with old fashioned apple cider. During the meal we learned about culinary habits of the Pilgrims from Plantation staff.

PP3Before heading back to Boston, we made a short visit to the Plymouth Grist Mill, a working reproduction of a 1636 water-powered mill used to grind corn. Grist Mill staff described to us how cornmeal was made and its significance to the 17th century English settlement.  

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