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Plymouth Rock

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Plymouth Rock is the historical disembarkation site of the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620.

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73-522: The Pilgrims did not refer to Plymouth Rock in any of their writings; the first known written reference to the rock dates from 1715 when it was described in the town boundary records as "a great rock of all the rocks". The first documented claim of Plymouth Rock as the landing place of the Pilgrims was made by 94-year-old Thomas Faunce in 1741, 121 years after the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth. In 1774,

146-426: A 145% increase in 20 years. Plymouth has surpassed several Massachusetts cities in population, but it is still officially regarded as a town and continues to be governed by a board of selectmen rather than a mayor. Plymouth spans several exits on the town's primary highway Massachusetts Route 3 . Additional access is possible via an extension to U.S. Route 44 . The latitude of Plymouth is 41.95833 and its longitude

219-637: A campus at the northern edge of Plymouth Center in the Citizens Bank building. The campus opened in 1994, and the main campus is located in Milton . While the University of Massachusetts Boston does not have a campus in Plymouth, it offers some courses at another location in Cordage Park. Plymouth is home to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth (Jordan Hospital), the largest hospital in

292-558: A country club, an inn and spa hotel, and a shopping village, completed in 2010. It is expected to contain 2,877 homes. Plymouth operates a large school system, with an enrollment of over 8,000 students. The Plymouth School District is one of the largest in the state, operating fourteen schools. This is larger than the Massachusetts average of eight schools. The school district operates 86 school buses under contract with First Student bus company. The schools in Plymouth include

365-453: A local restaurant and gift shop, but does not have an on-site traffic control tower . Barnstable Municipal Airport , in Hyannis , offers additional scheduled carrier service. The airport offers scheduled flight services to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Boston and New York City . It is approximately 30 mi (48 km) from Plymouth. The nearest national and international airport

438-617: A new Roman Doric portico was constructed, designed by McKim, Mead and White for viewing the tide-washed rock protected by gratings. During the rock's many journeys throughout the town of Plymouth, numerous pieces were taken and sold. Today approximately a third remains. It is estimated that the original Rock weighed 20,000 lb (9,100 kg). Some documents indicate that tourists or souvenir hunters chipped it down, although no pieces have been noticeably removed since 1880. Today there are pieces in Pilgrim Hall Museum and in

511-743: A public library, with a branch location in Manomet. Both libraries are a part of the Old Colony Library Network , which services 28 libraries throughout the South Shore . Additionally, as a seat of Plymouth County, there are several county facilities located in Plymouth. These include a County farm, the Registry of Deeds, two jails (the Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Plymouth and

584-757: A remote section of the town north of Buzzards Bay , but does not have an exit. Finally, the short Plimoth Patuxet Highway allows easy access between Routes 3 and 3A, with an exit that allows direct entry to Plimoth Patuxet 's parking area. The highway is north of Manomet and south of Plymouth Center. Plymouth was one of two termini of the Kingston/Plymouth Old Colony Line of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 's commuter rail, providing non-peak service to Braintree and as far north as Boston's South Station . The Plymouth MBTA station

657-763: A small island in Plymouth Bay , is the only island in Plymouth. It is off the coast of Saquish Neck and has nine summer houses but no year-round inhabitants. Plymouth has a humid continental climate ( Dfb ) which is the predominant climate for Massachusetts. Due to its location on the Atlantic Ocean, humidity levels can be very high year-round. Plymouth's coastal location causes it to experience warmer temperatures than many inland locations in New England. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy and often snowy. Plymouth's warmest month

730-461: A year. Plymouth, like other coastal Massachusetts towns, is very vulnerable to Nor'easter weather systems. The town is sometimes vulnerable to Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms , which infrequently threaten the Cape Cod region during the early autumn months. As of the census of 2010, there were 56,468 people, 21,269 households, and 14,742 families residing in the town; by population it

803-430: Is Elizabeth Warren . The state's current junior (Class II) Senator is Edward Markey . On the local level, the town was governed by an open town meeting from 1622 until 1954. In 1953, citizens voted to adopt a representative town meeting form of government, led by a town manager and a board of selectmen . The current town manager of Plymouth is Derek Brindisi. Plymouth has a centralized municipal police force,

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876-642: Is Logan International Airport in Boston, roughly 43 mi (69 km) away. Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport , a state airport located in Warwick, Rhode Island , is about 63 mi (101 km) away. The Pennsylvania Journal The Pennsylvania Journal was an American weekly newspaper published by William Bradford during the 18th century. The first edition of The Pennsylvania Journal appeared in December 1742. A famous contributor

949-589: Is July, with an average high temperature of 80.6  °F (27.0  °C ) and an average low of 61.6 °F (16.4 °C). The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 38.1 °F (3.4 °C) and an average low of 20.1 °F (−6.6 °C). Much like the rest of the Northeastern seaboard, Plymouth receives ample amounts of precipitation year-round. On average, summer months receive slightly less precipitation than winter months. Plymouth averages about 47.4 inches (120 cm) of rainfall

1022-603: Is a seasonal ferry to Provincetown and several other excursion lines that offer cruises of Plymouth Bay and Cape Cod Bay . The ferry is operated by Capt. John Boats and offers one round trip daily from June to September. The ferry leaves from the State Wharf in Plymouth Center. In addition to the ferry, Plymouth Harbor offers service for harbor excursions, whale watching tours, and deep sea fishing. The Plymouth & Brockton Bus Company (formerly known as

1095-601: Is a town and county seat of Plymouth County, Massachusetts , United States. Located in Greater Boston , the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore, and culture, and is known as "America's Hometown". Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Mayflower Pilgrims , where New England was first established. It is the oldest municipality in New England and one of

1168-531: Is become an object of veneration in the United States. I have seen bits of it carefully preserved in several towns of the Union. Does not this sufficiently show that all human power and greatness is in the soul of man? Here is a stone which the feet of a few outcasts pressed for an instant, and this stone becomes famous; it is treasured by a great nation, its very dust is shared as a relic. Today, Plymouth Rock

1241-552: Is characterized by low plains, while its western sections are extremely hilly and forested. Plymouth contains several small ponds scattered throughout its western quadrant, the largest being the Great Herring Pond (which is partly in the town of Bourne). A major feature of the town is the Myles Standish State Forest , which is in the southwestern region. Cachalot Scout Reservation , operated by

1314-421: Is known as Cordage Commerce Center. Plymouth has enjoyed rapid growth and development since the late twentieth century. It became more accessible to Boston in the early 1970s with improved railroads, highways, and bus routes, and the town's inexpensive land costs and low tax rates were factors in attracting thousands of new residents. Its population grew from 18,606 residents in 1970 to 45,608 residents in 1990,

1387-565: Is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as part of Pilgrim Memorial State Park . From April through November, Pilgrim Memorial is staffed by guides who inform visitors of the story of Plymouth Rock. While the rock is currently situated beneath a granite canopy at Pilgrim Memorial State Park, it has been moved several times since the 18th century. Experts such as Donna D. Curtin of

1460-720: Is near Cordage Park in North Plymouth , along Route 3A. (The other terminus is in Kingston , behind the Kingston Collection .) Due to budget concerns as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the station was temporarily closed and service was only accessible at the Kingston station. In 2022, it was announced that the Plymouth station would be permanently closed due to budget constraints and a lack of demand. There

1533-699: Is now the United States . During the Revolutionary War , the Plymouth County militia was led by Colonel Theophilus Cotton of Plymouth. News reached Plymouth of the Battles of Concord and Lexington , and Cotton gathered his soldiers and marched on the town of Marshfield . A small British barracks had been established there on the estate of Nathaniel Ray Thomas, known today as the Daniel Webster Estate . Cotton's forces surrounded

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1606-460: Is the largest municipality in Massachusetts by area, and the largest in southern New England. The population was 61,217 at the 2020 U.S. census. It is one of two seats of Plymouth County, the other being Brockton . Prior to the arrival of the Pilgrims, the location of Plymouth was a village of the Wampanoag tribe called Patuxet . The region was visited twice by European explorers prior to

1679-560: Is the only hospital in Plymouth. South Shore Hospital operates several offices and physician labs in South Pond . South Shore Hospital, in South Weymouth , is the largest hospital in southeastern Massachusetts. Plymouth lies along the "Pilgrims Highway" portion of Route 3 , which is the major route between Cape Cod and Boston. The town can be accessed from six exits on the highway, which is more than any other municipality along

1752-474: Is with God's help that we found this corn, for how else could we have done it, without meeting some Indians who might trouble us. During their earlier exploration of the Cape, the Pilgrims had come upon a Native American burial site that contained corn, and they had taken the corn for future planting. On another occasion, they found an unoccupied house and had taken corn and beans, for which they made restitution with

1825-543: Is −70.66778. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 134.0 sq mi (347 km ), of which 96.5 sq mi (250 km ) is land, and 37.5 sq mi (97 km ) (28%) is water. With the largest land area of any municipality in Massachusetts , Plymouth consists of several neighborhoods and geographical sections . Larger localities in

1898-645: The Church of England , believing that the Church had not completed the work of the Protestant Reformation . Today, these settlers are better known as the " Pilgrims ", a term coined by William Bradford . The Mayflower first anchored in the harbor of Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 11, 1620. The ship was headed for the mouth of the Hudson River (which was in the notional territory of

1971-609: The Colony of Virginia at the time, before the establishment of New Amsterdam ) but it did not go beyond Cape Cod . The Pilgrim settlers realized that they did not have a patent to settle in the region, so they signed the Mayflower Compact prior to disembarking. They explored various parts of Cape Cod and eventually sought a suitable location for a permanent settlement to the westward in Cape Cod Bay . They discovered

2044-722: The Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway ; commonly abbreviated as P&B ) offers daily scheduled intercity coach bus service from Plymouth to Boston's Logan International Airport , South Station in Downtown Boston and the Hyannis Transportation Center on Cape Cod with several intermediate stops along the way. P&B buses can be conveniently boarded in the Park-and-Ride Lot at Exit 13 off of Massachusetts State Route 3 adjacent to

2117-650: The Plymouth County Correctional Facility ) and the County Courthouse. Plymouth's major industry is tourism, with healthcare, technical and scientific research, real estate, and telecommunications also being primary industries. The largest employer in the town is Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center . Plymouth has experienced commercial and industrial success, with the downtown area and North Plymouth each becoming commercial centers and an industrial park opening outside of

2190-488: The 19th century, the town thrived as a center of rope making, fishing, and shipping, and was home to the Plymouth Cordage Company , formerly the world's largest rope making company. It continues to be an active port, but today its major industry is tourism. The town is served by Plymouth Municipal Airport and contains Pilgrim Hall Museum , the oldest continually operating museum in the United States. It

2263-483: The Atlantic Coast League, and the two schools share a rivalry with each other. Students who decide to receive a technical education have the option of attending either Plymouth South Technical School or Plymouth North which now offers Technical studies in either Engineering or Facilities management . There were also 120 home educated children in Plymouth as of 2011. There is also a charter school in

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2336-533: The British troops, but Cotton determined not to fire, allowing the British to escape by water down the Green Harbor River and back to the security of the British forces occupying Boston . In the 1800s, Plymouth remained a relatively isolated seacoast town whose livelihood depended on fishing and shipping. The town eventually became a regional center of shipbuilding and fishing. Its principal industry

2409-639: The Cachalot District of the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America , lies adjacent to the state forest lands. There is also a smaller town forest, as well as several parks, recreation areas and beaches. Plymouth has nine public beaches, the largest being Plymouth Beach . Plymouth Beach guards Plymouth Harbor and consists mostly of a three-mile (5 km) long, ecologically significant barrier beach . Clark's Island ,

2482-629: The Information Center behind the McDonald's rest stop. The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) provides local public transportation service on four separate bus routes within the Plymouth Area Link (PAL) service district. The Mayflower Link Route serves various points within the town and offers a direct connection with P&B bus service at the same Exit 13 Park-and-Ride facility. The Freedom Link and

2555-664: The Liberty Link both originate from Plymouth Center and serves several shopping destinations in Plymouth and neighboring Kingston. A deviated route is provided by GATRA along the town's coastal shoreline between the neighborhoods of Manomet and Cedarville in the southeastern section of Plymouth. The town is home to the Plymouth Municipal Airport , which lies on the border between Plymouth and Carver . Founded in 1931, it offers scheduled service to Nantucket , as well as private service. The airport features

2628-520: The Mount Pleasant Preschool, eight elementary schools (Cold Spring, Federal Furnace, Hedge, Indian Brook, Manomet, Nathanial Morton, South and West Elementaries) which generally serve students from kindergarten to fifth grade, two middle schools that serve grades 5–8, Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS) and Plymouth South Middle School, and two high schools , Plymouth North and Plymouth South . Both high schools play in

2701-461: The Pilgrim Hall Museum and Dr. Simon Engelhart of Durham University's Department of Geography confirm that Plymouth Rock has been relocated multiple times, with its current location differing from its original position in 1620. This movement highlights the evolving narrative and physical journey of this historical symbol. Plymouth, Massachusetts Plymouth ( / ˈ p l ɪ m ə θ / ; historically also spelled as Plimouth and Plimoth )

2774-453: The Pilgrim Hall Museum, stated that the rock has "unquestionably" been moved multiple times. This includes being raised from its original location due to the construction of a wharf, and its later excavation and relocation onto the shoreline in 1920, indicating that the rock's location has changed significantly over time. Meanwhile Faunce asked to be brought to the rock to say a farewell. According to Plymouth historian James Thacher : A chair

2847-598: The Pilgrim Hall Museum, the rock has "unquestionably" been relocated several times, including its complete excavation and relocation onto the shoreline in 1920. This fact complicates the perception that it remains in its original location, as it has been moved and altered multiple times over the centuries. The two most significant primary sources on the founding of Plymouth Colony are Edward Winslow 's 1622 Mourt's Relation and William Bradford's 1630–1651 history Of Plymouth Plantation , and neither refers to Plymouth Rock. The rock first attracted public attention in 1741 when

2920-497: The Pilgrims Highway. Plymouth is also the eastern terminus of U.S. Route 44 . The route has changed recently, as a new divided highway section has linked it to Route 3, before heading south and exiting at its old location before terminating at Route 3A , which more closely follows the shoreline and passes through Plymouth Center. Route 80 's western terminus is at its intersection with old Route 44. Route 25 goes through

2993-707: The Plymouth Police Department. The town also has a professional fire department, with seven firehouses spread around the town. There are also six post offices for the town's five ZIP codes , with one in the downtown area, one in North Plymouth , one in Manomet , one in White Horse Beach , one near the Plymouth County Jail, and one near the town forest in "The Village Green" shopping area of The Pinehills . The town has

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3066-638: The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History . A 40-pound (18 kg) piece of the Rock is set on a pedestal in the cloister of historic Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn Heights , New York. The church was formed by a merger of Plymouth Church and Church of the Pilgrims and was originally pastored by Henry Ward Beecher , brother of author Harriet Beecher Stowe . In 1835, French author Alexis de Tocqueville wrote: This Rock

3139-475: The average family size was 3.04. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 20, 10.7% from 20 to 29, 28.8% from 30 to 49, 22.2% from 50 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. The median income for a household in the town was $ 54,677 as of the 2000 census, and the median income for a family was $ 63,266. Males had a median income of $ 44,983 versus $ 31,565 for females. The per capita income for

3212-563: The capital of Plymouth Colony (which consisted of modern-day Barnstable , Bristol , and Plymouth counties) from its founding in 1620 until 1691, when the colony was merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other territories to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay . Plymouth holds the distinction of being the first permanent European settlement in New England, and one of the oldest European settlements in what

3285-464: The colonists how to farm corn, where and how to catch fish, and other helpful skills for the New World. He also was instrumental in the survival of the settlement for the first two years. Squanto and Hobomok , another guide sent by Massasoit in 1621, helped the colonists set up trading posts for furs. Chief Massasoit later formed a Peace Treaty with the Pilgrims. Upon growing a plentiful harvest in

3358-593: The colony aboard the ship Anne in 1623, just three years after the Mayflower landing, and Elder Faunce was born in 1647, when many of the Mayflower Pilgrims were still living, so his assertion made a strong impression on the people of Plymouth. The wharf was built but the rock left intact, the top portion protruding from the dirt so as to be visible to curious visitors. More recent generations have questioned Faunce's assertion, alleging that he invented

3431-460: The establishment of Plymouth Colony. In 1605, French explorer Samuel de Champlain sailed to Plymouth Harbor , calling it Port St. Louis. Captain John Smith was a leader of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia , and he explored parts of Cape Cod Bay and is credited with naming the region "New Plimouth." Two plagues afflicted coastal New England in 1614 and 1617, killing between 90% and 95% of

3504-489: The fall of 1621, the Pilgrims gathered with Squanto, Samoset, Massasoit, and ninety other Wampanoag men in a celebration of thanksgiving to God for their plentiful harvest. This celebration is known today as the First Thanksgiving . It is commemorated annually in downtown Plymouth with a parade and a reenactment. Since 1941, the United States has observed Thanksgiving as a federal holiday . Plymouth served as

3577-557: The line between Plymouth and Barnstable counties. The town is located roughly 44 miles (71 km) southeast of Boston (it is almost exactly 40 miles (64 km) from Plymouth Rock to the Massachusetts State House ) and equidistantly east of Providence , Rhode Island . Located in the Plymouth Pinelands , the town of Plymouth has many distinct geographical features. The town's Atlantic coast

3650-525: The local Wampanoag inhabitants. The near destruction of the tribe from disease resulted in their cornfields and cleared areas being vacant for the Pilgrims to occupy. Plymouth played a very important role in American colonial history. It was the final landing site of the first voyage of the Mayflower and the location of the original settlement of Plymouth Colony . Plymouth was established in December 1620 by separatist Puritans who had broken away from

3723-464: The most notable being the risk of starvation and the lack of suitable shelter. From the beginning, the colonists depended on the assistance of Native Americans. One colonist's journal reports: We marched to the place we called Cornhill, where we had found the corn before. At another place we had seen before, we dug and found some more corn, two or three baskets full, and a bag of beans. ... In all we had about ten bushels, which will be enough for seed. It

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3796-526: The occupants about six months later. Even greater assistance came from Samoset and Tisquantum (known as Squanto by the Pilgrims), a Native American sent by Wampanoag Chief Massasoit as an ambassador and technical adviser. Squanto had been kidnapped in 1614 by a colonist and sold into slavery in Málaga , Spain . With the help of another colonist, he escaped slavery, and returned home in 1619. He taught

3869-479: The oldest in the United States. The town has served as the location of several prominent events, one of the more notable being the First Thanksgiving feast . Plymouth served as the capital of Plymouth Colony from its founding in 1620 until the colony's merger with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. The English explorer John Smith named the area Plymouth (after the city in South West England) and

3942-411: The population. There were 21,269 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and

4015-413: The region 'New England' during his voyage of 1614 (the accompanying map was published in 1616). It was a later coincidence that, after an aborted attempt to make the 1620 trans-Atlantic crossing from Southampton, the Mayflower finally set sail for America from Plymouth , England. Plymouth is located approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of Boston in a region known as the South Shore . Throughout

4088-423: The residents of Plymouth began plans to build a wharf which would bury it. Before construction began, a 94-year-old church elder named Thomas Faunce declared that the boulder was the landing place of the Mayflower Pilgrims. However, modern scholarship has cast doubt on the rock’s significance as a landing site, particularly because it has been moved numerous times since 1620. Donna D. Curtin, Executive Director of

4161-569: The rock broke in half during an attempt to haul it to Town Square in Plymouth . One portion remained in Town Square and was moved to Pilgrim Hall Museum in 1834. It was rejoined with the other portion of the rock, which was still at its original site on the shore of Plymouth Harbor , in 1880. The date 1620 was inscribed at that time. The rock is now ensconced beneath a granite canopy. However, Plymouth Rock has been moved multiple times since 1620. According to Donna D. Curtin, Executive Director of

4234-467: The rock was relocated from Plymouth's meetinghouse to Pilgrim Hall in 1834. In 1859, the Pilgrim Society began building a Victorian canopy designed by Hammett Billings at the wharf over the portion of the rock left there, which was completed in 1867. The Pilgrim Hall section of the rock was moved back to its original wharf location in 1880, rejoined to the remaining portion, and the date "1620"

4307-503: The sheltered waters of Plymouth Harbor on December 17. From the protected bay they found a site for the new settlement after three days of surveying. The settlers officially disembarked on December 21, 1620. It is traditionally said that the Pilgrims first set foot in America at the site of Plymouth Rock , though no historical evidence exists in support of this claim. The Plymouth colony faced many difficulties during its first winter,

4380-404: The significance of where they set foot in Plymouth. In 1851, a group of Cape Cod residents formed the Cape Cod Association for the purpose of promoting Provincetown as the site of the original Pilgrim landing. Such efforts eventually led to the construction of the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, which was completed in 1910. Col. Theophilus Cotton (son of Plymouth magistrate Josiah Cotton ) and

4453-403: The southern region of the South Shore. It is the only major healthcare provider in the town. The hospital is a community medical center serving twelve towns in Plymouth and Barnstable counties. It consists of more than 30 departments, with 150 patient beds. The hospital also offers a rehabilitation center in The Pinehills region. While Beth Israel Deaconess – Plymouth Hospital (Jordan Hospital)

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4526-401: The state level, primary but shared patrolling responsibility of the town's limited access highways falls upon the Seventh (Bourne) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police . On the national level, Plymouth is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district , and is currently represented by William R. Keating . The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate

4599-455: The story or did not have the correct facts, given that he was not an eyewitness to the event. Journalist Bill Bryson , for example, wrote, "The one thing the Pilgrims certainly did not do was step ashore on Plymouth Rock", arguing that the boulder would have made an impractical landing spot. Others have pointed out that the Pilgrims landed at Provincetown to explore Cape Cod more than a month before they arrived in Plymouth harbor, which lessens

4672-415: The town center. Colony Place was completed in late 2007, located near the industrial park. It consists of several large retail stores and various chain restaurants, and it contains one of the largest designer outlet malls on the South Shore. Plymouth has also recently seen the development of several residential projects, among them The Pinehills , which consists of 1,000 residential units, two golf courses,

4745-445: The town include Plymouth Center , North , West and South Plymouth , Manomet , Cedarville , and Saquish Neck . Plymouth makes up the entire western shore of Cape Cod Bay . It is bordered on land by Bourne to the southeast, Wareham to the southwest, Carver to the west, and Kingston to the north. It also shares a small border with Duxbury at the land entrance of Saquish Neck. Plymouth's border with Bourne makes up most of

4818-493: The town was $ 23,732. About 4.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over. Plymouth is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the First and Twelfth Plymouth Districts. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Barnstable district, which also includes Bourne , Falmouth , Kingston , Pembroke , and Sandwich . On

4891-414: The town, Rising Tide Charter Public School , which serves middle and high school-aged students. Two special education schools, the Baird School and the Radius Pediatric School, are located in the town. The town has two institutions of higher learning. Quincy College has a campus located in Cordage Park. The Plymouth campus opened in 1991, and the college's main campus is in Quincy . Curry College has

4964-400: The townspeople of Plymouth decided to move the rock in 1774. It split in two, however, so the bottom portion was left behind at the wharf and the top portion was relocated to the town's meeting house. Captain William Coit wrote in The Pennsylvania Journal of November 29, 1775 that he brought captive British sailors ashore "upon the same rock our ancestors first trod". A large portion of

5037-405: Was Thomas Paine , who published his first-ever journalism in the Journal in 1775 and contributed a series of pamphleteering essays entitled The American Crisis from December 1776 onwards. After Bradford's death in 1791, his son and business partner Thomas Bradford continued the journal, eventually changing its name to the True American . This article about a Pennsylvania newspaper

5110-408: Was carved into it. In 1920, the rock was temporarily relocated so that the old wharves could be removed and the waterfront landscaped to a design by architect Arthur Shurcliff , with a waterfront promenade behind a low seawall in such a way that, when the rock was returned to its original site, it would be at water level. The care of the rock was turned over to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , and

5183-477: Was procured, and the venerable [Faunce] conveyed to the shore, where a number of the inhabitants were assembled to witness the patriarch's benediction. Having pointed out the rock directly under the bank of Cole's Hill, which his father had assured him was that which had received the footsteps of our fathers on their first arrival, and which should be perpetuated to posterity, he bedewed it with his tears and bid to it an everlasting adieu. Faunce's father had arrived in

5256-571: Was the Plymouth Cordage Company , founded in 1824, which became the world's largest manufacturer of rope and cordage products. At one point, the longest ropewalk in the world was found on the Cordage Company's site on the North Plymouth waterfront, a quarter-mile (0.4 km) in length. The company thrived into the 1960s, but was forced out of business in 1964 due to competition from synthetic-fiber ropes. The factory has been renovated for use as numerous offices, restaurants, and stores, and

5329-513: Was the largest town in Massachusetts. It was also the 21st–largest municipality in the state. The population density was 536.0 inhabitants per square mile (207.0/km ). There were 21,250 housing units, at an average density of 85.1/km (220/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 94% White , 1.8% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 0.7% Asian , <0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.9% from other races , and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2% of

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