Recently I visited the 1627 Pilgrim Village at Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth, MA, a recreation of a farming town - homes, gardens, storehouses, fields and fortifications, even typical farm animals - that the English colonists established. The staff are costumed role~players who take the names and life histories of people who actually lived in the colony in 1627. They exhibit knowledge of nothing beyond 1627 - for them the year is 1627. Also interesting, they speak 17th century dialects (sometimes difficult to understand!). Visitors can spend as much time as desired to satisfy historical mterests and may ask questions about religious beliefs, medical practices, food and anything else, even may walk in on colonists as they eat their meals.
At noon dinner was served in the Plimouth Plantation Visitors Center. The menu? Sobaheg (a native stew), samp (com pudding). roast fowl with sauer, fricassee of fish, seasonal saller (salad), 17th century cheesecake, and mint tea.
My visit included the Wampanoag Homesite, which explores the story of one 17th century Wampanoag man, Hobbamock, and the culture and history attached to' hjs family. There are no role-players here but Native Americans dressed in traditional deerskin clothing who speak modem English. The Wampanoags lived in southeast New England for 12,000 years. When the colonists arrived, there were approximately 50,000 of them, but between 1616 and 1618 a devastating plague (believed brought by Europeans) caused the deaths of many thousands. Today there are four to five thousand on tribal lists, most living in Massachusetts.
While in Plymouth, one can also visit the authentic, working Jenney Gristmill, a reconstruction of the first mill built i.n. the country. The water-wheel produces 18 horsepower, adequate to grind whole corn into meal, which is still bagged and sold at the mill store.
. If one has time and energy left, the next stop is the Flax Pond Cranberry Co. in nearby Carver, a 100 acre family owned and operated farm consisting of 34 acres of producing cranberry bog, a 10 acre pond, 40 acres of woodland (including 4900 Fraser fir Christmas trees), and a 20 acre reservOir. The cranberry bogs produce 150 to 200 barrels per acre of fruit for Ocean Spray Cranberries.
A final attraction in this area is the Burial Hill tour. This was a tough climb (I almost gave up, and coming down was even more challenging) but worth the effort. The tombstones tell many stories but also leave much to the imagination.
Cecilia Welna
