Plymouth Rock


Plymouth, Massachusetts, is home to Plymouth Rock, the traditional site where the Pilgrims disembarked in 1620. It is located at the foot of Cole's Hill on the shore of Plymouth Harbor.

In 1741, when plans were being made to build a wharf at the site of the Pilgrims' landing, a 94-year old Elder of the church identified the precise rock that his father had told him was the first solid land the Pilgrims had set foot on.

In 1774, the Rock was split in half. One half was kept above sea level at the wharf and the other (upper) half was placed in the town's meeting-house. During this time period, Plymouth Rock played another part in history, for this was where captive British sailors were brought ashore. Then, in 1834 the upper half was moved to Pilgrim Hall. The Pilgrim Society built a canopy over the Rock at the wharf and, upon it's completion in 1867, the upper half was returned to the wharf and the two halves were put together again. At this time is when "1620" was carved into the Plymouth Rock.


Plymouth Rock under the canopy built in 1867


Nothing changed until 1920, when the Rock was temporarily relocated while work was done to design and rebuild a new waterfront. A waterfront promenade behind a low sea wall was built in such a way that the Rock, when it returned to it's original site, was at water level as it was when the Pilgrims first arrived.

The care of the Rock was turned over to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a new portico was built over Plymouth Rock that includes gratings to help protect the Rock from natural elements and from souvenir-seekers while still allowing visitors a full view.



Plymouth Rock today is protected by a portico that allows visitors to look down onto the Rock that sits at sea level.


It is estimated that the original Rock weighed 20, 000 lbs. During the Rock's many journeys throughout the town, numerous pieces were taken as souvenirs, many of which were bought and sold by collectors. Today only approximately 1/3 of the top portion of Plymouth Rock remains. Some recovered pieces of the Rock are located in Pilgrim Hall Museum and some are in the Patent Building in the Smithsonian.



The Landing of the Pilgrims, by Henry A. Bacon


"This Rock has become an object of veneration in the United States. I have seen bits of it carefully preserved in several towns in the Union. Does 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 the stone became famous; it is treasured by a great nation; its very dust is shared as a relic." ~ Alex De Tocqueville, 1835