Living History Museum Attracts Seniors

The Living History Museum in Plymouth, MA  was an eye opening adventure for our family… my wife’s ancestors came over on the Mayflower in 1620. Senior visitors discover that the many resident actors are in costume and speak English in the language of the time.

We sought out a specific person, Stephen Hawkins, the ancestor my mother-in-law discovered when she worked on her family’s genealogy.  We were able to verify information we’d learned about him and his family… his wife had a baby born on the voyage, they named “Oceanus” who died and was bured at sea.

Seniors Can Board the Mayflower

Senior travelers can visit the Mayflower II that is harbored at Plymouth Rock which makes your trip come even more to life. The ship is a full-scale reproduction of the original Mayflower that was used by the Pilgrims to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Finished in 1957 in Devon, England, the Mayflower II was built so that every detail was as close as possible to that of the original Mayflower, down to the lanterns and hand-colored maps. A visit to Plimoth Plantation is really not complete without a side trip to the Mayflower II.

 Senior Citizens Immersed in 17th Century Plimouth Colony

Senior visitors will discover that the  village is a very accurate portrayal of the way life was back in the 1600s.  The small houses with thatched roofs have kitchen gardens and are surrounded by a fortification, called palisade.  This photo tour of Plimoth Plantation shows the pilgrims at work, Indians working in the fields and children raising the flag.  Trip Advisor shows the village in action, women are sewing, cooking and weaving, wigwams, the costumes of the era and more.

In the 1627 English Village, seniors meet the area’s first European settlers; their accents and clothing are  convincing. The women may be seen grinding corn, baking bread in an outdoor clay oven, churning butter, or cooking on open hearths. The men tend the fields, hew logs to make planks, and take care of the animals. Even the animals have been bred to resemble those of the 1600s.  You can learn from these residents what life was like in early America.

It’s fun that the interpreters don’t “break character.” If you ask them about anything that happened after 1627, they will act as though they have no idea what you’re talking about.We attempted to engage them in conversation outside their character and they did not budge.  In fact ‘Stephen Hawkins’ looked at our camera and asked what that was.

Where is Plimoth Plantation?

The Plimoth Plantation is about an hour south from Boston, Massachusetts and is open from late March through late November, seven days a week.  It will be a memorable experience for you senior history buffs.   jeb