Governor William Bradford Memorial
This granite obelisk on Burial Hill honors William Bradford, one of the Mayflower passengers and a central figure in the establishment of Plymouth Colony. After Governor John Carver died in 1621, Bradford was chosen to lead the struggling colony. He continued to serve as governor for most of the years until his death in 1657, guiding Plymouth through its uncertain beginnings and its development into an established colonial community.
Bradford also preserved the colony’s early history in Of Plymouth Plantation. His account records the Separatists’ departure from England, their years in the Netherlands, the Mayflower crossing and the challenges the settlers faced after arriving in New England. Much of what is known about the founding of Plymouth comes from the history he left behind.
The inscription on the monument states that beneath it rest the ashes of William Bradford, describing him as “a zealous patriot and sincere Christian.” However, the precise location of his original grave is not known with certainty. The obelisk is a later memorial standing within the traditional Bradford family burial area, where several generations of the family are remembered.
The Hebrew inscription near the top is generally translated as “The Lord is the help of my life.” Its presence is especially appropriate because Bradford studied Hebrew later in life, hoping to read the language of the Old Testament for himself. The Latin inscription near the bottom offers a message to succeeding generations: “What our fathers with so much difficulty secured, do not basely relinquish.” Together, these inscriptions connect Bradford’s religious faith with his concern that later generations preserve what their ancestors had struggled to establish.
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Pilgrim Hall Museum
Just a few blocks from the Plymouth waterfront stands Pilgrim Hall Museum, another place where the story of Plymouth becomes tangible. Founded by the Pilgrim Society in 1824 and opened the following year, it is the oldest continuously operating public museum in the United States. The imposing granite building was designed specifically to preserve the […]
The Jury Box
The jury box in Plymouth’s 1749 Court House gives us another glimpse into how justice was administered in colonial Massachusetts. Enclosed by a wooden railing and positioned directly before the justices, this was where local citizens sat to listen to testimony, consider the evidence, and reach a verdict. Serving on a jury was considered an […]
Burial Hill
Rising above Town Square at the upper end of Leyden Street, Burial Hill is one of Plymouth’s most significant historic places. Its elevation provides a commanding view of the harbor, the waterfront, and the route of the town’s first street. That view explains why the settlers initially used the hill for defense rather than burial. […]
