Monday, September 27, 2010

400 years of Plymouth, Massachusetts

Plimoth Plantation Museum

In ten years Plymouth, Massachusetts will celebrate its 400th birthday. I first heard about the big plans for a celebration back in 2007, when Jamestown had a big celebration for its 400th birthday. The president and the Queen of England were in attendance for the party, but if you, like me, probably missed the news. The party was less than exciting. At the 2008 triennial congress of the Mayflower Society, this was discussed and everyone vowed to make Plymouth’s party unforgettable. The planning has already begun.

The 2020 Committee contains people I know, well known local representatives of local groups, and many diverse cultures, too. Paul Bumpus, the Mayflower Society Historian General; Peggy Baker, the Director of the Pilgrim Hall Museum; and Rev. Gary Marks, pastor of the Church of the Pilgrimage are people I have met and discussed history with a few times. There are representatives from the Wampanoag Nation, Plimoth Plantation, the town of Plymouth, and the Sachem of the Federation of Old Plimoth Tribes. Honorary members include the chairs of the 350th and 375th Anniversary Committees!

The Mayflower II in Plymouth Harbor

A Quadricentennial is rare in the United States! Let’s celebrate!

For more information:

http://www.plymouthma400th.org/index.html the official website of the 2020 Committee

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2010/09/23/plymouth_launches_effort_to_mark_400th/ An article from the Boston Globe, 23 September 2010, about the plans for the 400th anniversary

http://www.plymouth-ma.gov/Public_Documents/PlymouthMA_BBoard/Plymouth%20400th%20Celebration%20Commission Town of Plymouth website, page for the 400th Celebration Commission

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3terminal&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Legislation+%26+Executive+Orders&L2=Executive+Orders&sid=Agov3&b=terminalcontent&f=Executive+Orders_executive_order_502&csid=Agov3 The Executive Order to establish the Plymouth, MA 400th Anniversary Commission, by Governor Patrick, Massachusetts on 10 June 2008

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Copyright 2010, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

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