Boston Teacher Trip: Plimoth Plantation

I had the wonderful opportunity of visiting Boston for the first time this year with our district's Teaching American History cohort. How does a librarian end up on a trip for history and English teachers? Well, you have to be persuasive, my dear. Very persuasive. (And having someone cancel last minute and offering to pay your own way doesn't hurt either.) I'm also certified in English and history, so this trip was a dream come true for me.

One of the highlights was Plimoth Plantation--over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go! (Okay, she's like my 11th grandmother, but who's counting?) Constance Hopkins wasn't in, but her cottage was cute. A woman in a house across the street was chatting about Constance's recent marriage to Nicholas Snow, who had traveled on the same boat (as her character). Weirdly awesome to be chatting about your ancestors with one of their "neighbors."

It's a fun place, and there is just something trippy about talking with someone for a bit and asking their name and having them reply, "William Bradford." Whaaaaaa? (And if you go, avoid being cornered by Miles Standish--the man talked for over 45 minutes with NO breaks for a polite escape. Kudos for being true to character though; I can see why he wasn't very popular.)

The highlight of our visit was a darling couple, who kept sending "messages" to each other through us. We discovered they were married when he admitted he was interrupting her laundry duties by wondering what was for lunch. She scooted him along, calling him her little duckling. When we ran into him later in the village, he asked us if we were leaving by way of the spring, and if we would deliver a token for him. He sent her a flower to thank her for lunch, and she blushed a thousand shades of red, tucked into her hat band, and asked us to thank him for her, if we happen to see him again. He referred to her as, "My dove, my wife, my love, my life." The hopeless romantic in me imagines they are actually married in real life, but even if it was all an act it was adorable. Yay for pilgrims in love!

In the middle of our day we were treated to an authentic pilgrim feast, which was a mixture of the very tasty and the very. . .educational! Next stop was the Mayflower 2 and Plymouth Rock. Both smaller than expected.

Our last stop of the day was the Pilgrim Hall Museum. Their librarians were eager to share the awesome artifacts they have in their collection. Documents! Swords! Corsets! This was my first chance to see a piece of historical clothing up close, without a protective pane of glass. The tiny stitches and small channels for the boning (or possibly reed, since they were so small) were just incredible. They also have Constance Hopkins' beaver hat on display. (See? My love of hats is hereditary. Thanks, Grammy Hopkins!)

Since I had experienced authentic "chowda" on my arrival night, tonight's treat at Quincy Market was mac and cheese with seafood! How can you not love a city that has a food stand with nothing but mac and cheese?