Plymouth and Boston, oh, how we love you.....well, I love you........ Matt?

I've been trying really hard to help my kids prepare for the American history I knew we'd be able to experience being on the East coast.  When researching the best, kid friendly books for accurate and interesting history, we came across Rush Limbaugh's new books, "Brave Pilgrims" and "The First Patriots" which have been award winning.  As much as Rush drives me crazy sometimes, I went ahead and bought the books. We read them as we drove across the northern states in preparation for the East. The kids loved both of them, and for the first time, I began to see history as more than dull facts, dates and events that I couldn't put in order.  All of the events and historical figures came alive to us and entering, Plymouth, Massachusetts, we HAD to visit the first known landing place of those courageous colonists.  The first big statue we saw was of Massasoit, the Native American who befriended the colonists. 

 

Down the road, we approached the Plimouth (this how they spelled it) Rock. I had pictured it large, regal and jetting out in the ocean.

 

Beautiful enclosure for "the rock".



Peeking over and "huh, really?  That's Plimouth Rock?"






I wasn't the only one thinking it, as I looked around.  We learned that no one really knows for sure if this is the actual rock. It was identified 120 years after the first colonist by a gentleman who knew some of the original pilgrims.  "Yes, yes, this is the rock....I'm sure of it". 

 

What was really cool was seeing some of the original houses of William Bradford and Miles Standish.  Bigger than I'd pictured them building in that day and age, but very English looking.  The Mayflower II was also docked and neat to see. 



A beautiful monument that we found with a list of people on the Mayflower.

 

The kids are making some Youtube videos for their classrooms from last year, so this was our first attempt.  They will be posting those as they learn how to combine several videos into one (from Dad). 

 

Semi exciting, but I knew Boston would be packed full of magic.  It has the Freedom Trail, which is a must thing "to do" for any kid or adult.  Sixteen places that document major historical events which span about 2.5 walking miles of the city.  We started at the end, Bunker Hill Monument and ended up spending 4 hours between walking up the monument and then discovering the amazing USS Constitution and Navy Yard and museums. 

 

See the red brick line?  Easy trail throughout the city to follow

Owies for Elise at the base of Bunker Hill. She still beat all of us up the 294 steps to the top.



A zoomed in photo from the top of the decks on top of buildings

Battle time.  Amazing, fun, interactive learning museum



The USS Constitution, "Ironsides".



Touring the ship was incredible.  Heavy cannons and all.



Down to the lower decks.  Watch yer head.

An amazing view of what the navy sailors endured on those ships.  Sleeping on hammocks, "poop decks", keeping order with painful discipline methods and battle! They were so much harder workers than we are in modern day. What hard lives they lead, and what they did in sacrifice for America....it was humbling over and over again.  In the museum, which was the best I've ever seen for teaching methods, even the bathroom stalls educated you on how the sailors dealt with bathroom issues.  Matt found that particularly interesting.

On to the galley.....


Thought especially of my Grandad Taylor, who served as a cook in the Navy.



One hands on exhibit on how they built the ships



Just one activity the sailors did daily, sanding the decks




Love this flag.  States, "Don't tread on me"



Believe it or not, it was now dinner time and the kids feet were exhausted, so we took a pizza break in the Italian district of Boston and then we took the subway into downtown.  It was a fantastic downtown with street performers and a glimpse of the old and new architecture.  We were able to see many more of the sites, following our red brick road. 


The famous Faneuil Hall



Cool American Patriot, Samuel Adams!



Small red house on the right is the Old State House where the constitution was read (right next to the high rise)



Paul Revere! 

 We kept seeing this Mike's Pastry box passing us....over and over.  Matt googled it and discovered it followed the "trail".  We found a crowd outside clamoring for the pastries.  I have to say, as excited as we were, they were NOT even close to the .75 cent Amish donuts! Quite a disappointing $21 spent.  The better experience was anxiously searching out a public bathroom for miss Elise.  The nearest one was a downtown Boston Fire Department No. 1.  Wide open department with the guys just hanging out on this busy, busy small street.   

 

 

With our first big city day down, we happily boarded the subway and headed back to our state park site in Hingham, MA about 15 miles out of the city.  What a GREAT day!  It was the first time the RV really felt like "home".  I guess it's officially our sanctuary.