This replica of the Plimoth Plantation gives one of the best representations of what every day life was actually like for the Pilgrims.

Written by Dr. Marcus J. Serven

Over the past few weeks my wife and I and four of our granddaughters traveled out to Massachusetts. In particular there were two places we wanted to visit: (1) several of the Pilgrim sites in Plymouth (spelled “Plimoth” by Gov. William Bradford), and (2) several of the Revolutionary War sites in Boston (more on that part of our trip later). It was a cold and grey day when we finally got to Plimoth Plantation (a reconstruction of the original colony), and sure enough it rained heavily on us throughout the entire day! That did not stop us, however, and we got a thorough example of what the “first comers” may have experienced when they arrived at that frigid, windy, and rocky land that would become known as the Plimoth Plantation. Here are a few pictures from our rainy day adventures:

We were met by John Howland who explained the difficulties and trials of the first seven years in the Plimoth Plantation.
The fort at the top of the hill was one of the first buildings completed at Plimoth. It doubled as a place of protection and a place for worship.
I learned that their initial homes were “survival cabins” that eventually would be replaced by stouter and more permanent structures. Note the dirt floor.
This popular pamphlet greatly encouraged the Pilgrims as they made their plans to settle in the New World. Sadly the colony of Jamestown did not fair so well.
Here is a replica of a Geneva Bible with notes written by John Calvin, John Knox, and other pastors in Geneva. The Pilgrims used this Bible exclusively.
It finally stopped raining late in the afternoon when we came to Jenny’s Grist Mill. (L-R) Edith, Marcus, Bella, Cheryl, Naomi, and Abigail.
We went on board the Mayflower II as our final exhibit. It was moored to the dock and staffed by a group of crusty old sailors who told us many sea yarns!

Overall, it was an enjoyable day–although quite wet! I came away with a greater appreciation for the courage and determination that was manifested by the Pilgrims and the other English settlers who made up the fledgling colony. They persevered through cold and inclement weather even though many grew sick and weak. They suffered extreme privation and disease so that half the colonists died the first winter. Finally, they formed a colonial government based upon principles from the Bible and the English common law. As a result, they established a prosperous town that became a bright beacon of righteousness to a wild and rough wilderness. William Bradford wrote about the strength of their character when the Pilgrims left the Netherlands, “So they left that good and pleasant city, which had been their resting place for nearly twelve years; but they knew they were pilgrims, and lifted up their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits.” (Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, 49) Such were the Pilgrims–they are our spiritual forebears and unique representatives of the resolute spirit of America. Let us remember them!

Resources for further Study:

Beale, David. The Mayflower Pilgrims: Roots of Puritan, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, and Baptist Heritage. Greenville, SC: Ambassador-Emerald International, 2000. 

Bradford, Wiliam. Of Plymouth Plantation: Bradford’s History of the Plymouth Settlement (1608-1650). Bulverde, TX: Published by Vision Forum and Mantle Ministries, 1998. 

Brown, John. The Pilgrim Fathers of New England and their Puritan Successors. London, England: The Religious Tract Society, 1895. 

Daugherty, James. The Landing of the Pilgrims. New York, NY: Landmark Books, 1950.

Foster, Marshall, and Swanson, Mary-Elaine. The American Covenant: The Untold Story. Revised Edition. Santa Barbara, CA: Co-published by The Foundation for Christian Self-Government (1981), and the Mayflower Institute (1983).

Fiore, Jordan D. ed. Mourt’s Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Reprint, Plymouth, MA: Plymouth Rock Foundation, 1985. 

Gragg, Rod. The Pilgrim Chronicles: An Eyewitness History of the Pilgrims and the Founding of Plymouth Colony. Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, 2014.

Jehle, Dr. Paul. Plymouth in the Words of Her Founders. San Antonio, TX: Vision Forum, 2002.

Pumphrey, Margaret B. Stories of the Pilgrims. New York, NY: Rand McNally & Company, 1912. Reprint, Corvallis, OR: Creation’s Child, 1986.

Willison, George F. Saints and Strangers. New York, NY: Reynal & Hitchcock, 1945.  

Dr. Marcus J. Serven, ThM and DMin

The Genevan Foundation – Copyright 2026 – All Rights Reserved