Information on various historical sites in Massachusetts. Visiting landmarks, museums, monuments, wildlife refuge centers etc. in the Cape Cod area.
The first settlers headed to America on a merchant ship known as the Mayflower and landed on Plymouth Rock off of Cape Cod Bay. For the tourist seeking the history of America there is no better place to visit than the bay area of Massachusetts.
There are numerous historical sites and attractions from Plymouth Rock, around the bay to Cape Cod to Nantucket Sound and Buzzards Bay. Touring Cape Cod Bay we begin at the beginning. Plymouth Rock and the Plimouth Plantation.
The Rock itself is now sheltered in a temple at the bottom of Cole's Hill. Just three miles south of the pilgrims' landing is Plimouth Plantation, preserved on the exact spot where the pilgrims first settled, as an outdoor museum. Historical actors grace the grounds of the plantation, speaking the language of the 1600's, encouraging conversation with visitors. The Plimouth Plantation is home to the fort built in 1622 to protect the settlement from the Indians, French and Spanish.
Adjoining Plimouth Plantation is the Wampanoag Indian Homesite and Mayflower II. The Mayflower II, anchored at the State Pier in Plymouth, was designed as a replica of the original Mayflower.
The Pilgrim Hall Museum on Court Street is the country's oldest public museum housing artifacts of the early settlers. Utensils, swords, muskets, armor and furniture are among the pilgrim belongings on display.
Traveling around the bay our next stop is the Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich is the oldest town on the Cape founded in 1639. Home of the Sandwich Glass Company producers of the world's finest glass between 1825 to 1888. In the museum you will find rare examples of blown glass and collections of glassware dating back to 1840. In Sandwich you can also visit a number of houses and buildings dating back to the 1600's.
The Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in Cape Cod is a birdwatcher's paradise. The 1,000-acre sanctuary is protected by the Massachusetts Audubon Society and is home to hawks, falcons, gulls, herons, egrets, and other migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. There are over five miles of walking trails, and a feeding area. Boats are available to transport visitors to Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge and seal-watching tours are available in the winter months.
At the tip of the Cape you will discover Provincetown Harbor where the Mayflower once dropped anchor, now the site of the Pilgrim Monument and the Provincetown Museum. The Pilgrim Monument is the tallest all granite monument in the United States, with an observation deck 352 feet above sea level offering tourists a tremendous view of the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Cod. The museum houses maritime artifacts from the pilgrims.
Moving south to Nantucket Sound, visitor's delight in discovering the now quiet town of Chatham where early settlers once violently battled Native American Indians. A monument has been erected to mark the spot where the incident took place. Chatham is also home to The Railroad Museum, which contains models, photographs and original railroad cars and railway station memorabilia from 1887 to 1910.
In short, a visit to the Cape is one where American History and American wildlife are preserved for all to view and embrace.
