Pilgrim Monument

Location Description

From Hwy 3/Pilgrims Hwy take exits 6 or 6A onto Samoset St. Drive east one mile, then turn left (north) onto Allerton St.

Bio

The National Monument to the Forefathers, also referred to as the Pilgrim Monument, was a project by 19th century New Englanders to glorify the Pilgrims and overshadow the earlier arrivals of colonists in Virginia and Vikings. The effort was largely successful at the time. Standing 81 feet tall, it is the largest solid granite statue in the United States.

Monument Description

The monument took 30 years to build and its designer, Hammatt Billings, wanted it to be twice its size but funding ceased during the Civil War. Billings passed away 15 years prior to its completion. At the time of its dedication on August 1, 1889, the monument was visible for miles, standing on a treeless promontory overlooking Plymouth Harbor. However, 130+ years of tree growth has since concealed it in a neighborhood of homes, making it surprisingly hidden for something of its size. The monument is topped by a 36-foot statue of Faith, weighing 180 tons, surrounded by statues of Liberty, Peace, Tyranny, Education, Wisdom, Youth, Law, Mercy, Justice, and Morality.

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