Plimoth, MA

We went to a lot of historical sites on this trip and, as far as the characters reenacting their time and culture, Plimoth was by far our favorite.  The 17th century English village (Plimoth) has people that not only dress up in the most amazingly accurate costumes, but they keep the town going as they did when it really existed with animals and gardens and fires in the hearth.  As we walked around the people/characters who worked in that day (everyone, really, except the governor) were working.  And they were 100% in character with 17th century English accents, and historically accurate responses.  It was like stepping back in time.  

We also visited the Wampanoag homesite with local Wampanoag people dressed up in their traditional costume doing time appropriate things, but they spoke to us in modern language about modern things.

The Mayflower II (a replica of the original) was interesting too. 

Mayflower's navigation system

Mayflower's lower deck

What is left of Plimoth Rock, the Pilgrims landing spot

Wampanoag Village

This public meeting space/church sat at the top of the hill in the 17th century English village (can you spy Geoff and the girls?)

A view of the village from the top of the hill

Looking up toward the public building

A little place to act it all out

If only they worked as eagerly at home...

Boston - Day Three

Day three was a Sunday, and our last day in Boston, so we went to church and then headed out to see a few things.

Our first stop was 2 Newport Road where Geoff and I lived for two years during his graduate years at the Kennedy School.  This is where we lived when Tennie was born.  It was a beautiful turn-of-the-century apartment that was spacious and full of character.  Geoff would ride his bike a mile to campus, and I would dig our car out of snow with a baby in tow any time I needed to go anywhere.  Those were memorable years.

Geoff's study window is just above the door on the second floor.  The bayish window the left was our living room

View of the apartment from Mass. Ave.

A walk along the Charles River

Longfellow's home, right across the street from the chapel where we used to go to church

A stop to see where Tennie was born

A quick stop to see the Boston Temple that was dedicated while we lived there

While in Boston we stayed with some dear friends, the Shumways.  Saydi and I served together in a youth organization (girls) of a Spanish congregation in Arlington, Virginia while Geoff and Jeff served in the same youth organization with the boys at the same time...none of us married.

The young girls we worked with used to wonder why none of us were married, and told us leaders that they were praying for our marital success.  They prayed for years.  Eventually, over time, three of us girl leaders married three of the boy leaders!

It was so fun to spend time with their family.  Their home is so full of charm and beauty and creativity and learning and unity and talent and exuberance and happy hubbub.  This Sunday night we sat around together for dinner, and witnessed their little Emmeline blow out birthday candles.  Our kids made movies on the ipad and dressed up and disappeared for hours.  Spending time with them was a highlight of our short stay in Boston.  (Picture quality is regrettably very poor, but I'll include them anyway.)

Thank you, Shumways!

Boston - Day Two

Before and during our trip we read a few historical novels which really helped the girls have a connection with what we were seeing.  We also ordered a lot of related magazines from Cobblestone Publishing which is our go-to resource for any subject/place we want to learn about.  Our favorites family read-a-louds were Johnny Tremain and The Witch of Blackbird Pond, both GREAT books.

Day Two we took the Freedom Trail with a guide who was in the character of Deborah Sampson, a young woman who dressed up as a boy to fight in the Revolutionary War.  We had read a book about her so her character was especially fun.  She had the girls hooked the whole tour.

Our adorable guide in the Kings Chapel Burying Ground where many patriots are buried

Hopscotch at the Latin School where Benjamin Franklin went

Old State House where the Declaration of Independence was read in Boston

 

Paul Revere's home

Back of Revere home

Site(ish) of the Boston Tea Party (I used to work at the Boston Globe online right next to this site.  It was fun to remember the walk across this bridge everyday while pregnant with Tennie)

We met some Colonial Bostonians

Our last stop on the Freedom Trail was the Old North Church, "Of the North Church tower as a signal light - One, if by land, and two, if by sea..." (Longfellow's Paul Revere's Ride)

We didn't get any pictures around the church except this little door that Ceci loved.

We walked through Little Italy, which was a treat.

We bought some local apples from this guy.  I wanted to buy his homemade pasta sauce!  I miss Italian markets!

Anything Italian = gelato

Last stop downtown was Haymarket Square where we used to come get fresh produce long ago

After lunch at Faneuil Hall we took the T to Cambridge for a visit to Harvard Square and a walk around campus.

 

We met our good friends, the Shumways (more about them later), for dinner at John Harvard's.  It was a very full day!

Boston - Day One

I've got a lot of catching up to do!  Our three-week field trip to study early American history was fantastic.  With the exception of a few things, we saw everything we hoped to see, and the weather was amazing for November in the Northeast.  We pushed hard and had moments of sheer exhaustion, but the girls kept the pace remarkably well.  

So I'll start with our first day in Concord and Lexington.

Wayside Inn - Concord

We had a hearty New England lunch in the tavern in Wayside Inn

 

The Lexington Green where the British met the first minute-men on their march to seize ammunition kept in Concord.  We found some sticks to re-inact the morning of April 19th, and we always played the part of Patriot.  No one knows who shot the first shot, as neither side wanted a battle.  Our own Davis theory is that it was Sam Adams, who was hiding in Lexington, and wanted to get on with independence.  What a rascal!

The thunderbolt falls on an inch of ground, but the light of it fills the horizon.

 Ralph Waldo Emerson

1875 Centennial of April 19, 1775 Battle

The North Bridge in Concord - site of the first battle of the Revolutionary War

I love this serene place.  We rented boats on this little river years ago when we lived in Boston. 

The Old Manse - Nathanial Hawthorne's home

Orchard House - Louisa May Alcott's home

The Alcott family stood strong for their transcendentalist beliefs, which weren't necessarily popular among all people in their day.  Mr. Alcott encouraged his daughters to be anything but typical.  They didn't wear corsets which all women wore at the time, and he schooled them at home with broad ideas and lofty dreams.  Of course, Little Women is based on their family life, and the stories come to life everywhere in and around the Orchard House.  Tennie was inspired by Louisa, and Adele by Louisa's artistic sister who had drawings all over her bedroom walls, which wall art was completely encouraged by her parents.

Alcott chart

Orchard House gift shop goodies