Mayflower II is a full-scale reproduction of the ship that carried the “Mayflower Pilgrims” from Plymouth, England to the New World in 1620. The ship is currently in the middle of an extensive restoration process to prepare her for the 400th anniversary of that historic voyage. The State of Massachusetts included funds in the 2015 budget for this monumental project.
Mayflower II was the brainchild of Englishman Warwick Charlton, who wanted to honor the deep connection between England and America. Some say Charlton even conceived this idea to thank America for its help in World War II.
Mayflower II is being restored at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. It’s the only museum shipyard in the country and uses historical methods in its restoration projects, like tools dating back to the late 1800s! You can take a behind-the-scenes look at Mystic Shipyard’s old-school processes here.
The original Mayflower didn’t land in Plymouth first; it landed in what is now Provincetown. The land in Provincetown wasn’t fertile enough for farming (it was too sandy), so the Mayflower continued on and found Plymouth.
According to Plimoth Plantation, “no one knows for sure what happened to the original Mayflower. The last record of the ship was an assessment of her value in 1624.”
There is some awesome footage of Mayflower II arriving in Plymouth for the first time in 1957! Were you at this historic event? We want to see your photos! Send them to info@plymouthma400.org and you could be featured on our website!
For a full photo album of Mayflower II entering Plymouth Harbor on May 20, 2015, check out our Facebook album!
