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Plymouth, MA

Plymouth, MA

Plymouth is a town and county seat of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in Greater Boston, the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore, and culture, and is known as "America's Hometown". Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Mayflower Pilgrims, where New England was first established. It is the oldest municipality in New England and one of the oldest in the United States. The town has served as the location of several prominent events, one of the more notable being the First Thanksgiving feast. Plymouth served as the capital of Plymouth Colony from its founding in 1620 until the colony's merger with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. The English explorer John Smith named the area Plymouth (after the city in South West England) and the region 'New England' during his voyage of 1614 (the accompanying map was published in 1616). It was a later coincidence that, after an aborted attempt to make the 1620 trans-Atlantic crossing from Southampton, the Mayflower finally set sail for America from Plymouth, England.

Plymouth is located approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of Boston in a region known as the South Shore. Throughout the 19th century, the town thrived as a center of rope-making, fishing, and shipping, and was home to the Plymouth Cordage Company, formerly the world's largest rope-making company. It continues to be an active port, but today its major industry is tourism. The town is served by Plymouth Municipal Airport and contains Pilgrim Hall Museum, the oldest continually operating museum in the United States. It is the largest municipality in Massachusetts by area, and the largest in southern New England. The population was 61,217 at the 2020 U.S. census. It is one of two seats of Plymouth County, the other being Brockton.

The latitude of Plymouth is 41.95833 and its longitude is −70.66778. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 134.0 sq mi (347 km2), of which 96.5 sq mi (250 km2) is land, and 37.5 sq mi (97 km2) (28%) is water.

With the largest land area of any municipality in Massachusetts, Plymouth consists of several neighborhoods and geographical sections. Larger localities in the town include Plymouth Center, North, West, and South Plymouth, Manomet, Cedarville, and Saquish Neck.

Plymouth makes up the entire western shore of Cape Cod Bay. It is bordered on land by Bourne to the southeast, Wareham to the southwest, Carver to the west, and Kingston to the north. It also shares a small border with Duxbury at the land entrance of Saquish Neck. Plymouth's border with Bourne makes up most of the line between Plymouth and Barnstable counties. The town is located roughly 44 miles (71 km) southeast of Boston (it is almost exactly 40 miles (64 km) from Plymouth Rock to the Massachusetts State House) and equidistantly east of Providence, Rhode Island.

Located in the Plymouth Pinelands, the town of Plymouth has many distinct geographical features. The town's Atlantic coast is characterized by low plains, while its western sections are extremely hilly and forested. Plymouth contains several small ponds scattered throughout its western quadrant, the largest being the Great Herring Pond (which is partly in the town of Bourne). A major feature of the town is the Myles Standish State Forest, which is in the southwestern region. Cachalot Scout Reservation, operated by the Cachalot District of the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America, lies adjacent to the state forest lands. There is also a smaller town forest, as well as several parks, recreation areas, and beaches.

Plymouth has nine public beaches, the largest being Plymouth Beach. Plymouth Beach guards Plymouth Harbor and consists mostly of a three-mile (5 km) long, ecologically significant barrier beach. Clark's Island, a small island in Plymouth Bay, is the only island in Plymouth. It is off the coast of Saquish Neck and has nine summer houses but no year-round inhabitants.

Plymouth, MA places a strong emphasis on health and wellness for its residents. Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth (BID Plymouth) offers primary care, emergency care, and more to residents of Barnstable counties. Plymouth Fitness is the only family health, fitness, and wellness club offering group fitness classes, personal training, children's programs, swimming, and much more. Join classes for all skill levels to improve flexibility and reduce stress at Plymouth Yoga Room. Indulge in luxurious spa services, including massages and facials at Mirbeau Inn & Spa. Access 24/7 fitness facilities and personal training programs of Anytime Fitness Plymouth. Explore miles of scenic trails and enjoy the nature of Myles Standish State Forest. Enjoy a round of golf at one of the premier courses in the area at Pinehills Golf Club

Top sites in Plymouth, MA are Brewster Gardens, National Monument to the Forefathers, Plimoth Patuxet Museums, and Pilgrim Hall Museum.

Population: 65,405 (2023). ZIP codes: 02345, 02360–02362, 02381. Area code: 508/774. Elevation: 187 ft (57 m). Area: 134.0 square miles (347 km2).

FAQs

What is Plymouth, MA known for?

Plymouth County offers cranberry farms, beautiful nature walks, and more. Within the county is Plymouth, MA, the home of Plymouth Rock, a universal symbol of America. It is where the Mayflower came ashore 400 years ago, bringing with it English pilgrims who helped found the nation. The town and county of Plymouth boasts some of the best whale watching, dining, shopping, and cultural activities in a quaint New England setting, much of it nestled along the seashore.

Is Plymouth, MA worth seeing?

One of the biggest reasons Plymouth, MA is worth visiting is because of Pilgrim Memorial State Park, which is centrally located in the downtown and waterfront areas. It’s here that you’ll find the Mayflower II docked, Pilgrim Rock, walking trails along the water, and scenic views of the harbor. The focal point of the park is, as mentioned, Pilgrim Rock, which is now housed and protected inside an open-air Memorial. To get from one side of the park to the other, you’ll need to walk right by the Memorial, so this is when you’ll want to take a look at Pilgrim Rock.
 

What is the crime rate in Plymouth, MA?

Plymouth has an overall crime rate of 12 per 1,000 residents, making the crime rate here near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in America. According to our analysis of FBI crime data, your chance of becoming a victim of crime in Plymouth is 1 in 82. Plymouth's crime rate is lower than approximately 22% of Massachusetts communities. However, compared to other communities of similar population size, Plymouth has a crime rate that is noticeably lower than the average. This means that for comparably sized cities all across America, Plymouth is safer than most according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis of FBI crime data.

Sources

Wikipedia

Town of Plymouth

New England Wanderlust

See Plymouth

Neighborhoodscout

Brewster Gardens

National Monument to the Forefathers

Plimoth Patuxet Museums

Pilgrim Hall Museum

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth (BID Plymouth)

Plymouth Fitness

Plymouth Yoga Room

Mirbeau Inn & Spa.

Anytime Fitness Plymouth.

Myles Standish State Forest.

Pinehills Golf Club

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