Tourists share their reactions to Plymouth Rock

By Stephanie Chaisson
The Patriot Ledger

PLYMOUTH -- 'I expected it to be bigger."
"Kind of boring."
"I thought there'd be more wow to it."
It's summertime, and the tourists are buzzing at -- though maybe not glowing about -- Plymouth Rock.
It is one of the most visited tourist locations in Massachusetts, the state says, with nearly a million people a year coming to see what may or may not be the rock where the Pilgrims first set foot in Plymouth in 1620.

Even some locals admit to being somewhat underwhelmed by the famous landmark.

Keira Slover of Plymouth said she drove by Plymouth Rock about four times before she realized it was there. "It's a piece of history, but it's a lot littler than I thought," she said.

The long-celebrated and frequently visited rock gets mixed reviews from tourists at the monument on the Plymouth waterfront, not far from the Mayflower II and downtown stores and restaurants.

Slover's size-surprise mirrored that of many Plymouth Rock visitors. But many said the historic symbolism behind the boulder outweighs its modest size.

"It's nice that they have a big memorial for it, because it's an important place," said Brad Smith of Houston. "I think it's kind of neat that it's not this monstrous rock, and it was really used as a stepping stone."

Added Smith's wife, Kristy: "It is kind of neat to know that even far back then (Plymouth Rock) had been considered important and people wanted to preserve it."

What got preserved, however, is not exactly clear.

As the story goes, when William Bradford -- who would become Plymouth Colony's second governor -- led the Pilgrims off the Mayflower, his first step was on the rock. Yet while there is no question Bradford did put his foot down someplace in Plymouth, there is no certainty that he actually stepped on the boulder now maintained as a state monument.

Peggy Baker, director and librarian of Pilgrim Society and Pilgrim Hall Museum, said it is impossible to know the exact history of what is now celebrated as Plymouth Rock, because there was no mention of it during the 17th century.

Despite the uncertainty, Baker noted that "First Street goes directly up from Plymouth Rock, so it is a geographical marker."

She also said the top half of the rock, separated from the rest in an attempt to move the 10-ton mass, was shuffled around in its early days of fame while Plymouth's town fathers struggled to find the perfect place for it.

The top half of the rock eventually made its way back to its original location and was reunited with its bottom half. They reside under a stone canopy beside Plymouth Harbor on Water Street.

Visiting Plymouth Rock remains at the top of the to-do list for tourists visiting Massachusetts. According to department spokeswoman Wendy Fox, almost one million tourists come yearly to see the Rock and it is one of the most frequently visited state parks in Massachusetts.

And while some visitors leave the Rock unimpressed, the verdict is by no means universal.

Carter Bent, 8, of Kingston, said he liked Plymouth Rock "because it's a historical landmark."

His brother Ethan, 5, proudly said, "I think it's very cool, and I like it."

Gary Vorst and his family recently visited the area from Ohio, armed with cameras and fanny-packs, and made Plymouth Rock their first stop.

"We just got here and we're checking everything out," said Vorst. "It's nice."

Stephanie Chaisson may be reached at schaisson@ledger.com.

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[patriotledger]

We welcome your comments on our videos. Posts will be removed if they are in bad taste or contain obscenities, but they will not be edited. Thanks for your interest in our site.

[lechaise]

What the hell were they expecting? Everything in the US has to have a "wow" factor purely because they talk it up so much. The ones stating that it's impressive because of what it represents: that's the point, and they understood it, the others who thought it would be some stars and stripes decorated mountain, well it doesn't say much for their education.

[TheQuindecillion]

A million ppl a year? just think of how much money that brings to the town. Still, it's kind of neat to see the area near where the Pilgrims built their first settlement.

[trilobright]

Jeez guys, it's not famous for being the world's largest rock, or the most exciting. Also, I found it bizarre when I went off to college and told people I was from Plymouth, MA and they were always like, "Oh, like Plymouth Rock?" Wtf, is the rest of the town not mentioned in history books? There are so many historic sites in Plymouth and the surrounding towns, coming primarily to see the Rock is like visiting the Louvre just to see the cornerstone.

[aDinosaurMadeOfLegos]

guys... i live in plymouth WHY ARE YOU GUYS COMING HERE JUST FOR A STUPID ROCK???!!!!!! well its historic but my uncle got sooo pissed because he came here just to see a stupid rock.

[jupitermoon10011]

@calpaw No no no....originally it was farther up the shore, and this is just a tip of the original rock, which was a big boulder....

[DollaBiIIz]

we didn land on plymouth rock, plymouth rock land it on us

[MAairsofter]

i drive by that rock almost everyday and i can definatley tell you its not the real rock

[jojohawk05]

in 10 years it will be 400 YEARS OLD!!!!

[MrSalmon88]

its not the real rock its just so tourist will come to are town every summer and spend money