Eastham in Barnstable County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

Journey of the Mayflower

Photographed By Alan M. Perrie, September 10, 2019

1. Journey of the Mayflower Marker

Inscription. After 66 days spent in the cramped confines of a small ship pitching and rolling its way from England across the stormy North Atlantic, the Mayflower’s passengers gave thanks. It was the morning of November 9,1620 and they had spotted land - the sand cliffs of Outer Cape Cod.

The Pilgrims intended to settle near the Hudson River, so Captain Christopher Jones brought the Mayflower around and set a course due south along the coast. But dangerously shallow waters at the elbow of the Cape forced the ship to turn back north.

They anchored in the protected waters of what is now Provincetown Harbor and paused to plan next steps. Here on Cape Cod the Pilgrims wrote the Mayflower Compact, the first governing document of Plymouth Colony, and went ashore to find food and water. Here, they first glimpsed the Wampanoag People who already called this land home. And here, one journey ended and another began.

Erected by National Park Service and Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is November 9, 1620.

Location. 41° 50.607′ N, 69° 56.823′

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W. Marker is in Eastham, Massachusetts, in Barnstable County. Marker can be reached from Ocean View Drive, 0.1 miles south of Doane Road. Marker is located 100 yards down the paved path east of 2 Ocean View Drive, Eastham, MA. 02642. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Eastham MA 02642, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Coast Guard Beach: (here, next to this marker); The Outermost House (here, next to this marker); Outermost cliff and solitary dune… (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Doane Rock (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Long, Black Cable (approx. 1.2 miles away); Pushed Back by the Sea (approx. 1.2 miles away); The Nauset Lights (approx. 1.2 miles away); Nauset Beach Light Station (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Eastham.

Also see . . .
1. Crew of the Mayflower. (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Alan M. Perrie of Unionville, Connecticut.)
2. Captain Christopher Jones. (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Alan M. Perrie of Unionville, Connecticut.)
3. Mayflower Compact. (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Alan M. Perrie of Unionville, Connecticut.)
4. Wampanoag People. (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Alan M. Perrie of Unionville, Connecticut.)
5. Pilgrims. (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Alan M. Perrie of Unionville, Connecticut.)
6. Provincetown. (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Alan M. Perrie of Unionville, Connecticut.)

A view north from the sand cliffs of Outer Cape Cod. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Alan M. Perrie, September 10, 2019

2. A view north from the sand cliffs of Outer Cape Cod.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 20, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2019, by Alan M. Perrie of Unionville, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 426 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 17, 2019, by Alan M. Perrie of Unionville, Connecticut. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.