Guide to Historic Plymouth: Localities and Objects of InterestBurbank, A. S. (Alfred Stevens)
History
Guide to Historic Plymouth: Localities and Objects of Interest
Burbank, A. S. (Alfred Stevens)
Plymouth (Mass.) -- Guidebooks
Here is the order establishing jury trial in Governor Bradford’s
writing, the order for the first custom laws, the division of cattle
into lots, one cow being divided into thirteen lots. It was four years
after the Landing before any domestic cattle were brought over, and in
order to equalize them they were divided into lots, each family having
one. It must have been a pretty nice affair to divide the milk of one
cow among thirteen parties, to satisfy all.
Here also is the second patent to the company from the Earl of Warwick,
granted in 1629, with its great wax seal engraved for the purpose, and
the original box in which it came from England. Here are signatures,
also, of nearly as much interest as those of the Pilgrims
themselves,—the marks of the original proprietors of all these broad
fields and forests, whose names are represented by signs of bows and
tortoises, of reptiles and animals.
Here are also ancient deeds written in the Indian language, as put in
form by Eliot and Mayo. The record clerk must have had his patience
severely taxed when they were copied.
The Registry of Probate is on the second floor, where with the several
offices there is a beautiful court room for the Probate sessions. The
filing and registry room is a model for convenience in safe keeping and
reference to papers concerning estates.
Opposite Court Square is the Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, a fine
building erected in 1885-86, which is an ornamental and prominent
feature of the locality.
The building at the right of the church is the Old Colony Club,
instituted in 1769. Next beyond is Russell Building, in which is located
the Pilgrim Bookstore, where will be found a large and varied collection
of souvenirs, views of interesting localities, books of Pilgrim story
and history, post cards and mementos of a visit to “Pilgrim Land.”
[Illustration: PILGRIM MEERSTEADS.]
The Prison
“I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs—
A palace and a prison on each hand.”
[Illustration: Illustrated capital]
In the rear of the Court House stands the former County Prison, a
substantial brick building, with granite trimmings. It is now used for
temporary detention of prisoners at trial, and by agreement with the
Commissioners the town of Plymouth leases a portion of the building for
a police station.
[Illustration: COUNTY PRISON.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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