Project Mayflower

14/11/2024

CELEBRATE AMERICA 250 !

On July 4, 2026 - a short 20 months from now - America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The tall ship Mayflower II and other historic vessels will tell our nation's story at celebrations in New Orleans, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York and Boston.

Among America's other historic ships are the USS Constitution, the Kalmar Nyckel, the Pride of Baltimore II, the Amistad, and others.

Tall ships are great historians and educators. We look forward to telling their stories in the coming months.

10/10/2024

ELECTION OF 1620

The election of 1620 was one of the most consequential events in history. It occurred the second week of November 1620.

Those voters changed the course of nations when their signatures were placed on parchment containing original ideas about democracy.

This all took place on a 17th century merchant ship named "Mayflower," whose namesake "Mayflower II" continues to bring history to life in Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts. President John F. Kennedy even went out of his way to stand on her deck, hold her wheel and imagine those events.

The population at the time consisted of 102 individuals counting men, women and children. Of this, 40% of the adults were guided by religious doctrine, while the remaining 60% had secular ambitions driving them. Of this total universe, 41 cast votes, nearly all of those eligible to participate. All were men because it would be nearly three hundred years before women could vote.

This was the ballot question:

Should we be governed by a king who thinks he is anointed by God alone or by the governed, the people?

The voters chose the people.

Nearly 200 years later in 1802, future president John Quincy Adams told a crowd near the place where the 1620 vote was cast, that the outcome of that election was “perhaps the only instance, in human history, of that positive, original social compact, which speculative philosophers have imagined as the only legitimate source of government.” Government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Today we call that ballot initiative the "Mayflower Compact." Voted upon and enacted on November 11, 1620.

Not only did it inspire the Founding Fathers in 1776 (Declaration of Independence) and 1789 (US Constitution), it continues to illuminate the world and articulate core democratic values.

About the Photo: “The Mayflower Compact 1620” by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, oil on canvas, 1899.

The United States Library of Congress describes the image as showing “passengers of the Mayflower signing the "Mayflower Compact", including John Carver sitting at the head of the old chest on which they write, and a man Ferris identified as Winston, but who was probably Edward Winslow, holding the ink horn for John Alden, who signs his name. Myles Standish sits in a chair, turned to face the signers. In addition, Ferris singled out John Howland, William Bradford, Isaac Allerton, and a man only identified as Fuller, so either Samuel or Edward Fuller. Ferris chose to include Mary Chilton "as a representative of the s*x that did most of the real work of the colony."

24/09/2024

PROJECT MAYFLOWER at 2024 NEMA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The New England Museum Association (NEMA) has invited Richard Stone to sign copies of PROJECT MAYFLOWER on the opening day of its 2024 Annual Conference in Newport, Rhode Island.

PROJECT MAYFLOWER is the previously untold story of the grand adventure of building and sailing a replica of the 1620 Mayflower in the 1950s. The venture captured the world's imagination and attention from the time the undertaking was first announced until its triumphant entrance into New York Harbor on July 1, 1957. A photo of that day is on the book's cover as well as on a large billboard in Plymouth, MA, between Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II. It was taken by one of National Geographic’s most renowned photographers, B. Anthony Stewart.

Earlier this year, Richard Stone was a featured speaker at the Pilgrim Hall Museum, the Mystic Seaport Museum (Wooden Boat Show), the Plimoth Patuxet Museums, and elsewhere.

The book is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and independent bookstores throughout New England and across the country.

In the UK, the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich has added the book to its Caird Library collection, and the Imperial War Museum now cites the author and his book regarding British-American events of that era.

Stone will be at the Newport Harbor Island Resort, Goat Island, on Wednesday November 6, at the NEMA Bookstore sponsored by Church Mutual Insurance in the hotel lobby.

10/09/2024

"SCROOBY ROCK" - NEW UK SCULPTURE HONORS MAYFLOWER PASSENGERS AND WAMPANOAG PEOPLE

A memorial sculpture has been officially unveiled in Scrooby, England, to mark one of the most influential journeys in global history.

In 1620, the Mayflower ship sailed from the UK to the United States. Those onboard, known as the Mayflower Pilgrims, helped lay the foundations of a nation. It is thought 25 million Americans descend from the 102 passengers of the Mayflower – with many of the leading figures of the group from Scrooby in north Nottinghamshire.

A Nottinghamshire County Council grant of £37,400 helped fund the £60,000 art installation - known as the Scrooby Rock - to commemorate both the passengers of the Mayflower and the Wampanoag people who are native to the area where the Mayflower passengers landed.

Measuring an impressive two by five metres, The Scrooby Rock is an exact replica of the Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, US, which is reputed to be where the Mayflower voyagers first set foot.

It also features all the names of those 102 voyagers.

Councillor Richard Butler, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Chairman, praised the creativity and community spirit of Scrooby for helping make this project a reality.

Speaking at the unveiling event, which was part of the Scrooby annual show, he said: “Not only does this sculpture help tell the story of Nottinghamshire's fascinating history, but it also demonstrates the determination and togetherness of the community.

“We hope it will also help the Mayflower voyagers and the Wampanoag people to be remembered for generations to come.”

A memorial sculpture has been officially unveiled in Scrooby to mark one of the most influential journeys in global history. In 1620, the Mayflower ship sailed from the UK to the United States. Those onboard, known as the Mayflower Pilgrims, helped lay the foundations of the US. It is thought 25 mil...

30/08/2024

MAYFLOWER II: A TRIBUTE TO UNITY

The Mayflower Society’s June 21st page featured an image of its namesake with the caption: “Are you planning to visit Plymouth, MA, this summer? If so, be sure to visit the Mayflower II and take a tour!”

This Labor Day, it has followed up on that recommendation with an article in The Mayflower Quarterly Magazine, Fall 2024, titled “Mayflower II: A Tribute to Unity.”

It is an excellent essay and reminds readers that sixty-seven years after the replica’s arrival, “we continue to celebrate Mayflower II’s message of unity, as she remains a symbol of democracy in unsettled times, along with the values first expressed in writing aboard a cold ship near Cape Cod — the Mayflower Compact.”

Many Mayflower descendants were actively involved with the 1957 voyage and its success. They included the ancestors of Edward Winslow, Richard Warren, Steven Hopkins, William Brewster, John Alden and Priscilla Mullins.

Four centuries after the 1620 Pilgrim ship’s arrival, an estimated 35 million people worldwide can trace their lineage to the 102 passengers aboard the craft that still inspires a nation.

Confirming her importance to the United States, the Department of the Interior designated Mayflower II a National Historic Site in 2020. She inspired the Founding Fathers in 1776 and she inspires citizens today, nearly 250 years later.

“Is the Mayflower II still relevant? Yes!”

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=879539364213593&set=a.558449746322558

Are you planning to visit Plymouth, MA this Summer?

If so, be sure to visit the Mayflower II and take a tour!

Built in Devon England, the Mayflower II is a replica of the 17th-century ship Mayflower that transported the Pilgrims to the New World.

The Mayflower II, is located at Pilgrim Memorial State Park Pier in Plymouth, MA.

13/08/2024

NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Just had a nice review from the National Maritime Historical Society.

”I found this story of a grand adventure to be an engrossing book which was extremely well researched and documented.”

Read the full review here:
https://seahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/Project-Mayflower-Book-Review.pdf

11/08/2024

DUXBURY RURAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Duxbury Rural & Historical Society has joined forces with the Alden Kindred of America, the Duxbury Free Library and the "booked" bookstore to host a Richard Stone author talk at the Duxbury Senior Center on Wednesday August 14.

Stone’s new book PROJECT MAYFLOWER tells the true story of the improbable creation of the famous replica ship Mayflower II and her high-profile voyage across the Atlantic.

https://schedulesplus.com/duxbury/kiosk/dspEvent.do?from=calendar&fr=&dt=2024-08-01&event_id=321539&detail_id=4867149&fr=&mb=&fromfilter=%26status%3DActive%26showend%3D%26showlist%3D%26calfontsize%3D%26filterschedule_id%3D%26filterresource_id%3D%26filtersite%3D%26filtercategory%3D%26varlines%3D%26thissearch%3D

09/08/2024

CONGRATULATIONS ALDEN KINDRED

Congratulations to the Alden Kindred of America for their wonderful Reunion last Saturday, August 3, in Duxbury.

Retiring AKA president Pauline Kezer welcomed incoming president and daughter Anne Cobuzzi on a beautiful (and very warm!) August afternoon.

Author Richard Stone joined the festivities, signed books and was pictured with Executive Director Desiree Mobed.

A wonderful day!

04/08/2024

MAYFLOWER II IS BEAUTIFUL

The Mayflower II looked beautiful on a warm summer day recently.

Visited by thousands of families, tourists and history buffs each week, she is a star attraction in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and just steps away from Plymouth Rock.

Author Richard Stone was there recently and gave a Lunch & Learn Author Talk at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. He is seen here holding a copy of his book PROJECT MAYFLOWER (Lyons Press, 2024)

27/07/2024

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM ADDS RICHARD STONE AS SUBJECT SPECIALIST

Britain’s Imperial War Museum, a short walk from Big Ben and Westminster Abbey in London, has added Richard Stone as a Subject Specialist, Cold War and late-20th Century (1949 – 2000).

IWM cites PROJECT MAYFLOWER (Lyons Press, 2024) and “the impact the Suez Crisis had on the enterprise, the impact the conflict had on the Special Relationship, and the previously untold role the Mayflower replica may have played in repairing the Atlantic bond.”

There is more to the story of Mayflower II than meets the eye … regardless of location: United Kingdom or United States.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/partnerships/subject-specialist-network/member/richard-stone

20/07/2024

PROJECT MAYFLOWER AT PLIMOTH PATUXET

"'The Mayflower II is more than just the replica of a famous ship ... she is a famous ship in her own right."

Those words, originally spoken by Nathanial Philbrick at the 2019 re-launch of the historic ship at the Mystic Seaport Museum, were an inspiration for the new book "Project Mayflower," according to remarks given by its author Richard Stone at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums on July 18.

Stone described new research that reveals the important diplomatic role the Mayflower II played strengthening ties between the world's two great pillars of democracy - the United States and the United Kingdon - following the Suez Crisis. That 1957 event has been described as the most traumatic in Britain's post-war history until Brexit in 2020.

“Putting Mayflower II into a contemporary context was an eye-opener for me,” a millennial member of the audience told Stone following his talk. “What you said amazed me and makes the ship relevant today.”

There is more to the story of Mayflower II than meets the eye. including its importance to the "Special Relationship" between Britain and America.

By Richard A. Stone The Mayflower II—the replica of the 1620 ship that brought the Pilgrims to America and launched a nation—is seen by some 2.6 million visitors to Plymouth annually and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But there is much more to the replica’s story than meet...

12/07/2024

ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH/ NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM ADDS PROJECT MAYFLOWER

London’s Caird Library at the National Maritime Museum has honored PROJECT MAYFLOWER by adding Richard Stone’s new book to its public catalogue. The NMM is part of the Royal Museums Greenwich.

The Caird Library has not added a book about Mayflower II since 1958 … 66 years ago. It joins the following books issued shortly after the replica’s historic voyage:

1957 Charlton, Warwick. The Voyage of Mayflower II
1958 Villiers, Alan. The New Mayflower
1958 Baker, William A. The New Mayflower: Her Design and Construction
2024 Stone, Richard. Project Mayflower: Building and Sailing a 17th Century Replica

Earlier this year, Richard Stone was added to the Imperial War Museum’s list of Subject Specialists for the Cold War and late 20th century (1949-2000) and PROJECT MAYFLOWER was referenced.

The book is available in the US and UK from Amazon, major bookstores and independent book sellers.

Readers and scholars on both sides of the Atlantic are discovering that there is more to the story of Mayflower II than meets the eye … or was previously realized.

09/07/2024

THAT FAMOUS WOODEN BOAT – MAYFLOWER II

America’s most-famous wooden boat was the topic when a full-house gained fresh insights into Mayflower II during the Wooden Boat Show hosted by the Mystic Seaport Museum, CT.

Richard Stone entertained the audience with stories of the dramatic1957 voyage that captured the world’s imagination. His PROJECT MAYFLOWER reveals new information about the men and mission of the replica. Turns out there is much more to Mayflower II than meets the eye, or that people have known.

Stone described the tall ship’s construction and how it was nearly lost during a violent storm off Bermuda in the final days before landfall at Provincetown.

In many ways it is a tale of two cities – Plymouth, England and Plymouth, Massachusetts, and for readers of maritime adventure and history, PROJECT MAYFLOWER is now available in both locations. In the United Kingdom, you can find it at Foyles, Waterstones, WH Smith, Amazon and independent bookstores.

04/07/2024

STATUE OF LIBERTY + MAYFLOWER II

America's enduring symbols of democracy are the Statue of Liberty and the Mayflower II.

As we celebrate Independence Day 2024, let us remember the core values that unite this great nation.

01/07/2024

MAYFLOWER II AWAITS YOU!
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=879539364213593&set=a.558449746322558

Are you planning to visit Plymouth, MA this Summer?

If so, be sure to visit the Mayflower II and take a tour!

Built in Devon England, the Mayflower II is a replica of the 17th-century ship Mayflower that transported the Pilgrims to the New World.

The Mayflower II, is located at Pilgrim Memorial State Park Pier in Plymouth, MA.

28/06/2024

https://www.facebook.com/LyonsPress/posts/pfbid02FzhCCREuaUnY4y9duvps9QnvX2mhLVrb8YyDoxSWQLandgH5XCfyUjg2qBKz16tgl?comment_id=1155889102277744¬if_id=1719494046607246¬if_t=comment_mention&ref=notif

Now available: PROJECT MAYFLOWER: BUILDING AND SAILING A 17TH-CENTURY REPLICA by Richard A. Stone.

Did you know that the origins of the Mayflower II seen today by millions of visitors to Plymouth, Massachusetts began in the 1950s not with an American, but with a British World War II veteran?
PROJECT MAYFLOWER recounts the never-before-told story of this grand adventure, from the origins of the idea, through the financial and political influences that nearly scuttled the ship, and the challenges of building an accurate replica. From there, Stone traces the Mayflower II’s dramatic seven-week ocean voyage from Plymouth, England, to Massachusetts in the skilled hands of Alan Villiers and a crew of thirty-three bold men, and finishes by exploring the legacy of praise for the achievement, the skulduggery to tarnish the reputation of the project’s creator, and finally the Mayflower II’s lasting—and ongoing—impact on the United States of America.

25/06/2024

MAYFLOWER II IN 1957 - TALL SHIPS IN 2026

On July 4th, 2026, New York City will celebrate America's 250th anniversary with the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships from around the world. https://www.sail4th.org/

These magnificent beauties will sail into the Port of New York and New Jersey creating a majestic nautical spectacle. An unforgettable once-in-a-generation event on sea and on land.

Along with the majestic tall-ships flotilla, a diverse array of events, festivities and celebrations will be held across the entire region to educate, entertain and engage audiences from across the country and across all communities.

Mark your calendars!