The Day When Plymouth Entertained A Sitting President

One hundred years ago this month, on August 1, 1921, the highlight of Plymouth's celebration of the 300th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims was "Plymouth Day."

The 29th president of the United States, Warren G. Harding, arrived in town via the presidential yacht The Mayflower to speak and to ride in a top-down limousine at the head of a massive parade. Thousands of spectators thronged the streets to view the parade. Later in the day, the president had a front row seat for a spectacular pageant, The Pilgrim Spirit, a play dramatizing Plymouth's past which was performed on the waterfront with a cast of over 1,300, a 300 voice chorus, and a full orchestra.

If you missed our recent program commemorating this remarkable event, it is now available to view on the Library's YouTube Channel.  Technical Services Librarian Liz Dube, who worked with the Boston Public Library to digitize our collection of historic photos of the day, together with Reference Associate Julie Burrey, provide you with a glimpse of this remarkable moment in Plymouth's history.

Posted in Library News, Local History News.