Welcome, Pilgrim

Visitors to Pilgrim Hall tour the displays, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass. Part of the fun for 21st century visitors to the area is sampling the various layers of history.

A replica of the Mayflower is shown on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass. Any itinerary should include Plymouth Rock (carted ashore in 1774), Pilgrim Hall Museum (open since 1824, renovated this year), the National Monument to the Forefathers (dedicated in 1889), the Mayflower II (built in 1957), and of course, the area's premier attraction, Plimoth Plantation (open since 1947).

A stained-glass window is seen on display at Pilgrim Hall, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass. After catching up on Plymouth's historical offerings, take a cranberry farm tour while you're in the area and cap off a perfect autumn day with a seafood dinner.

A brown tankard (labeled 1610-1650, Baltic region) is seen on display at Pilgrim Hall, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass.

An employee of Plimoth Plantation portraying Bridget Fuller pauses to visit goats at Plimoth Plantation's 1627 English Village, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass.

An employee of Plimoth Plantation portraying Priscilla Alden cooks hasty pudding at Plimoth Plantation's 1627 English Village, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass. Plimoth Plantation is a living history attraction with a settlers' village that recreates everyday life in 1627.

Visitors stroll through Plimoth Plantation's 1627 English Village overlooking Plymouth, Mass. harbor, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth.

An employee of Plimoth Plantation portrays Edward Winslow at Plimoth Plantation's 1627 English Village, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass.

Corn is on display at Plimoth Plantation's 1627 English Village, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass.

The National Monument to the Forefathers, a grandiose granite structure the height of an eight-story building, is shown Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass. Formidable figures represent Youth, Mercy, Morality and other ideals; dramatic carved tableaus depict scenes like the landing at Plymouth and treaty-signing with the natives. The names of the Mayflower's passengers are also engraved.

A detail of the National Monument to the Forefathers is shown Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008 ,in Plymouth, Mass.

A detail of the National Monument to the Forefathers is shown Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass.

Massasoit statue is shown at Cole's Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, in Plymouth, Mass. The statue of the 17th century Wampanoag is located in downtown Plymouth and a ceremony is held near there each Thanksgiving to mark the holiday as a "National Day of Mourning" for Native Americans.

Cranberries are on display at Flax Pond Farms, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, a cranberry farm in nearby Carver, Mass. Even the cranberry industry has layers of history. The fruit is native to North America, but commercial cultivation began in the early 1800s, according to Jack Angley, who owns Flax Pond Farms in Carver with his wife Dot.

Visitors to Flax Pond Farms look at a cranberry separator Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, at the cranberry farm in Carver, Mass.

Dot Angley, one of the owners of Flax Pond Farms, shows photographs to visitors Terry and Lolly Lamanna, of Dover Plains, N.Y., right, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, at the cranberry farm in Carver, Mass.