Y5901

Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor

400th Anniversary

Landing of the Pilgrims

Cover Announcement 

This is the famous English ship that transported a group of English families known today as the "Pilgrims" to the New World in 1620. After ten rough weeks at sea, the Mayflower dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod on November 21st.

This particular community of families considered America a new promised land where they would establish a Plymouth Colony. There were 102 individuals in this group aboard the Mayflower and a crew of 33. By arriving in the cold and harsh month of November, they had to survive a difficult winter without time to prepare. Despite help from the local Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans, about one-half of the Pilgrims did not make it through the winter. The following year they celebrated their first harvest thanks to the food gathering and survival skills learned from the indigenous people with whom they shared the fruits of their labor.

The individually hand painted cachet is a true gem. These three have made it through the long winter and the abundance of green indicates late spring or early summer and they are engaged in working on the land. The husband/father holds an adz which is a tool to clear small brush and plants plus for upturning soil as a first step in preparation for planting. The wife/mother carries a basket with day provisions to consume as they complete their chores. Their young daughter holds small branches for kindling and admires a rooster that is passing by. Their clothes are subdued but fairly colorful as the Pilgrims did not always dress in black as is commonly thought. The thick forest that you see behind the undaunted trio stretches for three thousand miles to the Pacific with prairies, deserts, and mountains acting as barriers. It would take over two centuries to penetrate and populate the vast territory that would become the United States. And...more time to complete the exploration and development of the "New Promised Land."

This Pilgrim family in the warm months of 1621 was among the first that would stay and prosper. The Wampanoag would assist them in the early years ensuring their survival. Now ready is the first day cover that I think will be best of issue for this stamp. The Mayflower - Collins # Y5901 at $16.50