Pricing | Highlights | Speakers | Schedule | Accommodations | Study Prep
Oooohhh!!! We loved our Plymouth/Boston trip with you guys! As far as we’re concerned, hanging out with Landmark Events would always be our first school choice!!” —Patrice D.
Event Summary
his Thanksgiving season, consider joining a small group of grateful families as we gather together in Plymouth Massachusetts to remember the Lord’s kindness and mercy, just as our Pilgrim Forefather’s did almost 400 years ago. Armed with great faith that upheld them through incredible trials that claimed half of them by the end of the first winter, these 104 hearty souls now have over 30 million descendants! Come spend the week learning, remembering and celebrating the providence of God in our nation’s founding and the birthplace of her spiritual heritage. This remarkable tour will include the celebration of Thanksgiving with a Pilgrim-style feast at Plimoth Plantation. We look forward to seeing you there!
Bonus Day: Ipswich and Salem!
We have arranged a special treat for our guests this year, a bonus day in Ipswich and Salem with local expert Dr. Paul Jehle, pastor and Executive Director of the Plymouth Rock Foundation.
Dr. Paul Jehle
Ipswich Town Seal
Salem, Massachusetts
Plimoth Plantation
Plimoth Plantation Reenactors
Plymouth Walking Tour
Pilgrim Thanksgiving Dinner
Christian Fellowship
The U.S.S. Constitution
Plymouth Rock Monument
Distinctly Christian Historical Teaching
Lexington Green
Concord’s Old North Bridge
Boston’s Freedom Trail
The Old South Meeting House
Included in This Tour
- Opening night welcome reception Sunday, November 12
- Bonus day in Salem and Ipswich!
- Lunch Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
- Thanksgiving period feast at the Plimoth Plantation Friday, November 17.
- Teaching from 4 top-notch historians: Bill Potter, Dr. Paul Jehle, Leo Martin and Richard Holland
- All venue admissions and guides throughout the tour
- Electronic headset receiver for ease of hearing guides
- Transportation on a top-of-the-line motor coach
- Rich fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ
- America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade Saturday, November 18
Ticket Pricing
* 4 and under free if sitting on lap of family member.
Tour Highlights
Boston
We will begin our adventure Tuesday in Boston traversing the Freedom Trail, visiting ancient burial grounds at The Granary, Kings Chapel and Copp’s Hill, along with historic patriot gathering places like Faneuil Hall, Old North Church and Old South Meeting House telling the stories of the liberty, conspiracy and victory that forged our nation’s independence. We will finish at Old Ironsides, the USS Constitution, America’s oldest commissioned naval vessel and veteran of the War for Independence.
Richard Holland in the Old South Meeting House
Paul Revere Statue
Granary Burying Ground — Resting Place of 3 Signers
Wednesday, we will walk the battlefields where the first military engagements of the War for Independence were fought beginning with Lexington — site of the “shot heard ’round the world”. We will travel on to Concord and charge over the Old North Bridge, driving the British back where they came before, scaling Bunker Hill to hear the remarkable accounts of that singular battle in the heart of Boston.
You’ll return from your trip with a renewed sense of gratitude and respect for these true founding fathers who sacrificed all they had to forge the liberty we now enjoy.
Charging across Concord’s Old North Bridge!
Minute Man Monument at Lexington Green
Period Dress on Bunker Hill!
Plymouth
Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together. And… by the goodness of God we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” —Edward Winslow, 1621
Thanksgiving is America’s holiday and Plymouth is the symbol of where our national celebration began. We will spend Thursday on a walking tour of Plymouth, exploring the many monuments and museums as our tour historians tell us of the brave men and women who seeded the country almost 400 years ago. We will learn about the people, places and events of the beginning of our country as we walk along Town Brook on the same paths our forefathers walked centuries ago. We will visit the grave sites of our ancestors and become acquainted with the thoughts of these remarkable people. Discover why the Pilgrims changed from communal living to land ownership, and how this change led to the beginning of free trade, industry and capitalism in our country. Hear about the relationship between the Pilgrims and Natives and how they worked together in support of each other. Stops include Burial Hill, Pilgrim Mothers Monument, Plymouth Rock, Brewster Gardens, Pilgrim Hall Museum and the National Monument to the Forefathers!
The Sarcophagus — One of the Stops on Our Walking Tour
With Dr. Jehle at The Forefathers Monument
One Tired Pilgrim!
Friday we have a great day planned at Plimoth Plantation, the 17th-Century English Village re-creation of the small farming and maritime community built by the Pilgrims on the New England shore now inhabited by the best Pilgrim reenactors we know. We’re in for a real treat as we partake in a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the New England trimmings among Pilgrim role players at Plimoth Plantation.
Deep Discussion with a Pilgrim!
Farewell Feast… Pilgrim Style!
When in Plymouth!…
Ipswich / Salem
We have arranged a special treat for our guests this year, a bonus day in Ipswich and Salem with local expert Dr. Paul Jehle, pastor and Executive Director of the Plymouth Rock Foundation. The Ipswich Town Seal declares it is “The Birthplace of American Independence” yet the date given is 1687 almost a hundred years before the Declaration! Come on this tour and hear the rest of the story! You’ve heard of the Salem Witch Trials, but what really happened and what can we learn from them? Dr. Jehle shares his unique insight and sound scholarship on the ground where it happened.
Dr. Paul Jehle
Ipswich Town Seal
Salem, Massachusetts
The Tour was fantastic! I had exceptionally high expectations entering the tour and you managed to exceed even this high bar! Well done Landmark Events!! I highly recommend [these tours] to others seeking to learn more of the Godly heritage and the providential history of sacrificial actions that have been handed down to our generation of Americans.” —Scott Z.
Event Speakers
Historian Bill Potter
Historian Bill Potter combines a lifelong study of history with an uncommon ability to captivate audiences of all ages as he traces the providential acts of God throughout the ages. Leading tours of American and European historical sites, he has earned a well-deserved reputation as a gifted communicator, bringing to each event a wealth of experience and knowledge. A seasoned researcher and writer, Mr. Potter possesses a practical knowledge of antiquarian books, documents, and artifacts and has published numerous short books, as well as many articles and book reviews. He and his wife, Leslie, reside in Virginia.
Dr. Paul Jehle
An ardent student of history, Dr. Paul Jehle serves as the Executive Director of the Plymouth Rock Foundation, an organization dedicated to the remembrance of the Pilgrims and the Christian heritage that was forged in the wake of their influential devotion to God and the Bible. Paul has travelled across the nation and to a number of foreign countries, hosting seminars and teaching on America’s Pilgrim and Patriot heritage. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Barrington College, and a Doctorate degree in Education from Whitefield Theological Seminary. Paul began giving walking tours of Plymouth and its monuments in 1978, and in 2004 he published Plymouth in the Words of Her Founders for visitors to the Plymouth area, allowing the Pilgrims to interpret the monuments erected in their honor through their own words. Dr. Jehle also serves on Plymouth’s 2020 Commission in preparation for the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Pilgrims. Paul and his wife, Charlene, have two grown children.
Richard Holland
Born and raised in Boston, Richard Holland founded CTB Tours in 1994 after performing tours locally and abroad for over 20 years. In addition to earning a Masters in Education from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, he is a perpetual student of colonial and recent history of Boston. His depth of knowledge and passion for providential history translate into tours that are entertaining and educational, making history come alive.
Leo Martin
Leo Martin, an educator and expert on the early history of our nation, is a true patriot and compelling tour guide, who has been ranked #1 on Trip Advisor for the past seven years. Leo is the Education Director at the Jenney Museum in Plymouth, MA, where he is known for his service giving historical tours and lectures dressed in Pilgrim costume. He is a champion of our nation’s founding values displayed in the National Monument to the Forefathers in Plymouth. A sought-after speaker, his book Pilgrim Pursuit of Happiness describes the various kinds of liberty brought in seed form by the Pilgrims to Plymouth. Leo and his wife Nancy have been married for forty years, have three grown children and four grandchildren. They have been working together at the Jenney Museum in Plymouth for the past 12 years preserving the Christian heritage of our country.
Event Schedule
Note: Schedule days and venues subject to change.
Sunday, November 12
7:00pm | Welcome Reception, Best Western Cold Springs in Plymouth (Fruit, cheese, refreshments with introductions and tour overview) |
Monday, November 13
Tour Salem and Ipswich with Dr. Paul Jehle (Adoniram Judson, Nathaniel Bowditch, Salem Witch Trials, Praying Indians) |
Tuesday, November 14
Freedom Trail in Boston! | ||
Walking Tour Stops Include: Boston Common, Granary Burying Grounds, Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church, King’s Chapel, Old South Meeting House, Commonwealth Books (premier antiquarian bookstore), Old State House, Site of the Boston Massacre, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, Old North Church and Copp’s Hill Burying Ground |
Wednesday, November 15
The Battlefields of Freedom | ||
Lexington Green, Old North Concord Bridge, Bunker Hill and USS Constitution |
Thursday, November 16
Walking Tour of Plymouth | ||
Forefathers Monument, Burial Hill, Plymouth Rock, Pilgrim Mother Monument, William Bradford Monument, Jenney Museum, Cole’s Hill, Massasoit Statue, Pilgrim Hall Museum |
Friday, November 17
Plimoth Plantation | ||
Morning Free Time in Plymouth | ||
Thanksgiving Period Feast with Pilgrims |
Saturday, November 18
10:00am | America’s Hometown Parade in Plymouth! (10am–2pm) |
Accommodations
We have secured the rooms at the Best Western Cold Spring in Plymouth. Tour guests are welcome to book rooms wherever suits them best, however, bear in mind that on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings the bus will depart from our headquarter hotel, and we will also host our after dinner discussions there. While the tour officially ends on Friday, November 17, Plymouth’s fantastic Thanksgiving Parade takes place on Saturday, November 18, so you may consider staying over that night.
King Bed Room
Friday–Saturday:$181.99
Standard – Two Queen Beds
Friday–Saturday:$171.99
Deluxe – Two Queen Beds
Friday–Saturday:$184.99
All rates based on single/double occupancy (plus 11.7% lodging tax). Additional person in a room, 12 and over, after the first two: $18.00 per night.
Alternative accommodation ideas can be found at VRBO.com and Airbnb.com where there are several houses and apartments to choose from. Guests are responsible for their own transportation around Plymouth.
Study Preparation
Key People
- John Adams
- Samuel Adams
- Governor William Bradford
- William Brewster
- General Thomas Gage
- King George, III
- John Hancock
- Sachem Massasoit
- Rev. Cotton Mather
- James Otis
- King Phillip
- Major John Pitcairn
- Paul Revere
- Pastor John Robinson
- Betsy Ross
- Squanto
- Miles Standish
- General Joseph Warren
- Mercy Warren
- Governor John Winthrop
Key Issues and Topics
- The Doctrine of Providence
- The Mayflower Compact
- The Virginia Company
- Wampanoag Confederacy
- The City on a Hill
- Commonwealth
- The Old Deluder Satan Act
- Colonial Charter
- Township Selectmen
- The Battle of Bunker Hill
- The Intolerable Acts
- The Sons of Liberty
- The Stamp Act
- Writs of Assistance
- Plymouth Plantation
- Continental Congress
Suggested Reading
- Of Plymouth Plantation, by William Bradford
- John Winthrop, by Francis J. Bremer
- The Puritan Experiment, by Francis J. Bremer
- The Puritan Family, by Edmund Morgan
- The Mathers: Three Generations of Puritan Intellectuals, 1596-1728, by Robert Middlekauff
- Worldly Saints: The Puritans as They Really Were, by Leland Ryken
- The Guise of Every Graceless Heart, by Terrill Elniff
- The Minutemen and Their World, by Robert A. Gross
- Now We Are Enemies: The Story of Bunker Hill, by Thomas J. Fleming
- Paul Revere’s Ride, by David Hackett Fischer
- The Boston Campaign, by Victor Brooks
- Driven to Resistance, Vol. 1, by R.A. Sheats