Notable Land Records First Phase
John R. Buckley, Jr., Register of Deeds, announced that the first phase of the historical displays relating to land transactions in Plymouth County has been completed at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds, Americas First Registry of Deeds. This part of the project, which is in three sections, begins with the display New England Before Plymouth Colony, continues with Establishment of New Plymouth and continues to Four Centuries of Plymouth County Land Records.
The first display consists of four maps. The first map relates to pre-Pilgrim Plymouth and the Wampanoag villages in southeastern Massachusetts. The second map is one prepared by Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602, whose exploration of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands paved the way for later explorers and colonists. The third map was prepared by Samuel de Champlain, who sketched a drawing of Plymouth Harbor, which he named Port St. Louis in 1605. The fourth map, which the Pilgrims had with them when they landed, was drawn by John Smith who earlier explored Virginia, New England and Canada.
The second display relates to the establishment of New Plymouth Colony. It begins with a picture of the Mayflower and a description of the reasons why the Pilgrims left England. The second part of this display sets forth the decision by the passengers on the Mayflower to establish themselves, as a body politic to govern themselves, and the signing of the Mayflower Compact. The third section of this display relates to the granting of authorization to the colonists to settle and distribute land. The last section shows subsequent authorization from the King for transferring land ownership, and the first deed in the handwriting of Governor William Bradford.
The third display identifies the various locations where land records were maintained beginning with the Pilgrims’ Common House to the present location at 50 Obery Street, Plymouth.
The research and design of these displays were accomplished in a series of meetings by a committee composed of Tony Markella, Paul Galvin, Marilyn Dupuis, Karin Goldstein of Plimoth Plantation and Peggy Baker of Pilgrim Hall. The following institutions provided historical research and documents featured in the displays: Pilgrim Hall, Plimoth Plantation and Carter Brown Library at Brown University. Pasquales Print of Whitman constructed and installed the displays.
The main office of the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds is located at 50 Obery Street, Plymouth and is open Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The public is invited to view this first phase of the historical displays located in the corridor immediately upon entering the new Registry of Deeds building.
