6/20/2012 3:50:18 PM
Cole’s Hill was chosen as the site of the first living quarters by the pilgrims when they landed in what is now Plymouth, MA.
The pilgrims chose Cole’s Hill for several reasons including the fact that they found it cleared but with no Indian structures. Historians believe that the plague (probably bubonic) had killed up to 90% of the Native American population prior to the pilgrims arrival (probably from earlier exploring expeditions from Europe) which may explain why the land had been cleared but no one lived on it. The pilgrims completed their first structure on Christmas day, 1620.
Jack Crane
Cole's Hill is a National Historic Landmark containing the first cemetery used by the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. The hill is located on Carver Street near the foot of Leyden Street and across the street from Plymouth Rock.