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Leyden Street is a street in Plymouth, Massachusetts that was created in 1620 by the Pilgrims, and claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited street in the Thirteen Colonies of British America. It was originally named First Street; afterward in the Records it was called Great and Broad Street. It was named Leyden Street in 1823, but it is also known as Leiden Street or The Street.

History

The Pilgrims began laying out the street before Christmas in 1620 after disembarking from the Mayflower. The original settlers built their houses along the street from the shore up to the base of Burial Hill where the original fort building was located and now is the site of a cemetery and First Church of Plymouth. Town Brook is adjacent to the street and provided drinking water for the early colonists. Governor William Bradford, Dr. Samuel Fuller, Peter Browne, and other settlers owned lots along the road. The famed First Thanksgiving was likely held nearby in 1621. In 1823, the street was named Leyden Street after the city in Holland that offered the Pilgrims refuge before coming to America. Leyden Street has been re-created at nearby Plimouth Plantation to look as it probably did in 1627. Leyden Street has been used continuously since the original settlers built houses along it, making it the oldest continuously used road in the United States.^[1]

References

^ James Baker, A Guide to Historic Plymouth (The History Press, 2008)[1] ISBN 1-59629-228-8, ISBN 978-1-59629-228-4

Gallery

Leyden Street, the first street in Plymouth
First Parish Church at the base of Burial Hill on the town square, is a continuation of the original Pilgrim church
view from the fort at Plimoth Plantation, looking down a re-creation of Leyden Street, the first street in Plymouth
Leyden Street, the first street in Plymouth, as seen from First Parish Church in Plymouth
Town House site on Leyden Street
Town House site plaque on Leyden Street
Site of William Bradford's home on Leyden Street

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-[[File:Leyden Street--first street laid out by the Pilgrims, by C. H. Rogers.jpg|300px|right|Leyden Street in the late 1800s from a period stereograph]]
+[[File:Leyden Street.JPG|thumb|right|Leyden Street in the 1800s from a period stereograph]]
+'''Leyden Street''' is a street in [[Plymouth, Massachusetts]] that was created in 1620 by the [[Pilgrims (Plymouth Colony)|Pilgrims]], and claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited street in the [[Thirteen Colonies]] of British America. It was originally named '''First Street'''; afterward in the Records it was called '''Great''' and '''Broad Street'''. It was named Leyden Street in 1823, but it is also known as '''Leiden Street''' or '''The Street'''.
-'''Leyden Street''' (Originally named '''First Street''', afterward in the Records called
-'''Great''' and '''Broad Street'''; named Leyden Street in 1823, also known as '''Leiden Street''' or '''The Street'''), created in 1620 by the [[Pilgrims]], claims to be the oldest continuously used [[street]] in the [[thirteen colonies]] of British North America.
+==History==
+[[File:Map of early Plymouth MA home lots.png|thumb|right|map of Pilgrim home lots on Leyden Street]]
+The Pilgrims began laying out the street before Christmas in 1620 after disembarking from the ''[[Mayflower]]''. The original settlers built their houses along the street from the shore up to the base of [[Burial Hill]] where the original fort building was located and now is the site of a cemetery and [[First Church of Plymouth]]. [[Town Brook (Massachusetts)|Town Brook]] is adjacent to the street and provided drinking water for the early colonists. Governor [[William Bradford (Plymouth governor)|William Bradford]], [[Dr. Samuel Fuller]], [[Peter Browne (Mayflower Pilgrim)|Peter Browne]], and other settlers owned lots along the road. The famed First Thanksgiving was likely held nearby in 1621. In 1823, the street was named Leyden Street after the city in Holland that offered the Pilgrims refuge before coming to America. Leyden Street has been re-created at nearby [[Plimoth Patuxet|Plimouth Plantation]] to look as it probably did in 1627. Leyden Street has been used continuously since the original settlers built houses along it, making it the oldest continuously used road in the United States.<ref>James Baker, ''A Guide to Historic Plymouth'' (The History Press, 2008)[https://books.google.com/books?id=68KgiZHfKIcC] {{ISBN|1-59629-228-8}}, {{ISBN|978-1-59629-228-4}}</ref>
-The Pilgrims first began laying out the street before Christmas in 1620 after disembarking from the [[Mayflower]], allegedly on nearby [[Plymouth Rock]]. The original settlers built their houses along the street from the coast to the [[Burial Hill]] where the original fort and meeting house was located and now is the site of a cemetery and [[First Church of Plymouth]]. [[Town Brook]] is adjacent to the street and provided drinking water for the early colonists. Governor [[William Bradford]], [[Dr. Samuel Fuller]], and other settlers owned lots along the road. In 1823 the street was named Leyden Street after the city in Holland that offered the Pilgrims refuge before coming to America. Leyden Street as it looked in 1627 has been recreated at nearby [[Plimoth Plantation]]. Although other streets such as those in Jamestown, Virginia were used intermittently, Leyden Street has been used continuously since the original settlers built houses along the lane.<ref>James Baker, ''A Guide to Historic Plymouth'' (The History Press, 2008)[ http://books.google.com/books?id=68KgiZHfKIcC&source=gbs_navlinks_s] ISBN 1596292288, 9781596292284</ref>
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
 ==Gallery==
 <gallery>
 File:Leyden Street in Plymouth Mass.jpg|Leyden Street, the first street in Plymouth
 File:First Parish Church in Plymouth MA.jpg|First Parish Church  at the base of Burial Hill on the town square, is a continuation of the original Pilgrim church
-File:Plimoth Plantation view.jpg|view from the fort at [[Plimoth Plantation]], looking down a recreation of Leyden Street, the first street in Plymouth
+File:Plimoth Plantation view.jpg|view from the fort at [[Plimoth Plantation]], looking down a re-creation of Leyden Street, the first street in Plymouth
 File:Leyden Street in Plymouth Ma.jpg|Leyden Street, the first street in Plymouth, as seen from [[First Parish Church in Plymouth]]
+File:Town House Site on Leyden Street in Plymouth Ma.jpg|Town House site on Leyden Street
+File:Town Building Site plaque on Leyden Street in Plymouth Ma.jpg|Town House site plaque on Leyden Street
+File:William Bradford home site on Leyden Street.jpg|Site of William Bradford's home on Leyden Street
 </gallery>
 ==See also==
 *[[Old County Courthouse]]
 *[[First Church in Plymouth]]
 *[[Burial Hill]]
+{{coord|41.9560|N|70.6635|W|type:landmark_scale:1000|display=title}}
 [[Category:Streets in Massachusetts]]
 [[Category:Plymouth, Massachusetts]]
 [[Category:Plymouth Colony]]
+[[Category:Transportation in Plymouth County, Massachusetts]]