National Monument to the Forefathers

Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States

Landmarks and monuments

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Listed, not yet checked · Oct 2026

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The National Monument to the Forefathers is an 81-foot granite monument on Allerton Hill in Plymouth, Massachusetts, dedicated in 1889 to the Pilgrims. Designed by Hammatt Billings, it is topped by a figure of Faith and is managed by the state.

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National Monument to the Forefathers

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41.96016° N, 70.67588° W

FIELD GUIDE

The story

The National Monument to the Forefathers sits well away from the waterfront, tucked into a residential neighbourhood on Allerton Hill, and See Plymouth says it is known locally as “The Hidden Giant”. It stands 81 feet tall and was dedicated in 1889 to honour the Pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower. See Plymouth describes it as “thought to be the largest solid granite monument in the United States”; the North and South Rivers Watershed Association calls it the largest freestanding solid-granite monument in the country.

Boston sculptor Hammatt Billings designed it. The watershed association says his brother Joseph Billings, together with Alexander Doyle, Carl Conrads and James Mahoney, produced the final design. See Plymouth adds that the original plan was for a monument nearly twice as tall, at 150 feet.

On the main pedestal stands the figure of Faith, her right hand pointing toward heaven. Around her are allegorical figures representing Morality, Education, Law and Liberty, which the watershed association describes as a Victorian-era interpretation of the pursuits that motivated the Pilgrims. A dedication on the monument reads: “Erected by a grateful people in remembrance of their labors, sacrifices and sufferings for the cause of civil and religious liberty.”

The monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 30 August 1974. The Pilgrim Society originally oversaw it, and it became state property in 2001; it is now part of Pilgrim Memorial State Park. The watershed association notes that the land lies within the region of the Patuxet Wampanoag.

It is free to visit, with a lawn and concrete paths up the hill. See Plymouth says it is open April to November and that visitors can walk in when the gate is closed in the off-season.

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PRACTICAL

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WHAT TO EXPECT

Free to visit. A lawn and concrete paths lead uphill to the monument; terrain is steep. The watershed association lists dawn to dusk, April through November, and See Plymouth says visitors can walk in when the gate is closed in the off-season. Leashed dogs are allowed.

ACCESS

Pilgrim Memorial State Park, 72 Allerton Street, Plymouth, managed by Massachusetts DCR. The watershed association lists on-site parking; See Plymouth says street parking when the gate is closed. Limited accessibility because of steep ground.

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