In September, 1620 102 passengers boarded the now famous "Mayflower" to escape religious persecution in their homeland. In December of the same year, these separatists from the Church of England, or Pilgrims, landed at Plymouth after failing to reach their original destination in Virginia. After being blown off course from their starting point
in England, the emigrants spend some time exploring the area around Cape Cod, eventually settling here. Plymouth is commonly referred to as the first permanent European settlement in New England.