Alden House & Myles Standish Burial Ground: Duxbury, Massachusetts

The Alden House in Duxbury, Massachusetts is a National Historic Landmark that commemorates the place where Mayflower passengers John Alden and Priscilla Mullens Alden lived and built their home in 1627. 

The "Alden Kindred of America" organization operates the National Historic Landmark and their mission is to Preserve, Educate and exhibit the history and heritage of Pilgrims John Alden and Priscilla Mullens Alden. You can visit their website at www.alden.org to find out more information about genealogy and history of the site. 

I visited this site in the fall of 2016 and the woods around the house and in Duxbury in general are beautiful as they exibit the typical color show that is autumn in New England. 

John Alden was hired as part of the crew for the Mayflower. While the ship was anchored off of Cape Cod, John, along with others signed the Mayflower compact. Rather than return with the Mayflower to England, John chose to stay on with the Plymouth Colony. 

John Alden married Priscilla Mullens. Unfortunately, all of Priscilla s' family perished the first year at Plymouth Colony. In fact fully half of the 100 colonists at Plymouth died the first year. 

When I visited the house it was closed but the grounds were beautiful and I stood there in the rain thinking about how according to my relatives, I am directly descended from John Alden like so many millions of other Americans. Genealogy can be a fascinating thing. 

Woods adjacent to the Alden House in Duxbury, MA

If you follow a short trail through the woods you will emerge onto an athletic field, cross the field to a low hill and on that rise you will find the site of the first house built by John Alden in 1627. 

The details of the archaeological excavations are interesting to read about. 

Alden House site marker

Footprint of first Alden House

Site of first Alden House on the far side of the athletic field. 

I wonder is guests at Duxbury athletic events have an appreciation for the historic ground that they play their events on?

Path to Alden House from the Athletic Field

New England forest color carpet

Path through the woods


Door knocker on Alden House

Old Latch on Alden House

Alden House Shingles

I love how they center a single candle in front of the colonial windows in New England. Very beautiful, especially when everything is frocked with snow in the evening. 

Alden House

Alden House Parking area - abandoned on a rainy day. 

Alden House

Myles Standish Burial Ground: Myles Standish was hired by the people of the Mayflower to be a military advisor. He aggresively defended the colony and ensured its survival. His grave is in the background marked by the 4 cannon. He and John Alden were made famous in the poem "The Courtship of Miles Standish" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

John and Priscilla Alden are buried in the Myles Standish Burial Ground in Duxbury, MA

John Alden and Priscilla Mullens Alden gravesite

Other Aldens are also buried here. This is the Grave of Captain Samuel Alden. I have not been able to dig up much information on this gentleman other than he was son of David Alden born in Duxbury in 1642, who was son of John Alden. 

Sarah Alden grave, wife of CPT Samuel Alden

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