Temperance Ribbon
Temperance Ribbon, 1860
Ink and fabric
DRHS Purchase, 2018.002
Myles Standish’s name became increasingly popular after Longfellow’s poem “The Courtship of Miles Standish” was published in 1858. This is an example of using the name “Myles Standish” for an organization even before that publication, indicating his local importance.
By 1800, alcohol consumption in America had risen to an alarming level; up to 7 gallons per year, per person. This statistic included children, who often drank beer as it was considered healthier than water. Duxbury men formed the Miles Standish Division of the popular temperance organization, the Sons of Temperance. A Temperance Hall was built to hold meetings, in which members would often make speeches about their experiences with alcohol. There were over 400 members of “the Division” in Duxbury in the 1840s.
Digging Duxbury
The quest for archaeological evidence of the Pilgrim past began with an 1833 dig, one of the earliest in U.S. history.
Coming to a Pilgrim Town
Coming to a Pilgrim Town
Duxbury’s Pilgrim history, combined with the town’s natural beauty, initiated a tourist boom.
Collecting in a Pilgrim Town
Collecting in a Pilgrim Town
The tourism boom brought another enterprise, the creation and sale of Pilgrim-themed souvenirs.
Lasting Legacy
Duxbury's Lasting Legacy
Duxbury never forgot its Pilgrim origins. How could it? The names continue to generate interest today.
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