The Pilgrim

On the occasion of the New England Society’s 75th year, the association commissioned the statue to honor the early colonists. The pilgrim grasps the muzzle of a flintlock musket in his right hand. The pedestal comprises four bas-reliefs depicting Crossbow and Arrows, the ship Mayflower, Commerce, and Bible and Sword. The inscription on the pedestal reads “To commemorate the Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers on Plymouth Rock: December 21, 1620.” The statue stands at the bottom of Pilgrim Hill, Central Park’s favorite sledding area.

The work was given a full-scale restoration in 1979, under the auspices of the Central Park Administrator’s Office.