Leyden Street
Introduction Leyden Street in the 1800s from a period stereograph'''Leyden Street''' is a street in Plymouth, Massachusetts that was created in 1620 by the Pilgrims, and claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited street in the Thirteen Colonies of British America. It was originally named '''First Street'''; afterward in the Records it was called '''Great''' and '''Broad Street'''. It was named Leyden Street in 1823, but it is also known as '''Leiden Street''' or '''The Street'''.
History map of Pilgrim home lots on Leyden StreetThe Pilgrims began laying out the street before Christmas in 1620 after disembarking from the ''Mayflower''. The original settlers built their houses along the street from the shore up to the base of Burial Hill where the original fort building was located and now is the site of a cemetery and First Church of Plymouth. Town Brook is adjacent to the street and provided drinking water for the early colonists. Governor William Bradford, Dr. Samuel Fuller, Peter Browne, and other settlers owned lots along the road. The famed First Thanksgiving was likely held nearby in 1621.In 1823, the street was named Leyden Street after the city in Holland that offered the Pilgrims refuge before coming to America. Leyden Street has been re-created at nearby Plimouth Plantation to look as it probably did in 1627.Leyden Street has been used continuously since the original settlers built houses along it, making it the oldest continuously used road in the United States.
References
Gallery File:Leyden Street in Plymouth Mass.jpg|Leyden Street, the first street in PlymouthFile:First Parish Church in Plymouth MA.jpg|First Parish Church  at the base of Burial Hill on the town square, is a continuation of the original Pilgrim churchFile:Plimoth Plantation view.jpg|view from the fort at Plimoth Plantation, looking down a re-creation of Leyden Street, the first street in PlymouthFile:Leyden Street in Plymouth Ma.jpg|Leyden Street, the first street in Plymouth, as seen from First Parish Church in PlymouthFile:Town House Site on Leyden Street in Plymouth Ma.jpg|Town House site on Leyden StreetFile:Town Building Site plaque on Leyden Street in Plymouth Ma.jpg|Town House site plaque on Leyden StreetFile:William Bradford home site on Leyden Street.jpg|Site of William Bradford's home on Leyden Street
See also *Old County Courthouse*First Church in Plymouth*Burial Hill