Frank H. Perkins's Handbook of Old Burial Hill isn't a novel with a plot in the traditional sense. Think of it as a guided tour in book form, written by a local historian in 1902 who was deeply worried. He watched Plymouth's most historic cemetery, the final resting place of the Mayflower Pilgrims and generations of their descendants, slowly succumbing to time. Names were wearing off stones, details were being lost, and he couldn't stand the thought of these pioneers being forgotten.

The Story

Perkins structures the book like a careful walk through the graveyard. He starts with the big picture—the history of the land itself and how the burial ground evolved. Then, he gets personal. He takes you to specific graves, transcribes the often-poetic and somber epitaphs, and tells you who these people were. You'll meet Mayflower passengers, sea captains who died far from home, soldiers from the French & Indian and Revolutionary Wars, and everyday townsfolk. He points out the symbolism in the carved skulls and winged cherubs, explaining what our ancestors believed about death. The whole book feels like his effort to put a protective arm around the hill and say, "These stories matter. Don't let them disappear."

Why You Should Read It

What got me was the intimacy of it. This isn't a cold, academic list. Perkins writes with a clear sense of duty and local pride. You feel his urgency. When he deciphers a worn-out inscription, it feels like a victory. The book transforms Old Burial Hill from a scenic spot into a community. You start to recognize names and families, see the span of Plymouth's history from 1620 to the 1800s laid out on a single slope. It makes history tangible. You're not just reading about the Pilgrims; you're being shown exactly where they're buried and what their neighbors thought worthy of carving into stone to remember them by.

Final Verdict

Perfect for history lovers, especially anyone with a connection to New England or early American history. It's also a great pick for genealogy enthusiasts or people who simply love old cemeteries and the quiet stories they hold. It's a niche book, for sure, but it's a heartfelt and essential one. If you visit Plymouth, take this book with you to the hill. It won't just tell you what you're looking at; it will make you feel like you've been introduced.