A replica of the original Mayflower ship that brought the Pilgrims to America 400 years ago this year has returning home following extensive renovations.
The Mayflower II completed the final leg of its journey on Monday when it sailed into Plymouth, Massachusetts and docked at the Pilgrim Memorial State Park in front of waiting crowds.
The ship will be open as an exhibit at the Plimoth Plantation living history museum from Wednesday.
0: The replica ship Mayflower II under sail on its way back to Plymouth Harbor after being rehabbed in Connecticut for the past three years on August 10
A crowd watches as the Mayflower II, a replica of the original Mayflower ship that brought the Pilgrims to America 400 year ago, sails into Plymouth
The newly renovated Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship that sailed from England in 1620, sails back to its berth in Plymouth
‘She’s home! We’ve been waiting a long time,’ Plymouth resident Karen Gilligan told NBC Boston.
Commenting on the ship’s new appearance, Gilligan said: ‘We couldn’t believe the colors. It was awesome, just beautiful.
‘Before it was all dull.’
The Mayflower II, a replica of the original Mayflower ship that brought the Pilgrims to America 400 year ago, docks into Plymouth on Monday
A gift from England in 1957, the popular tourist attraction spent three years and 11.2 million dollars (9.49 million euros) of restoration work at the Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut
The newly renovated Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship that sailed from England in 1620, is preceded by a fire boat as it returns to its berth in Plymouth, Massachusetts
The ship began the slow return home last month after spending the last three years in Mystic, Connecticut, getting $11.2 million worth of renovations.
It stopped in New London, Connecticut, but had to scrub a planned visit to Newport, Rhode Island this week because of new travel restrictions required of people who visit the state.
The ship also made an unscheduled stop at New Bedford’s State Pier to shelter during Tropical Storm Isaias.
A crowd watches as the Mayflower II, a replica of the original Mayflower ship that brought the Pilgrims to America 400 year ago, sails into Plymouth on Monday
The newly renovated Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship that sailed from England in 1620, passes Bug Light on the way back to its berth
The Mayflower II, a replica of the original Mayflower ship that brought the Pilgrims to America 400 year ago, docks into Plymouth
A cruise into Boston Harbor alongside the USS Constitution was previously cancelled because of the pandemic.
The original plan had called for a celebratory departure in late April with several stops at southern New England ports before a May arrival.
The Mayflower II has been a major tourist attraction and educational tool since it arrived in Plymouth as a gift from England in 1957.
The replica was built in Devon, England from 1955 – 1956 drew upon reconstructed ship blueprints held by the Plimoth Plantation museum.
It set sail from Plymouth, Devon, on April 20, 1957, recreating the original voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
Crew members work to furl the sails on The replica ship Mayflower II while it heads back to Plymouth Harbor after being rehabbed in Connecticut
A crew member looks out from the bow of the newly renovated Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship that sailed from England in 1620
Boaters watch the newly renovated Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship that sailed from England in 1620, return to its berth in Plymouth