The Mayflower shallop.

The article focuses on the historical significance and model-building process of the Mayflower shallop, a small open boat used by the Pilgrims during their 1620 voyage and early settlement of Plymouth Colony. The shallop, originally stored in sections aboard the Mayflower and later reassembled, was essential for exploration, ferrying colonists, and trade, including fur trading ventures extending into present-day Maine. The author details the challenges and methods of constructing a scale model of the shallop, informed by firsthand observation of the 1956 replica's restoration at Lowell's Boat Shop in Massachusetts and archival plans from the Hart Nautical Collection at MIT. The article also reflects on the broader historical context, acknowledging the impact of European colonization on the Wampanoag people and the evolving perspectives on Thanksgiving.