Harlow Old Fort House, Colonial fort house in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The Harlow Old Fort House is a two-story wooden structure built in colonial style and located on Sandwich Street in Plymouth. The building displays traditional construction methods using materials and techniques typical of early New England settlements.
The structure was built in 1677 by Sergeant William Harlow using timber from the original Pilgrim fort that once stood at Burial Hill. This fort represented Plymouth Colony's earliest defensive structures during the settlement's formative years.
The house reveals how families organized their daily lives during the early colonial period. Rooms are arranged to show the actual routines and work that occupied households in those times.
The house offers guided tours operated by the Plymouth Antiquarian Society, with programs available during the summer season. It is best to check ahead about access times since visits may be limited and appointments may be needed.
What makes this house distinctive is that its wooden beams come directly from the earliest colonial fort, built in the opening decades of the 1600s. This reuse of material ties the building directly to the very beginnings of European settlement in the region.
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