In 1920 Dr. Rollins who was a Boston dentist purchased a small piece of land where Dr. Rollins thought the Pilgrims found their first drinking water. He named the area Pilgrim Spring and he erected a granite slab with a bronze plate to explain this is the site of Pilgrim Spring, where in 1620 the Pilgrims found their first drinking water. Dr. Rollins left instructions that after his death his ashes be scattered over the spot and a headstone erected. He bequeathed the land to the Town of Truro as a public park to be maintained by Truro but Truro declined it. Another larger granite slab was erected with the inscription shown above (left photo).
In 1961 the Cape Cod National Seashore was created. In 1963 the Seashore was working on trails in the area now called Pilgrim Heights. Both granite stones were removed since no one was buried at the site (right photo). Public protest led to restoration of the smaller stone identifying Pilgrim Spring. The Rollins gravestone was put in storage by the National Seashore.
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