The first permanent town/settlement founded by the Pilgrims was Plymouth , originally called New Plimoth , in what is now Massachusetts, established in 1620.

What the question is really asking

When people ask “what was the first town/settlement made by the Pilgrims?”, they usually mean:

  • The first permanent English settlement established by the group we call the Pilgrims.
  • The settlement created after the Mayflower’s arrival and the signing of the Mayflower Compact in 1620.

By that standard, the answer is Plymouth (New Plimoth), not just any place they first stepped ashore.

Plymouth / New Plimoth

  • In December 1620, the Pilgrims chose the harbor known as Plymouth and began building their town on Cole’s Hill, calling it New Plimoth.
  • This became the first permanent European settlement in New England founded by the Pilgrims, later known simply as Plymouth Colony.

But where did they first land?

  • The Mayflower first anchored at Provincetown Harbor on the tip of Cape Cod in November 1620, where they explored but did not found a lasting town.
  • After several weeks of searching for a better site, they moved on and finally chose Plymouth as the place to actually found their settlement.

Simple takeaway

  • First landing place in Massachusetts: Provincetown Harbor on Cape Cod.
  • First town/settlement they actually built and lived in: Plymouth (New Plimoth), founded in 1620.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.