During the stormy fall voyage of the Mayflower there were many incidents, including a death and a birth, a main beam that split during a storm, and one of the pilgrims falling overboard. The captain steered them much farther north than they had planned, landing the group at Cape Cod. After exploring the area, they settled at Plymouth, a settlement protected by a small harbor, where they struggled to survive with many in the party dying during that first terrible winter.

In the year following, conditions vastly improved and the Pilgrims celebrated their success in the fall with a dinner of Thanksgiving. This tradition has grown into a major American holiday commemorating the struggles of those first Pilgrims.

Today there are tens-of-millions of individuals descended from these brave souls. It is the goal of The Mayflower Society to join together people who share this heritage and to carry on the memory of our Pilgrim ancestors.

More than one hundred years ago, a group of descendants of the Pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620, saw the need for a national society to honor their memory. The intention was to remember these Pilgrims who established Plymouth Colony, in what was then called the northern part of Virginia.

In 1897, The General Society of Mayflower Descendants was organized in Plymouth, Massachusetts, as a volunteer-run society to celebrate the memory of the Pilgrims, to study and preserve their history and to perform many other services such as presenting educational programs and distributing scholarships. Today there is an autonomous society in every state as well as the District of Columbia and in several other countries.

The Washington State Society was formed in 1912 and, like the General Society, is a non-profit hereditary society dedicated to preserving the history of our Mayflower ancestors through genealogical and historical research. Today we have one Colony east of the mountains, in Central Washington, that hears speakers on historical topics, stage events, and in many ways contributes to the vitality of the organization. Additional colonies may be formed in a distinct geographical area within the state to meet the needs of members, or for geographic convenience, with ten organizing members.