Rev. Henry Pahtahquahong Chase, 1881 & Doc Tate Nevaquaya, 1970 (St Andrew's Church)

St Andrew's Church was built in the 15th century, although its origins are much earlier. While it's possible that previous Indigenous North American travellers to Plymouth visited the church, the earliest recorded is in June 1881. Rev. Henry Pahtahquahong Chase, a Mississauga Ojibwe preacher, delivered a sermon here "before a large congregation" (Western Morning News). As the Western Morning News exclaimed, "an Indian chief in a Plymouth pulpit is a rather sensational announcement, but such will be the case"!

Almost 100 years later, the church was again a destination for Indigenous visitors to Plymouth. Noted Comanche artist and flute player Doc Tate Nevaquaya played his flute here in 1970, as part of the Goodwill Tour for the Mayflower 350 celebrations (see tour points #19 and 20 for more details). You can listen to Nevaquaya playing his flute in 2004 by following the YouTube link. By most accounts, the Goodwill Tour group enjoyed their time in England. There was only one issue, according to the Lawton Constitution-Morning Press - the food! "Although the Indians were fervent in their praise of the English," they "admitted that the English food left something for a Comanche to desire." One of the group, George Watchetaker, apparently solved this issue by "eating all his meals in Plymouth at The Golden Dragon, a Chinese restaurant."