USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dracut > History of Dracut, Massachusetts, called by the Indians Augumtoocooke and before incorporation, the wildernesse north of the Merrimac. First permanment settlement in 1669 and incorporated as a town in 1701 > Part 22
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
FERRIES
The river was a natural barrier which, for many years, hindered the settlement of the land on the north side of the river. But as farms were laid out and occupied, ferries came into existence. For a period of 114 years the only way to cross the river was on the ice in the winter season or by ferry boats, when the river was open.
It is difficult to ascertain the exact date when the first ferry was established, but occasionally they are mentioned in old deeds. At the opening of this chapter reference is made to a road laid out by the Selectmen of Chelmsford for the accommodation of John Webb. It reached the south side of the river in Middlesex village opposite Webb's house. Naturally when the settlers on the north of the river had become so numerous as to need an established ferry, it would be located at this spot where the Durkee, or Old Ferry Road, as it was called, reached the river. This was on the land belonging to Edward Colburn, the first per- manent settler who had purchased this part of the Webb land, and would be used principally by the families of Colburn and Varnum. Later, but at a date not ascertained, Capt. Jonas Clark of Chelmsford had a ferry lower down the river, at a point near the head of the old Middlesex Canal, and just west of the rail- road station at Middlesex village. On the Dracut side the land- ing must have been near the foot of Bedford street. Capt. Clark owned what is now called the Middlesex tavern. In 1759, he gave a deed of his farm to his son Timothy, one of the bounds being "at the Ferry way called Clark's Ferry now in possession of said Jonas and Timothy." It was a chain ferry and wheeled vehicles and cattle could be carried across. As the boat was too heavy to be propelled by oars, a heavy chain was fastened to the bank on each side of the river and passed over a wheel at the side of the boat. Grasping the chain and pulling it caused the boat to move slowly across. When the ferry was discontinued the chain was never removed and now lies in the bed of the river.
The earliest mention of a ferry at the location of Central bridge is found in a deed of conveyance of 100 acres from John Colburn to Robert Hildreth, dated January 3, 1735. The land laid wholly on the east side of Bridge street from the river
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to Tenth street and one of the bounds was "a black oak at the Ferry." In November of the same year a highway was laid out from "Lieut. Richardsons house to Mr. Hunts ferry." This was Jeremiah Hunt of Billerica who had the privilege of operating a ferry across the Concord river and another across the Merrimack. The highway was practically what is now the lower end of Hildreth and Bridge streets and has been previously described. The ferry was known for several years as Hildreth's ferry, but passed to the possession of John White who sold, in 1758, to Solomon Abbott of Andover the land and buildings with all rights to the ferry. In 1759, Abbott sold a part of the land and one-half of the ferry to Daniel Colby, and in 1761, he sold the remaining half with 57 acres of land, with buildings, to Amos Bradley of Haverhill, mentioning the property as purchased of Capt. John White. Seven years later Bradley purchased from Colby his half of the ferry with 30 acres of land and dwelling house, near the river. Bradley's purchase was long known as the Bradley farm, extending eastward from Bridge street to Beacon street and from the river to Tenth street. In 1827, Joseph Bradley, son of Amos, sold the ferry rights to the Central Bridge Corporation for $1,050. Nehemiah Bradley, a brother of Joseph, was ferry- man, and travellers coming from the Chelmsford side would attract his attention by calling or blowing a horn.
On the Chelmsford side the landing was a little below Central bridge, where the factories of the Massachusetts Corporation now stand. The highway to Pawtucket bridge being the present Salem street and the Boston road is now Central street. The Draent landing is still in existence and is located on First street, adjoining Varnum park, and until after 1874, a legal right-of-way existed on which stands the block at the corner of Bridge and First streets. Until that time the buildings were situated at a greater distance from the present sidewalk, and when the block was erected it was necessary to acquire these ferry rights. When the bridge was built, the ferry boat was sold to the town of Tyngsboro. where it was used for a conveyance across the river until the building of the Tyngsboro bridge, in 1872. It was then moored to the shore, but during a flood, the pressure of the water caused the chain to break and it floated down the river until reaching the falls, it broke in pieces on the rocks.
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References in records of deeds are made to ferries of which no traces can be found and which probably refer to the trans- portation of individuals across the river, but not for vehicles. In the chapter on Reserved Lands, reference is made to Joseph Richardson, who purchased land on the river and who owned a ferry. This is supposed to have been located a short distance west of Amesbury street, Elsmere, but no further records of its location or existence can be found. In 1787 and again in 1791, there was a conveyance of property which was located near the corner of the Methuen road and Richardson's lane adjoining the farm of the late Nathan Thissell, on the west. The land con- veved is described as "on the road from Bradley's ferry to Richardson's ferry thus showing that a ferry existed on the river.
At Varnum's landing, now Belle Grove, a ferry was established by the Varnums at a date unknown. This was arranged for the carrying of carriages across the river and the road from the Varnum houses on Methuen road, leading to the ferry, is still in use. This was the place selected by Joseph B. Varnum as the site of a new bridge, providing his petition for the location of a turnpike had been favorably received to which reference will be made in this chapter. The cellar of the ferry house is still near Varnum's brook on the east side and a few rods from the river. General Simon Coburn, the grandfather of the late George B. Coburn, occupied the house and was the ferry- man. No traces of the landing remain, but a right-of-way exists on the south side of the river on the Hood farm and the roadway on the north leading to the ferry may be seen crossed by the car tracks of the electric road.
BRIDGES.
For nearly a century and a half the only way of crossing the Merrimack river was by ferries. Bridges of logs, and fordways across Beaver brook, gave means of communication between the different parts of the town and allowed the farmers to reach their outlying meadows. But as the population of the town increased, better accommodations for crossing the river were demanded. February 1, 1792, a charter was granted to the Middlesex Merrimack River Bridge Corporation. The stock consisted of eighty shares and the first meeting was held at the house of Joel
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Spalding. At this meeting, Colonel Loammi Baldwin was elected President, Parker Varnum, Clerk, and Colonel James Varnum, Treasurer. At that time the bridges in country towns were constructed of wood. November 5th, of the same year, the bridge was opened for travel and a toll-keeper appointed. The Mammoth road, which had been surveyed and some parts opened for travel, was now constructed and gave access from New Hampshire towns by a more direct way to Boston, the nearest market town. The names of the original Proprietors are :
Parker Varnum
Solomon Aiken
James Varnum
Samuel Cotton
Thomas Russell
William Hildreth Jr.
Bradley Varnum
Jeptha Spalding
Jonathan Varnum
Josiah Fletcher Jr.
Benjamin French
Peter Coburn, Jr.
Jonathan Simpson
Nathan Tyler
Louis de Marisquelle
Eliakim Wood
Joseph B. Varuum
Daniel Coburn
Loammi Baldwin
Moses B. Coburn
William Blanchard
Asa Richardson
Joel Spalding
Oliver Whiting Jr.
John Ford
Thomas Beals
Jonathan P. Pollard
Ebenezer Hall
Early in the year 1792, work was commenced on the new bridge, and November 5th of the same year, was the date appoint- ed for the formal opening to the public. Colonel Loammi Baldwin was chosen as purchasing agent and instructed to purchase one ton of iron and two barrels of New England rum. The rum was exhausted before the iron was, as in two months later he was ordered to procure one barrel of rum and at the same time to purchase half barrel of W. I. Rum for the proprietors. No record can be found of the celebration exercises at the formal opening of the bridge, but at a meeting of the proprietors it was voted that every one who crossed the bridge that day should be treated to flip of toddy. The banks in Boston assisted by loans in the payment of bills. Major Hildreth was empowered to borrow from the banks the sum of $400, also to purchase one barrel of W. I. Rum and one quarter of a hundred of sugar. This
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was probably to be used at a supper or banquet given in honor of the completion of the bridge, as an order was given to Col. Varnum to provide supper for sixty persons at the expense of the proprietors.
The supports of the bridge were of wood, and as they de- cayed the bridge became unsafe for travel, and in 1803 it was voted to erect stone piers and abutments, the treasurer to procure rum and sugar for the workmen. The removal of the supports revealed the roadway also in a state of decay and in 1804 the whole structure was rebuilt. In 1807, Major Parker Varnum succeeded Col. Baldwin as president, James Varnum was elected treasurer and Asahel Stearns, clerk. The success which attended the building of Pawtucket bridge, the convenience of crossing the river in this manner compared with the uncertainty and delay of ferries and the increased value of land which followed the erection of the bridge, led to the formation of plans for another one to be built at some point lower on the river. A petition was presented to the Legislature by Joseph B. Varnum and others for permission to build a bridge across the river at the Varnum farm, where a ferry was operated known as Varnum's ferry, to which reference has been made, at what is now Belle Grove. A bridge had been built at what is now Lawrence and was owned by the Andover and Medford Turnpike Corporation. The proprie- tors of Pawtucket bridge realized that the existence of another bridge would be the cause of the reduction of their income by tolls and appointed a committee consisting of Parker Varnum, John Ford and Asahel Stearns to confer with a committee from the Andover and Medford Company to oppose the petition. This petition also included the right to construct a turnpike from New Hampshire line to Woburn. The petition was granted but the bridge never constructed.
In 1808, the right to collect the tolls was sold for one year for $900 to Ebenezer Griffin, payment to be made weekly to the treasurer of the company. Five years later, in 1813, the incor- poration of a new town was proposed. This was to include all that portion of Dracut west of a line drawn from the mouth of Beaver brook to the state line and all that part of Chelmsford which is now Lowell. In 1807, the bridge company had voted "to give free passage to all persons to any public meeting at the
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West meeting house in Dracut," and this action was continued from year to year. Apparently to encourage the project of a new town, the company now voted "to collect no tolls on Sundays or whenever public meetings were held at the meeting house," provided the new town was incorporated. But the opposition was too great and the project failed.
In 1823, Edward St. Loe Livermore, who lived where St. John's Hospital now stands, petitioned the Legislature for the right to erect a bridge at Hunt's falls. This was opposed by the Pawtucket Bridge Company and the petition refused. The main- tenance of the bridge was very expensive, as the wooden supports decayed rapidly. In 1817, the part over the main channel was rebuilt, and in 1848, the whole structure was renewed, and in 1849, the original name was abolished and the name Pawtucket bridge was substituted. In 1860, the bridge was declared a pub- lic highway and purchased of the company for $12,000. Of this sum, Dracut paid $2,000, Lowell $4,000 and the County $6,000. With the erection of the factories there arose a demand for a bridge at Bradley's ferry ; and on February 24, 1825, a company was incorporated consisting of Joseph Bradley, Benjamin F. Varnum, Ezekiel Cheever, Abijah Fox, Ezekiel Fox, Peter Hazelton and others. These were all Dracut residents. All rights in the Bradley ferry were purchased by them and work on the bridge commenced. The river at this point is wide and deep, even at low water. Instead of building coffer dams and laying the foundation on bed rock, cribs were constructed, filled with stone and gravel, and sunk, and upon these the piers were built. The cost of the bridge, was $21,000 and to furnish an in- come to pay expenses and to give the company a revenue, tolls were collected from those who crossed afoot, from those who crossed with wheeled vehicles and from drivers of cattle.
According to the Dracut records, the citizens of the town con- sidered the amount charged for tolls excessive and brought suit against the Central Bridge Company. The directors of the com- pany had purchased the Bradley farm and to encourage people to buy house lots, agreed to allow all persons living on the land, or going to the land on business for the owner, to cross the bridge without paying toll. This was probably one cause of the suit being brought. This was settled out of court, as on March 4, 1833,
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
it was voted, "That our representative suspend all further operations in General Court against the property of Central Bridge Company provided said proprietors will give them satis- factory assurance that said corporation will reduce these tolls to the town of Dracut as proposed by the agent of said Corporation, to wit : to one half of what said corporation now takes, in case of there being half cents these to go to the Corporation." March 26, 1833, the proprietors voted to comply with the demands of Dracut on account of great expense in keeping roads in repair leading to and from the bridge on condition that Dracut should stop the case against the corporation. Two days later the Legis- lature authorized the Central Bridge Corporation to reduce the tolls to correspond with those established at Pawtucket Bridge. April 1, 1833, the town voted to withdraw the suit, but the arrangements were for several years unsatisfactory, for in 1842 an article was inserted in the warrant, "To see what measures the town will take to reduce tolls on Central Bridge and to see if town will vote to petition the Legislature to send a committee in- vested with power to find amount of money the corporation has taken in tolls and by compounding themselves."
Dissatisfaction continned to exist between the Bridge Corpo- ration and the Town of Dracut, for some years later a committee was appointed to prevent the City of Lowell from obtaining the rights of Dracut in Central bridge and this committee was authorized to demand their books and call for persons and papers or petition the Legislature to appoint a committee to call upon the corporation for persons or papers for the purpose of ascertain- ing the amount now due said corporation for said bridge. The difficulty was finally settled and the rights of Dracut protected.
In 1843, the collection of tolls for pedestrians was abolished. The land in the vicinity of the bridge was owned by the Bridge Corporation and to encourage its sale no toll was collected from those who resided on this land. The charge for crossing became burdensome and to avoid the payment of it the farmers would leave their teams on the Dracut side and walk across, causing a diminution of the receipts in the treasury. The toll house stood on what is now Varnum Park, near the old ferry landing, and a gate which was thrown across the street enabled the ferry- man to detain the passengers until the toll was paid. When
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built the bridge had no covering, but in 1849 sides and roof were added. During the later years of its existence teams were not allowed to cross it at a speed greater than a horse would walk. In 1855, the city of Lowell declared the bridge to be a public highway and awarded the corporation one dollar in payment for it. The company refused to accept the award and a suit was instituted against the city and the case was before the court seven years before a settlement could be effected. It resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff and the sum of $33,958.51 was awarded, the amount of Dracut's share being $7,865.
The annexation of Centralville to Lowell in 1852 and of Pawtucketville in 1874 relieved Dracut of further expense in the maintenance of these two bridges. As a bridge over which there is travel between towns and cities requires to be kept in repair and is used largely by surrounding towns, a part of the expense of repairs is borne by the County but in earlier years the towns were taxed directly for their proportional part. The bridge over the Concord at Billerica was on the main thorough- fare to Boston and before the introduction of steam roads was the principal place of crossing for the towns in this vicinity. It was built in 1699 and the taxpayers of the part of Chelmsford, now Dracut, contributed to the payment of the cost of building. The expense of maintaining a wooden bridge at this place was heavy, and while borne principally by Billerica the town re- ceived assistance from Groton, Westford, Chelmsford, Dunstable and Dracut. The people of Dracut objected to giving further assistance, and in 1737, the town was declared exempt from contributing more money. A record on the town books shows that on May 22, 1738, it was voted to pay John Varnum the sum of £6 "for his servis and Expenses In Gitting the Town free from Charg of Billirica Bridg."
There are three bridges across Beaver brook which have existed since about the time of the incorporation of the town. The falls at the Navy Yard and Collinsville to some extent de- cided the location, as saw and gristmills were erected at these places. Meadow bridge, above the paper mill, accommodated the farmers who wanted to reach their meadows and. though used as 'a fordway, a bridge was needed. No records are found of the building of the bridge at the Navy Yard village known
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as Stanley's bridge, but in 1855 the present stone bridge replaced the former one of wood, the town appropriating $1,000 for this purpose.
At the annual meeting of the town held in February of this present year (1920), the sum of $5,000 was appropriated for the purpose of widening the bridge. The bridge, when built in 1855, was of sufficient width to accommodate the traffic, but as the mill was later enlarged and buildings erected for family use, there came a demand for the bridge to be widened to correspond with the width of the highway. Two years later the bridge at Collinsville was rebuilt also of stone. The funds for the pur- pose were received from the United States treasury. At this time all towns received from the Government a share of what was known as "surplus revenne." Meadow bridge was until 1909 a wooden structure, but in that year the town rebuilt it with cement at an expense of $500.
The only public iron bridge is at Parker avenue below the site of the paper mill, and was erected by Percy Parker, but is kept in repair at the expense of the town. The construction of the electric railroad between Lowell and Lawrence was the occasion of building new bridges across Richardson and Varnum brooks. In 1802, a petition was presented to the County Com- missioners for a bridge, across the Merrimack at Deer Jump, but the town opposed it and the project was abandoned. Tyngs- boro bridge now crosses the river between Lowell and Nashua, but no bridge between Lowell and Lawrence exists.
THE TURNPIKE BETWEEN BOSTON AND CANADA
Reference has been made to a project to build a bridge which should cross the Merrimack near Varnum's Ferry. At this period there was no means of transportation on land known or contemplated which should supersede the ox teams and conse- quently the minds of the people were directed to the improve- ment of existing highways or the creation of new ones. All roads led to Boston and the produce from the farms of this state and New Hampshire was sent to that market ; and very naturally the most direct routes were sought. The bridge at Lawrence and the one at Pawtucket falls were the only ones in existence and as neither one followed a direct course to Canada which
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would be of benefit to the farmers and small manufacturing villages which had come into existence, a new route was surveyed which would start from Medford reaching Dracut by way of Varnum's falls. The proposed route may be found, approxi- mately, by drawing a line from Medford and, as stated in the petition, passing through that part of Dracut known as Burns' Hill, continuing through Pelham, N. H., a short distance east of the Centre and crossing Goulding's brook it would follow the Merrimack River northerly towards its termination. A third of a century must elapse before steam roads were introduced and consequently the tolls received on the turnpike roads and the bridges were a factor in inducing their multiplication. The citizens of the towns lying on the route in this state were to a great extent heartily in favor of the enterprise and it was also favorably received in New Hampshire. A copy of the petition is here presented :
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives assembled humbly show your petitioners.
That the increasing population of this state, New Hampshire, Vermont and the British Province of Lower Canada renders it highly important that a road should be opened on the most direct and practicable route from Boston, the capital of this state, to the river St. Lawrence, passing by the east end of Missique bay: it would render the communication betwixt Boston and Canada easy, and reciprocally advantageous : it would facilitate the transportation of produce from the interior to Boston, and very much increase the mutual interest of town and country. A direct line from Medford meeting house to Concord, New Hampshire, is found by actual survey, to cross Merrimack river between Deerjump Falls and Varnums Falls about a quarter of a mile from each ; upon a critical examination of the ground from Boston to New Hampshire line on and near the said route it is conceived the most practicable place to build a Bridge across Merrimack river is at Varnum Falls. That place is situated to favor laying the road on the best grounds of travel on or near the said route both in this state and New Hampshire. Your petitioners therefore request your Honors to pass an act of in-
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corporation, and granting to such of us, and others, as may asso- ciate for that purpose, liberty to make a Turnpike Road from the country road a little east of the house of William Nicholls, late of Woburn, on the most direct and practicable ground, through the north part of Woburn, through Wilmington, Tewks- bury and a small corner of Andover, to Varnums Falls in Merri- mack river and from thence through Dracut to New Hampshire line, at land formerly owned by John Gilereast or by George Burns deceased on the principles prescribed by the general act for regulating turnpike incorporations within this common- wealth, & to build a bridge across Merrimack river at Var- nums Falls in the direction and for the accommodation of travellers on such Turnpike Road, as may be granted as afore- said, under such regulations, and with the privilege of demand- ing and receiving such toll as may by your honors be judged just and equitable.
J. B. VARNUM and others MOSES WHITING and others JACOB COGGIN and others"
In the Senate June 8th 1807. Ordered that the petitioners advertise their petition in the Independent Chronicle and Salem Register three weeks successively. Hon. Jonathan Maynard, Jonas Kendall, Walter McFarland, John Spurr, and Samuel Flagg a committee at petitioners' expense to look over the ground and make return at next session of the present general court. This committee instructed to meet Tuesday 7 July 1807 at house of Abijah Thompson, innholder, Woburn.
It is safe to conclude that this committee met as ordered and proceeded to the examination of the route and the feasibility of granting the petition, for it is recorded that "The Committee of both houses to whom was referred the petition &c Report that the petitioners have leave to bring in a bill for the purpose prayed for"
But with all the advantages which would be derived from the establishment of the road, the business was not to proceed without opposition. The stockholders of the Pawtucket Bridge Company foresaw a diminution in their receipts for tolls, as a great part of travel would be diverted to the more direct route
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