USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Hingham > History of the town of Hingham, Massachusetts, vol 1 > Part 17
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Lambert's Lane eventually emerges at the modern Forest Ave- nue, and at this point there was in the early part of the century a dairy farm belonging to General Lincoln. Nearly all of these tillage and pasture lands of earlier times are now overgrown by thick forest. WALNUT HILL is in this vicinity. PURGATORY SWAMP is northwest of Walnut Hill.
Passing south over Forest Avenue, we come soon to North Main Street, and turning into this, we almost immediately strike off diagonally to the right into Cedar Street, now a deserted way, but a beautifully winding and wooded one, formerly the OLD Co- HASSET ROAD, over which, in carly times, people journeyed from Hingham to Cohasset. It leads over hill and dale, bisects a superb fancy farm at TURKEY MEADOWS and passing by a quiet little graveyard at a turn to the northward, comes out on Hull Street.
In order to reach most expeditiously the next locality which it is desirable to visit, it will be best to proceed through Hull Street to East Street, Hingham, and thence through this town by the way of the old Side-Hill road, over Turkey Hill (a most delight- ful ride, especially at this season), through Leavitt, Spring, Pleas- ant, and Union streets, until Beechwood Street is reached, which leads from Union Street to Cohasset. This street at first winds through beautiful and wild woodlands, largely composed of beeches, with many holly-trees here and there, their exquisite foliage reflecting the sunbeams, and the bright scarlet berries forming a brilliant contrast to the rigid leaves' polished green.
Here is the part of Cohasset called BEECHWOODS, or in old deeds THE BEECHES, deriving the name from the trees which form so large a part of the woods of this district. STONY BROOK is the name of a little stream which crosses Beechwood Street, flowing through a pretty meadow bordered by trees and bright with wild flowers in their season, near the village called PRATT'S CORNER.
Hard by is BARN HILL, made almost an island by this Stony Brook. The locality known as KINGO is comprised in this neigh- borhood, taking its name from a former inhabitant who lived near, in a stone house in the woods.
A short distance further on, Doane Street enters Beechwood Street on the north side. Doane Street is a continuation in Co- hasset of Leavitt Street in Hingham, which leads through Third Division woods.
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On the north side of Beechwood Street, and about a third of a mile east of Doane Street, is RATTLESNAKE ROCK, or RATTLESNAKE DEN, formerly a haunt of these reptiles, although they are un- doubtedly extinct there now.
SOUTHER'S HILL is a short distance east of Doane Street, and JOY'S HILL, or CAPTAIN PRATT'S HILL, is on the south side of Beechwood Street. There is a fine view from this hill. About a mile east of Doane Street, on the north side of Beechwood Street is a great ledge, having a large bowlder on it, which is called MOUNT PISGAH. TURTLE ISLAND is near Beechwood Street where it crosses a branch of Bound Brook. The old IRON WORKS stood here.
PRATT'S ROCKS form a ledge near the road, nearly two miles from Doane Street. On the south side of Beechwood Street, near King Street, is WIDOW's Rock, which is shaped like a hay- stack. The property about this rock was once sold for exactly one thousand dollars. When the deed came to be passed, and payment made, the buyer offered the seller a one-thousand-dollar bill, which was contemptuously refused. " What," cried the seller, "I sell my land for one little bit of paper like that! No sir ! I will have a good pile of bills for it." And the buyer had to give him a sufficient quantity of small bills to the amount of $1000 to make the transaction look " big" to him. A short dis- tance east of Widow's Rock is GOVERNOR'S HILL. The name has no special significance in this connection, however.
We will turn northwest into King Street, and proceed along this ancient road, the original boundary of the First and Third Divisions, and the dividing line which separates the Second into two parts. It is a hilly and pleasantly wooded road in places, and borders SCITUATE POND, also called 'KIAH TOWER'S POND, of late years sometimes LILY POND. It was named Scituate Pond by the first settlers because it was on the road to Scituate; and 'Kiah Tower's Pond afterwards because land about it was owned by a Mr. Hezekiah Tower. This land, or a portion of it is still held by his descendants. By the latter name the pond is known in the country adjacent. It is a very beautiful sheet of water, its banks being composed of both high and low lands, and heavy woods, always such an indispensable adjunct of fine scenery, covering a large proportion of its shores.
How exquisite it is now, in the quiet afternoon sunlight, its unruffled waters reflecting a white feathery cloud lazily drifting across the deep blue sky, and the scarlet and yellow forests about it contrasting so brilliantly with those rich, deep-green, pine woodlands !
That great rounded gray ledge rising out of its bosom, POND ROCK, has looked the same to every race of men which has dwelt about these shores or fished in their waters, since the melting away of the great glacier first let in upon it, as it is now, the light of day. It echoed the war-whoop of the red man
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when he first shrieked it in the forests of the hills around, and gave back its latest faint reverberation when it despairingly died away for the last time on the western wind. Its lichen- clad granite slopes flung back a quick response to the sharp crack of the pale-faced pioneer's firelock, when it imperiously announced to those solitudes that the reign of the wolf and the Algonquin must give place to that of the Anglo-Saxon. The dawn will touch the old rock with its earliest rosy beam, and the last ray of sunset linger upon it in yellow light, when that Anglo-Saxon, with his mighty works, shall have vanished for- ever, and the history of his existence remain only as a myth.
-W. CORTHELL, SC.
POND ROCK, SCITUATE POND.
King Street runs along the eastern slope of SCITUATE HILL, which lies east of Turkey Hill. The name was applied to it by the early settlers because it was on the way to Scituate.
After crossing the railroad, King Street ends at North Main Street. This road winds pleasantly through the beautiful Co- HASSET WOODS and crosses the northern portion of GREAT SWAMP, which extends far to the southward, covering a large tract of country. North Main Street enters Hingham as East Street, at the Homesteads.
Now turning about, we will ride eastwards again, and strike into. King Street. Upon reaching Winter Street, we will turn off to the east over this road, which is the old DEER HILL LANE. It crosses DEER HILL, a smooth, rather high hill, and comes out on North Main Street, nearly opposite the cemetery.
Southeast of Deer Hill, is BARE HILL (BEAR HILL), now called JOINER'S HILL. where the water reservoir is.
A huge and steep ledge lying opposite the westerly end of Summer Street is known as SUNSET ROCK.
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But the fair October sunset itself has faded into twilight, leav- ing a beautiful afterglow that promises another fine day for to- morrow. If the promise is fulfilled, we will start in the early morning to visit the Hingham landmarks.
A morning like that of yesterday, " so cool, so calm, so bright," ushers in a second perfect autumn day, of all times in the year the finest for rambles in the saddle. Let us take up our subject this morning at the point where three townships meet.
The Jerusalem Road ends at the Hingham line, where the towns of Cohasset, Hingham, and Hull form a junction. To the right, northerly, lies Nantasket Beach, about half a mile distant. A few rods to the north, the road to the beach crosses the old MILL LANE BRIDGE, which separates Strait's Pond from the little estuary called LYFORD'S LIKING, or Weir River. This, however, is not the river itself, but merely an extension of the bay into which Weir river empties. The origin of this quaint name, Lyford's Liking, is buried in obscurity. In 1642, however, in Suffolk Deeds, Vol. I., the names of Ruth Leyford, John Leyford her father, and Mordecay Leyford her brother, appear ; and in 1649 an old deed speaks of "foure Acres meadow, more or less, at Laiford's Likeing."
The road coming from the south, on the left hand, Hull Street, divides Hingham from Cohasset, and winds through the rocky village known as TUGMANUG, an old Indian name of the locality. Until within thirty-odd years, this was the only road from Hing- ham to Nantasket Beach.
Rockland Street runs west along the marshes for nearly a mile, skirting a range of higher and rocky table land lying to the south, which is known as CANTERBURY. It was probably included in a grant to Cornelius Canterbury, who settled in Hingham be- fore 1649.
In the ditch by the side of this street, where it runs through the salt marsh, are the stumps of gigantic trees, which were dug out of the roadway here when the street was made, about the year 1855. These trees were unquestionably members of a forest which lived and flourished here untold ages ago. The lands where it existed were probably low, and near the then coast line; and through some gradual subsidence of the land, or sud- den convulsion of nature, there was a breaking in of the sea, with consequent destruction of the forest. All through the period of submergence of this locality these stumps were preserved, being under salt water, and now, perhaps a thousand years after the catastrophe that ended their lives, the relics of the trunks of these old trees are mouldering to decay in the rays of the same sun- shine that caused their buds to break into leafy beauty in the last springtime of their existence.
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North of Rockland Street, just before it reaches the rising ground, and perhaps a quarter of a mile or so out over the marshes, upon Lyford's Liking, is BARNES'S ISLAND, formerly SPRAGUE'S ISLAND. From the road it has the appearance of a slight rise, well wooded.
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A short distance further west the road crosses WEIR RIVER, here a pretty stream about to empty into WEIR RIVER BAY, a quarter of a mile northward. Tide water comes up beyond the bridge at this point, to the falls at the dam a few score rods south, where THOMAS'S POND is, and where THOMAS'S FOUNDRY stood until within a few years.
Along the river bank on the east side, for some distance, is a. range of high rocky cliffs, beautifully wooded, and very pictur- esque. Down from this savin-clothed height comes the little. WOODCOCK'S RUN, or LYFORD'S LIKING RUN, a small brook hardly distinguishable in the dry months.
There was in early times across Weir River, not far from the bridge now spanning it at Rockland street, a log, upon which people could cross the stream, and also a landing where timber and firewood were loaded upon vessels bound for Boston and elsewhere. This place was called THE LOG, or AT THE LOG. LOG LANE led to this spot, from Weir River Lane.
Down the river about a quarter of a mile, and at the point. where it broadens into a wide estuary, there was, nearly a cen- tury since, a woollen mill, owned by and carried on in the interest of General Benjamin Lincoln, who seems to have been interested in many enterprises. There was afterwards a flour mill here, and the place was subsequently occupied by the small-pox hospital. THE LIME KILN was near by, and the neck of land opposite, situated between the river and the cove which makes up on the west side of this neck, is terminated by BASS POINT.
Crossing Weir River by the Rockland Street bridge, we are upon higher ground, included in PLAIN NECK, which comprehends all the country south and west of this bridge (as well as north- ward as far as Cushing's Neck), which can be comprised in the territory bordered on the east and south by Weir River, and upon the west by the harbor, and probably extending as far as Cham- berlain's Run. The limits are indefinite, but old deeds show that they are about as described.
A short distance west of the river Rockland Street passes through a thickly wooded swamp, which was for many years, until 1855, THE HERONRY. Here were the homes of the night. herons, their nests being visible in the woods on every side. They were driven away when the road was laid out through their haunts.
NECK GATE HILL, now OLD COLONY HILL, at the junction of Rockland Street, Summer Street, and Martin's Lane, is a pleas- antly located hill, having fine woodlands and beautiful country about it. The view from the summit in every direction is charm-
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ing. For many years the OLD COLONY HOUSE, a favorite summer resort, stood here. It was built in 1832, and burned in 1872.
But now before going on to Hingham harbor, let us turn down MARTIN'S LANE, to the right, and northward. This is a narrow road, formerly having the NECK GATE across it, at the hill. It slopes gradually downward, and is bordered by trees, with masses of tangled woodlands upon the right, now exquisite in the glory of autumn. Wild hidden ravines, picturesque rocky precipices, clothed with vines, ferns, and savins, are upon the east side. The trouble of searching them out will be well repaid in learning what scenery generally thought peculiar to mountain districts is here under our very eyes, but almost unknown.
On the west, the land lies in beautifully rolling fields, dotted here and there with fine trees, down to the water. The road finally winds over a slight rise, between shrubby woods and through a noble private estate till it reaches, nearly a mile from Neck Gate Hill, MARTIN'S WELL, formerly ABRAHAM'S WELL, the remains of which are still visible in the field to the right, near by where the lane ends. There is a pretty cove, or indentation, at this point.
Abraham Martin was one of the early settlers who came with Rev. Peter Hobart in 1635. He owned land in this locality and built this well.
This land is embraced in the strip between the harbor and Weir River to the eastward, called CUSHING'S NECK, -large tracts having been owned here early by a branch of that family, which has furnished, in peace and war, so many celebrated Americans. Hingham was the home of the family in America. Lands at Cush- ing's Neck are still in possession of one of the descendants.
The road which crosses the head of this cove goes over the heavy stone dam (MARTIN'S WELL DAM) which shuts out the sea from the fertile meadows lying east of it. These formed one of the DAMDE MEDDOWES, so often referred to in old deeds. The east end of these meadows is also dammed at Weir River Bay.
Passing through a gate, we come to PINE HILL, a little emi- nence overlooking the harbor, now a smooth, rounded hill, with a few trees upon its summit. North of this is the fine PLANTER'S HILL, also smooth and oval in outline, like all the Hingham hills. There is a noble view from its top, extending all around the hori- zon, - of the Blue Hills of Milton, in the far distance, the town lying close by, Third Division woods southward, the harbor to the west, and broad ocean to the north and east beyond Nantasket Beach.
At the foot of the northerly slope of Planter's Hill is a short, low isthmus, a few rods in length, and very narrow at high tide, - WORLD'S END BAR. A generation ago the fox hunters used to beat the country at South Hingham and drive the game north- ward through the woods and fields of the township till it arrived at the peninsula bounded by Weir River and the harbor. After
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reaching that point, there was no escape for the unhappy foxes, whose flight led them inevitably to World's End Bar, upon which, or on the next hill, they atoned with their lives for " crimes done in the flesh."
There is a curiously stunted elm-tree growing on the very top of Planter's Hill. It is evidently dwarfed by having grown up wedged among large rocks. It is of great age, early records re- ferring to it soon after the settlement of the country, and appar- ently has not increased in size during the two past centuries. It is, indeed, an " ancient landmark."
The doubly rounded eminence north of this bar is WORLD'S END, a peninsula surrounded by water on all sides excepting where this bar connects it with Planter's Hill. The harbor is on the west, Weir River Bay upon the east side.
Following the shore of Weir River Bay, we come to a little cove upon the east side of Planter's Hill, and then an extremely picturesque locality, having high rocks and precipices along its water front, and great ledges cropping out all over it. This is known as ROCKY NECK.
Up the little bay, to the eastward, lies Nantasket Beach, and north of it, the point of land stretching out into the harbor, is White Head. These localities are in Hull.
The rough and broken easterly shore line of Rocky Neck finally crosses a little meadow and beach, and beyond these is a narrow passage between great masses of craggy rocks, which are called LINCOLN'S ROCKS. Through this passage comes the current of Weir River. Close here, too, is the great rock in the water which has been known from early times as THE RINGBOLT ROCK, from the huge iron ring let into its surface for the accommo- dation of vessels hauling up the river. At "The Limekiln," in the upper part of Weir River Bay, there were, in old times, vessels built. The last one was the ship "Solferino," of about 800 tons, launched in the year 1859, the largest vessel ever built in Hingham.
The water here is the westerly portion of the inlet which ex- tends easterly to the dam at Strait's Pond, and which we met with there under the ancient name of Lyford's Liking.
Let us go down the river again to Rocky Neck and cross OLD PLANTER'S FIELDS, lying on .the southeasterly slopes of Planter's and Pine hills, and on over the " Damde Meddowes" to Martin's Lane, which we will cross at the cove, and proceed along the shore skirting the beautiful tract of country between Martin's Lane and the harbor, called, anciently, MANSFIELD'S, to MANS- FIELD'S COVE, a slight indentation at the head of the harbor, bounded on the west by a ledge making out into the water, called BARNES'S ROCKS, upon and over which the old steamboat pier and hanging wire bridge used to be. This ledge extends out under the channel, interfering with navigation at low water. The United States government has expended considerable sums of
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money in not entirely successful attempts to remove it by sub- marine blasting.
There were formerly SALT WORKS east of Mansfield's Cove.
A few rods farther on is HERSEY'S WHARF, at the present time as stanch a structure as it was when it was constructed. Upon this wharf, and on the beach west of it, were built several fine ships, besides numerous barks, brigs, and schooners; for this was HALL'S SHIPYARD. West of this wharf is the steamboat pier. Upon Summer Street, on the hill just above Hersey's wharf, is a large white house at the south side of the road, now the mansion of a private estate. This was, in former times, one of the old inns, and was known as the WOMPATUCK HOUSE.
After crossing another stone wharf, now disused, we find this beach extending along toward a line of wharves at THE COVE at the head of the harbor. The earliest settlers at the harbor called the place BARE COVE, from the fact that the receding tide leaves the flats bare ; and by this name the settlement was designated and assessed, until later it received the name of Hingham.
Previous to the building of Summer Street, the only highway leading from the cove to the village lying between the disused wharf above referred to and Neck Gate Hill, was along the upper edge of this beach ; people and teams going down into the dock below the mill-dam at the Cove, at low tide, crossing the mill stream and passing along the beach on their way east. Summer Street here was constructed from material taken from WARD'S HILL, a high knoll of sand and gravel rising south from the beach, now known as COBB'S BANK, which in early times extended sev- eral hundred feet to the eastward. It is fast disappearing under the demand for sand and gravel for filling purposes.
Along the water side north of Ward's Hill there were also ves- sels built.
The low land lying between Summer Street and the railroad track, and east of Ward's Hill, was formerly WAKELY'S MEADOW, or BRIGADIER'S MEADOW. Within a very few years this meadow was salt, and the owner, wishing to reclaim it, caused it to be drained into the harbor, the pipes passing under Summer Street. In digging beneath this street at the old sea-level, the contractor unearthed old piles and the stone retaining walls of wharves, thus proving the early existence of landing places for vessels far within the limits where it is now possible for them to come.
The meadow belonged early to Thomas Wakely. It afterwards was the property of Brigadier-General Theophilus Cushing, and received its later name in this connection. Thomas Wakely was an early settler with Rev. Mr. Hobart, in 1635.
The high land south of Wakely's Meadow, beyond the railroad track, is PECK'S PASTURE. Robert and Joseph Peck came to this country in 1638.
Following the ancient water line from the harbor up through the mill-dam, we reach THE MILL-POND. Here stood the CORN
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MILL, and also the SAW MILL, erected, probably, in 1643 or 1644. The present grist mill stands upon or near the same spot.
The body of water connected with the mill-pond through the water-way which exists under the junction of the railroad with Water Street, affords, east of this street when the full tide is in, some of the finest scenery about Hingham, taken in connection with the beautifully wooded uplands on the marshes, called AN- DREWS or SASSAFRAS ISLAND, and the high rocks and precipices jut- ting out from thick oak woods along the eastern bank. The brilliant colors of the foliage contrasting with the gray of the rocks, the blue of the water, and bright green of the meadows go to make up a picture worthy the brush of an artist.
These salt marshes, extending south to Pear Tree Hill, are known as the HOME MEADOWS.
But to return to the mill-pond. This body of water lies be- tween North and Water Streets and the maple-bordered and beau- tiful shades of the cemetery lying to the south. The railroad skirts its southern bank. The mill-pond was anciently a little cove, and the Rev. Peter Hobart, with his band of settlers, landed near the head of this cove where now is the foot of Ship Street. Here the first religious services were held, near a magnificent elm, which, standing in all its majesty up to a dozen or so years ago, an ornament to the street and town, was barbarously cut down by the authorities on the wretched pretext that it was in the way of pedestrians on the sidewalk. At the time of its destruction two cannon balls were found imbedded among its roots, which were undoubtedly left there by the early settlers. These are now in the possession of a zealous antiquarian and local historian.
The TOWN BROOK empties into the western extremity of the mill-pond.
With the idea of following the harbor line from the mill-pond north, we will avail ourselves of the ancient private way which runs along by the heads of the old wharves, some of which are yet used for the reception from a few coasters of such lumber and coal as are required for use in the town ; some have fallen into decay, and with the old rotting warehouses upon the landward side of this little way, are sad reminders of the maritime glories of this once active locality. For Hingham formerly sent a large and well-appointed fishing fleet to sea. Along her shores we have visited some, and shall come across more of the shipyards where numerous ships and smaller craft were built and launched, and the sea captains, sons of her stanch old families, sailed to all quarters of the world.
At the end of this old private way, and where it connects with Otis Street, was formerly SOUTHER's, earlier BARKER'S, SHIPYARD. Here, where now are pretty seaside villas, the keel of many a fine vessel was laid, and the plunge of these into their destined ele- ment was made in a direction toward GOOSE POINT, a small, low,
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marshy promontory, forming the northerly arm of the little cove here. On the west side of this cove was KEEN'S SHIPYARD.
Following along Otis Street over a salt meadow, we come to a few summer residences scattered along by the bay, some being near the former edge of the sand cliff which was cut away when this road was laid out. Here were, a generation ago, extensive SALT WORKS, having their windmills upon the beach ; for, in ear- lier days large quantities of salt were required in packing mackerel taken by the fishing fleet, and much of it was of home production. A few score rods further to the north, and we are at BROAD COVE, an estuary extending in westward as far as Lincoln Street, and then northward as much farther. As our plan is to follow the shore, we will proceed along the southerly bank of this cove. The first locality of interest is at the south side of the entrance from the harbor. Here stood MAJOR'S WHARF and the warehouse adjoining it on the edge of the sand cliff. The writer remembers the old well which was at the foot of the cliff near or under where the building stood. At this wharf were rigged the vessels which were built at the head of Broad Cove at Lincoln Street. The wharf and property in the vicinity belonged, in the latter part of the last century, to Major Thaxter, of the old Provincial army. This gentleman was an officer in the regiment raised in this vicinity which formed part of the garrison at Fort William Henry, which surrendered to Montcalm and his French and Indian forces after a protracted siege in the old French war. He came very near being one of the victims of the subsequent massacre, being taken prisoner and tied to a tree by the Indians, who lighted a fire around him. A French officer rescued him, and he subse- quently escaped or was exchanged.
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