USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Hingham > History of the town of Hingham, Massachusetts, vol 1 > Part 18
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The land lying south of this cove adjoining (and perhaps in- cluding) the present camp-grounds belonging to the First Corps of Cadets of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, was formerly known as JOHN'S NECK.
Upon the south bank of the cove were, in early days SALT WORKS.
At the Lincoln Street end of Broad Cove was a SHIPYARD, where numerous vessels were built. An old lady in conversation with the writer a few years since, spoke of having seen four vessels at a time upon the stocks there in the early part of this century.
Broad Cove divides into two creeks which extend northward and westward for about a quarter of a mile. Over these creeks, from Lincoln Street to Crow Point, ran CROW POINT LANE, cross- ing the creeks by bridges. These were landmarks a century ago, the territory hereabouts being known as " AT YE BRIDGES."
PLANTER'S FIELDS LANE led from Crow Point Lane to Planter's Fields.
From "Y Bridges " northwestward toward Weymouth River for a considerable distance lay the SHIP LOTS.
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Ancient Landmarks.
Returning by the northerly shore of Broad Cove to the harbor again, we skirt the foot of OTIS HILL, very steep upon its western slope, and from this cause known to the early settlers, in their quaintly expressive nomenclature, as WEARY-ALL HILL. The southeastern extremity of this hill, stretching out into low land at the north side of the entrance to Broad Cove, is PAUL'S POINT.
The hill takes its name from John Otis, an early settler with Rev. Peter Hobart, in 1635, and who received a grant of land here. He was the ancestor of the celebrated Otis family in America.
The view from Otis Hill, like that from all the high hills of Hingham and Cohasset, is exquisite. The waters of the bay, and of Hingham harbor, with its picturesque islands, lie at one's feet. To the northeast and east, is the deep blue expanse of ocean, be- yond the long, narrow neck of Nantasket Beach, which connects the peninsular town of Hull with the mainland. Beyond Wind- mill Point, Hull, the granite bastions of Fort Warren reflect the light in the afternoon sun. Ships and steamers on their course lend life to the ocean view. The north shore melts to haze in the distance. Islands dot the waters of Boston Bay, the white towers of lighthouses surmounting some of them. To the northwest looms the city, crowned with its golden dome. The Blue Hills of Milton, the Mas-sa-chu-setts,
" rock-ribbed and ancient as the sun,"
rise against the western horizon. Fields and heavy woodlands lie from the southwest to the southeast, interspersed with towns and villages scattered here and there.
Daniel Webster greatly admired Otis Hill with its view, and often visited it on his way to Marshfield. It is said that he had a great desire to buy it and make his home there, but feared that as it was so near the city he could not hope for the seclusion which a more distant spot would afford.
At the north end of Otis Hill is WALTON'S COVE, or WAMPUM COVE, a slight indentation westward from the harbor, with very pretty scenery about it, having a high rocky shore on one side and fine trees all about it. An early settler of 1635, William Walton, owned land here, hence its name.
Beyond Walton's Cove is CROW POINT, a rounded hill extending like a cape into the harbor. It was the first ancient landmark sighted by the early explorers who sailed into Hingham Harbor, and probably the first spot landed upon.
Before leaving this neighborhood, it will be well to take a look at the islands. The tide is high, and a row about the bay will be a fine thing this bright fall afternoon.
Taking a boat, then, at Crow Point, we will pull over first to RAGGED ISLAND, the westernmost of the group lying next thie shore. This island, well-named, is a very picturesque mass of
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History of Hingham.
rock, and the scarlet and yellow of the sumacs, and other wild shrubs, form a fiery contrast to the deep olive green of the savins here and there among the ledges. At half-tide, the rusty under- water coloring of the rocks of these islands, supplemented by the dark, yellowish-russet tints of the rockweed, which only grows submerged on the ledges, is very interesting in an artistic point of view.
East of this lies SARAH'S (SAILOR'S, or SAYLES'S) ISLAND. This is also the summit of a great rocky ledge rising up from the water, and clothed with sumacs and other shrubs.
Towards the head of the harbor, hardly a mile south, lies BUTTON ISLAND. This little heap of rock and gravel, bearing no trees nor shrubs and but little grass, is not worth visiting. But one other remains to be noticed, LANGLEE'S ISLAND (in early days IBROOK'S), which is a beautiful spot. Steep ledges surround it, except for small intervals, where there are gravelly beaches, upon one of which stands a fine linden. Shrubs abound upon the uplands. It will be, in a few years, yet more beautiful than now, thanks to the enlightened taste of the gentleman who owns it. He has planted many small trees, which will eventually cover it with forest growth, as was originally the case when the country was settled, and restore it to the condition in which all the islands of Boston harbor should be. Had they been kept so for the past two centuries, the forces of erosion would not have succeeded in practically sweeping some of them from the face of the earth, and destroying the contour of all. Richard Ibrook, who probably owned this island very early, came in 1635.
As we row ashore again, those few light clouds in the west are taking upon themselves from the declining sunbeams colors yet more gorgeous than those of the fall foliage, and we have a fine opportunity of admiring one of those superb sunsets for which Hingham harbor is justly celebrated. Glowing, as it does, over the waters of the bay and across the western hills, it presents a splendor which no locality in the world can surpass.
Although twilight is short at this season, there is yet time for a ride around the shore before the gloaming is upon us; and as we left our horses here, let us mount at once and follow the road around the north side of Crow Point, and then the beach along the foot of the fine hill next west of it, the bank of which is bordered by a heavy growth of Lindens, Canoe Birches (very rare hereabouts), and other trees. This is PLEASANT HILL. Be- yond it are PLANTER'S FIELDS, or PLANILS, and another of those DAMDE MEDDOWES which our ancestors rescued from the inroads of the sea wherever they could do so to advantage. Between the southerly slopes of Crow Point and Pleasant Hill, and Walton's Cove on the south, is a slight eminence called TUCKER's or TUCK- ER'S HILL. John Tucker was an early settler, coming in 1635.
The beach west of Pleasant Hill is GARDNER'S or GARNETT'S (GARNER'S) BEACH.
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Ancient Landmarks.
Beyond Pleasant Hill is the mouth of WEYMOUTH BACK RIVER, here an arm of the sea. At this point is HUET'S (HEWITT'S) COVE, which with the land in its vicinity, including the localities formerly known as THE WIGWAM and THE CAPTAIN'S TENT, is a beautiful and romantic spot. The cove itself is an indentation formed by a low rocky point making out to the westward, the opposite shore being a steep ledge or precipice, the upper part covered with canoe birches, oaks, and other forest trees in pro- fusion. The rolling contour of the country here, embracing pretty open fields, alternating with savin and linden thickets extending to the verge of the beaches, gives a charming va- riety to the landscape, while the water view is all that could be desired.
During the siege of Boston by Washington, the English found themselves in sore straits for forage. Learning of some barns well filled with hay upon Grape Island, which lies off Huet's Cove, the British commander ordered a foraging party to pro- ceed in boats to the island and secure the supplies. The expe- dition, however, was discovered, and the militia of Hingham and vicinity were soon on the march down Lincoln Street to Huet's Cove, it being feared that the enemy intended landing there. Finding, however, that their objective point was Grape Island, a detachment was sent off which set the barns on fire before the English could land. Being disappointed in their object, the enemy returned to Boston without attempting a landing.
Among the fields at Huet's Cove is a small tract formerly known as PATIENCE'S GARDEN. Patience Pometick, the last Indian squaw living in Hingham, used to gather roots and herbs here, and sell them to the townspeople. In later days, and early in this cen- tury, an eccentric colored woman called " Black Patty " used to visit Patience's Garden, and haunt the territory adjoining Huet's Cove. Upon one occasion Patty was collecting herbs there, when, happening to glance seaward, attracted by a peculiar and unac- customed sound, the poor wretch's blood was frozen by what she saw. A dark, uncouth looking monster was rapidly approaching over the water, snorting black smoke with a spiteful sound, the waves of the bay foaming behind it, and sparks of fire mingling with the smoke which it belched forth. Patty waited to see no more, but rushed over the fields and into the first house that she ·could reach, screaming that the Fiend himself was close behind her. The monster which poor Patty had taken for the Enemy of Souls was the first Hingham steamboat coming into the harbor!
Farther up Weymouth River, and just before reaching the bridge over which the Hingham and Quincy turnpike ran, there is a high, partly wooded promontory, which until within a year or two belonged to the town, and is known as STODDARD'S (STOD- DAR'S) NECK.
The old building nearest the bridge, on the north side of the road was, in the days of the turnpike, the TOLL HOUSE. From
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History of Hingham.
here a sharp ride over Lincoln Street will take us into the village about dusk. Until within twenty years this street only extended west a short distance beyond Crow-Point Lane, and the first set- tlers who laid it out called it BROAD-COVE STREET. It runs along the northerly base of SQUIRREL HILL, near its junction with Crow- Point Lane. The view from this hill almost equals that from Otis Hill. At the foot of Squirrel Hill were formerly CLAY PITS, where there were brick kilns.
The name of Broad-Cove Street was changed to Lincoln Street in honor of Major-General Benjamin Lincoln, of the army of the Revolution. The GENERAL LINCOLN MANSION, on the corner of this and North Streets, is still occupied by his descendants. A portion of it is upwards of two hundred and twenty years old.
About a dozen years since it became necessary to construct a. sewer on Main Street, to relieve the part of the road south of the Old Meeting-House of surplus surface water. The line of this sewer was laid out so as to run along in front of the hill upon which stands the Derby Academy ; a part of which hill, as else- where stated, was cut down, and the roadway lowered to the present level. The rising ground thus removed was originally part of the burial-hill, and Main Street here passes over where the edge of the slope originally was.
Upon digging to build this sewer several skeletons were un- earthed, which were identified as those of the Acadian prisoners who died in Hingham ; for a number of those unhappy exiles were sent here after their expatriation. Some of them lived for a time in a small one-story house which stood on Broad-Cove Street, on land which is now the southeast corner of Lincoln Street and Burditt Avenue. In this house also were quartered, early in the Revolutionary War, Lieutenant Haswell and his young daughter, who was afterwards the celebrated Mrs. Rowson. Mr. Haswell was a British officer, and collector of the customs at Hull, for the King. He was for some time a prisoner-of-war in Hingham and elsewhere.
On Lincoln Street, at the easterly side of the road, and at the summit of the hill north of Fountain Square, stands a large, old- fashioned house which was, sixty years since, WILDER'S TAVERN, and yet earlier, THE ANDREWS TAVERN. There used to be a post in front of the porch, on which was a large golden ball.
Another crisp, bright October morning,-
" when the quiet light Succeeds the keen and frosty night; "
and what could be finer than this for further explorations among the landmarks ? Let us start, therefore, in the direction of the WEST END. The house next west of the General Lincoln man- sion was in old times SETH CUSHING'S INN. Going up North
HOME OF GEN. BENJAMIN LINCOLN.
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Ancient Landmarks.
Street, we are all the time moving parallel with the TOWN BROOK, which rises in Bare Swamp and flows down, crossing South Street at the West Hingham depot, thence easterly through the centre of THE SWAMP, - a fresh meadow bounded by North, West, and South Streets, and probably extending originally to the cove which is now the mill pond, - to its outlet in the last-named local- ity. The bridge across the brook, connecting North and South Streets at the point near the Methodist church, is known as GOOLD'S BRIDGE. That one where these two streets approach each other at the east end of The Swamp, is MARSH'S BRIDGE. A short distance further west an old way called BURTON'S LANE runs north from North Street toward Squirrel Hill.
At the last bend of North Street is a small hill, a spur of Baker's Hill, known as MARS HILL. One of the oldest houses in Hingham stands upon it.
After turning into Beal Street, BAKER'S HILL rises on the right hand. It is one of the largest and highest hills in town, and there is a superb view from the top. It derived its name from the residence, at its foot, of Nicholas Baker, who with his brother Nathaniel came with Rev. Peter Hobart in 1635.
Beal Street, formerly THE TURNPIKE between Hingham and Quincy, and the direct road to Boston until Lincoln Street was cut through, was in early times GOOLD'S (GOLD'S) LANE, and ran north until it reached the first hill. Then it divided into three blind lanes. One led westward to Great Lots ; one northwest- ward to the same locality ; and one was SQUIRREL-HILL LANE, which runs from Beal Street, north of Baker's Hill, to Squirrel Hill. Edward Gold, from whom this lane took its name, was an early settler. He was known as " the pailmaker."
A few rods from the junction of Beal with North Street, Hock- LEY LANE runs west from Beal Street to HOCKLEY. Where this lane begins is HOCKLEY CORNER (another Hockley Corner is on Fort-Hill Street). Hockley is an extensive district, consisting of hundreds of acres of rolling country, embracing fine meadows, woodlands, and a beautiful water front on Weymouth Back River. It is one of the most attractive localities in Hingham. TUCKER'S SWAMP is situated north of Hockley Lane. In former days the cutting and drying of peat for fuel was quite an industry at this place. There were about twenty-five buildings then standing in the vicinity, used for the storage of dried peat.
Near the foot of the lane is HOCKLEY RUN, which empties into the river at BEAL'S COVE, a pretty indentation here. Two other small runs flow into the river near by. The old crossing known in early days as LONDON BRIDGE was not far distant.
The territory north, about Lincoln and Beal streets, including the ALMSHOUSE and TOWN FARM, was formerly denominated GREAT LOTS. STOWELL'S HILL is on Weymouth River, near the Alms House.
Returning to Beal Street, and crossing the head of the Swamp,
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History of Hingham.
over West Street, we turn to the right into Fort-Hill Street, which passes over FORT HILL, about a quarter of a mile farther south- west. The old name was NICHOLS'S HILL, until, in the time of King Philip's War, a fort was built upon it for protection against Indian attacks, and the name was changed to Fort Hill. When the top of the hill was cut off, the lines of the old fort were oblit- erated. Near the end of this street, and close to the Weymouth line, is FRESH RIVER, a little stream rising in Bare Swamp and emptying into Weymouth Back River. A small branch of this. flows from the neighborhood of Nutty Hill across Hobart Street. The bridge across Fresh River at Fort-Hill Street is WEST BRIDGE. The one over it on French Street is FRENCH'S. BRIDGE. At the corner of Fort Hill and French streets is a small sheet of water through which this little stream flows, called ROUND POND.
New Bridge Street, which runs in a southerly direction from Fort-Hill Street, crosses Fresh River, passes through BARE. SWAMP, and skirts the easterly side of GREAT HILL, which lies. between it and Hobart Street. Bare Swamp was, like all mead- ows found already cleared of forest. by the early settlers, very valuable to them, for the reason that such lands afforded for- age for their cattle. In their system of valuation meadow property was rated highest, corn lands next, and woodlands least. How the present estimate would reverse this if a portion of the magnificent primeval forest which they found were yet standing! Bare Swamp, when they came, was found to have been cleared by the beavers, and received its name from its being bare of trees. Those animals, evidently plenty up to that time, had by their dams across the watercourses, overflowed the vicin- ity. This had, perhaps, been the case for centuries, at least for so long a period that the trees had died out and fallen, and meadow land was the natural consequence.
Great Hill is rather a barren height, as are most of the small eminences about it; but interspersed among these are various little green and fertile meadows. Some of them are under culti- vation, others growing up to woods, which it is to be hoped will advance up the slopes of the hills, thus increasing their value and enhancing their beauty. The neighborhood is of great in- terest to the geologist, exhibiting as it does, remarkable traces of the occupancy of this region by the great glacier. PIGEON PLAIN is a sandy tract of land between the Great Hill district and High Street. It was in early days a haunt of the wild pigeons.
South of Hobart Street, and between it and High Street, lies HEMLOCK SWAMP. At the corner of French and High streets is NUTTY (or NUTTER'S) HILL, so called because the early settlers found walnuts there in great abundance.
Beyond High Street is Ward Street. The portion of this road, OLD WARD STREET, which used to be a highway running nearly
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Ancient Landmarks.
due south to Queen Ann's Turnpike, is discontinued, although even now it is a delightful bridle path through the thick woods. Where it crosses a small branch of Plymouth River is a pecu- liarly shaped field always known as Ox-Bow MEADOW. The present part of Ward Street between its junction with Old Ward Street and Cushing Street, used to be called Fox LANE. ROOT's BRIDGE and ROOT's HILL are near the junction referred to.
Riding through the pleasant old deserted Ward Street, we reach Whiting Street, formerly QUEEN ANN'S TURNPIKE (or "Quean " Ann's Turnpike). This name, sad to say, was not bestowed in honor of good Queen Anne, but was derived from the sobriquet of a far less reputable individual, who kept a tavern of unsavory reputation upon it in former days.
This street enters Hingham from Weymouth, and makes its exit at QUEEN ANN'S CORNER, just east of Accord Pond, at the point where it meets Main Street. On Whiting Street, near the Weymouth line, is a rocky ridge across the street, called THE DEVIL'S BACK. It is said that whatever may be done in the way of covering this ridge, or lowering it by blasting, it always in time reappears. Whether the inhabitants of an earlier gene- ration considered this peculiarity as evincing undne activity on the part of Satan in making travel in that vicinity more labori- ous, or whether they surmised that the " Ward Witches " had a hand in the mischief, instigated thereto by the Evil One, they bestowed upon the ridge this unsanctified name. The territory certainly must have been within the jurisdiction of these "Ward Witches," who were lady members of a family which formerly dwelt in a part of the town not very far away, and who were popularly believed to practise the Black Art.
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Passing southeast over this old turnpike we come to a deep ravine through which flows, in a northerly direction, an active little stream called PLYMOUTH RIVER. Further on, a branch of the same crosses the road. This "river," now but a brook in size, received its name from the fact of its being on the way to Plymouth, as it crossed the OLD INDIAN PATH which was in this vicinity, and which was the only road which the early settlers had between Boston and Plymouth.
It must be noted that the little streams called "rivers " in Hingham, were doubtless in aboriginal days much wider and deeper than now. The denudation of the country by the extir- pation of the heavy forests, with the consequent desiccation of lands which then held in their sponge-like soils, mulched by thou- sands of generations of fallen leaves, volumes of water vastly in excess of what falls upon or remains in them now, has resulted in the dwarfing of the once good-sized streams, and the diminu- tion of the annual rainfall ; and the dry and starveling wood- lands (as compared with the primeval forest), cannot retain the moisture necessary to the formation of rivers of any size.
A short distance southeast of the easterly branch of Plymouth
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1
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History of Hingham.
River, on Whiting Street, we come upon Cushing Street, crossing the old turnpike. We will turn to the right and proceed a few rods until we strike Derby Street, which leads from the intersec- tion of Gardner with Whiting Street, westward into Weymouth. This country is all in the old FOURTH DIVISION. Ancient land- marks are plentiful in this corner of Hingham, although many of them can with difficulty be distinguished, owing to the country being now extensively covered with woods where formerly were farms. Consequently, in most cases their location merely can be pointed out.
South of Derby, and immediately west of Gardner Street, lies HUCKLEBERRY PLAIN, famous for the abundance of the fruit from which it derives its name. West of this, and south of Derby Street are the FARM HILLS. Between Derby and Abington Street and Rockland, is MAST SWAMP, where formerly grew very large pines, suitable for masts of vessels. North of Derby Street, and between it and Whiting Street, are the SMOOTH HILLS. To the south again are the THREE HUNDRED ACRES, a tract once be- longing to Madam Derby. Derby Street was named in honor of this lady. Just before this street enters Weymouth, it passes through MUSQUITO PLAIN, so called from the supposed super- abundance of these insects.
Retracing our course over Derby Street, we will turn into Cushing Street and proceed almost due north. Between this street, Whiting Street, and Plymouth River, is BREAKNECK HILL, now not a specially perilous descent where it invades the high- way, however steep it may formerly have been. East of Cushing Street, at this point, is HOOP-POLE HILL, where great quantities of trees were cut in the days when the mackerel fishery was in its prime, to furnish hoops for the barrels made at the harbor for packing the fish. Woods now cover nearly all the hills in this romantic and almost deserted portion of the town. A branch of Plymouth River crosses and recrosses the road along the base of these hills six times. The next point of interest is MULLEIN HILL, a sharp ridge lying on the east side of the road. The extensive growth of mullein in this locality in past days gave this hill its name. The somewhat abrupt ranges next crossed, and extending west of the road, are those of the HIGH HILLS.
The country all about here has a peculiarly broken surface, and the woods covering it are principally oak.
WHITE-OAK NECK lies between Plymouth River, just before it enters Cushing's Pond, and EEL RIVER, a little stream which flows north, crossing Cushing Street, and also emptying into this pond. The road turns abruptly to the eastward here, and crosses the southerly extremity of CUSHING'S POND, a pretty sheet of water lying among wooded hills, upon the banks of which have been carried on some of the most noted industries of the town. Here is the BUCKET FACTORY, where for generations were made the celebrated "Hingham buckets" which were sold, far and
twr.
VIEW ON MAIN STREET, SOUTH HINGHAM.
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Ancient Landmarks.
wide, all over the country. It is proper to state, however, that it was the manufacture of buckets by hand, at little shops else- where in town, earlier than the establishment of this factory, that had procured for Hingham the sobriquet of "Bucket Town." Here also were made the " Jacobs Hatchets" esteemed for their excellence and exported all over the world in days gone by. Alas, alas! how the mercantile, manufacturing, and maritime en- terprises of Hingham have faded away, never to reappear. The Thomas Iron Foundry at Thomas's Pond on Weir River, the Eagle Foundry at the harbor, the Bucket Factory and Hatchet Works at Cushing's Pond, the Cordage Factory, the Iron Works and Factory at Trip-Hammer Pond, - the productions of all these various industries were justly appreciated both in this country and abroad, and none more so than those of the Stephenson Scale Works. The shipyards of Hingham - Hall's, Souther's, and others - launched as noble vessels as sailed under the flag. The fishing interests of the town employed a large fleet of fine schoon- ers, well commanded and manned by hundreds of her stalwart young men. These interests built up more than one fortune, large for those days.
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