Indian Head River
Encyclopedia
The Indian Head River is located on the Hanover
, Pembroke
border in Massachusetts
, United States, and covers about 8 acres (32,374.9 m²). The river, 3.7 miles (6 km) long, is a tributary of the North River
, which flows into Massachusetts Bay
. The Indian Head River was probably a fishing and travel spot for Wompatuck Indians.
The river runs through the Luddams Ford Park, named after a guide, James Luddam, who in 1632 carried Governor Winthrop
across the river to get to Weymouth
. In November 1873, Eugene H. Clapp bought the Old Forge Property from George Curtis and built the Clapp Rubber Factory on the river. The factory is no longer there, but the mercury pollution from the factory still clings to the rocks and fish making it unsafe to drink the water and eat the fish. There is a strip of rubber along the river on the Pembroke side which people may bounce on.
The river now has a man-made dam
and fish ladder
. The river is stocked with trout
. It also has a small beaver
population. For two weeks during the summer, the herring run up stream to spawn. If herring are caught they must be released and no motor boats are allowed. Once a year, the Hanover Police hold a free fishing derby for anybody that has a fishing license and a fishing rod.
There is a plaque that is embedded in the wall on a bridge that crosses the river. The plaque says:
Hanover, Massachusetts
Hanover is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,164 at the 2000 census.-History:The area of Hanover was first settled by English settlers in 1649 when William Barstow, a farmer, built a bridge along the North River at what is now Washington Street...
, Pembroke
Pembroke, Massachusetts
Pembroke is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,927 at the 2000 census.The southwestern section of Pembroke is also known as Bryantville...
border in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States, and covers about 8 acres (32,374.9 m²). The river, 3.7 miles (6 km) long, is a tributary of the North River
North River (Massachusetts Bay)
The North River is a river, approximately long, in eastern Massachusetts, the United States. It is primarily a tidal river, formed by the confluence of the Indian Head River and Herring Brook. The North River forms the boundary between the towns of Norwell and Pembroke, Massachusetts, and...
, which flows into Massachusetts Bay
Massachusetts Bay
The Massachusetts Bay, also called Mass Bay, is one of the largest bays of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the distinctive shape of the coastline of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Its waters extend 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Massachusetts Bay includes the Boston Harbor, Dorchester Bay,...
. The Indian Head River was probably a fishing and travel spot for Wompatuck Indians.
The river runs through the Luddams Ford Park, named after a guide, James Luddam, who in 1632 carried Governor Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
across the river to get to Weymouth
Weymouth, Massachusetts
The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...
. In November 1873, Eugene H. Clapp bought the Old Forge Property from George Curtis and built the Clapp Rubber Factory on the river. The factory is no longer there, but the mercury pollution from the factory still clings to the rocks and fish making it unsafe to drink the water and eat the fish. There is a strip of rubber along the river on the Pembroke side which people may bounce on.
The river now has a man-made dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
and fish ladder
Fish ladder
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass or fish steps, is a structure on or around artificial barriers to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration. Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps into the waters on...
. The river is stocked with trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
. It also has a small beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
population. For two weeks during the summer, the herring run up stream to spawn. If herring are caught they must be released and no motor boats are allowed. Once a year, the Hanover Police hold a free fishing derby for anybody that has a fishing license and a fishing rod.
There is a plaque that is embedded in the wall on a bridge that crosses the river. The plaque says:
"The Bay Path at Luddam's Ford across the Indian Head River the boundary line between _____ Hanover
1632 Gov. Winthrop crossed here on the back of James Luddam, his Guide.
Site of Saw Mill 1693
Bardin Iron Works 1704
Curtis Anchor Works 1791
Pembroke
Anchor for the Warship Constitution made here in 1797
A Grist Mill 1832
Carding Mill 1839
Clapp Rubber Co. 1873"