The Palmer River is a river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 in the U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 states of 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...

 and Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. It flows approximately 17 km (11 mi).

Course

The river has two separate branches which converge near the intersection of Danforth Street and Winthrop Street (U.S. 44) in Rehoboth, Massachusetts

Rehoboth, Massachusetts

Rehoboth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,172 at the 2000 census.-History:It was incorporated in 1643 making it one of the earliest Massachusetts towns to be incorporated. The Rehoboth Carpenter Family is among the founding families...

 to form the main branch of the river.

West branch

The west branch (officially West Branch Palmer River) rises in a small unnamed pond near the eastern intersection of Tremont Street and Agricultural Avenue in Rehoboth. It continues roughly south from here until converging with the east branch. It flows approximately 9 km (5 mi).

East branch

The east branch (officially East Branch Palmer River) rises in Little Cedar Swamp in North Rehoboth and flows roughly southwest to converge with the west branch. It flows approximately 8 km (5 mi).

Main branch

After the two branches converge, the river flows roughly south-southwest through Rehoboth and Swansea

Swansea, Massachusetts

Swansea is a town in Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts.It is located at the mouth of the Taunton River, just west of Fall River, 47 miles south of Boston; and 12 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island....

 before crossing into Rhode Island and flowing between Barrington

Barrington, Rhode Island

Barrington is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 16,310 at the 2010 census.In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Barrington sixth on its list of the 100 best places to live in the United States.-History:...

 and Warren

Warren, Rhode Island

Warren is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,611 at the 2010 census.-History:Warren was the site of the Indian village of Sowams on the peninsula called Pokanoket , and was first explored by Europeans in 1621, by Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins...

 for its last few miles. At its mouth, it converges with the Barrington River

Barrington River

The Barrington River is a tidal extension of Runnins River in the U.S. state of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It flows approximately 6 km . There are no dams along the river's length.-History:...

 to form the Warren River

Warren River

The Warren River is a tidal extension of the Palmer River in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 6.5 km . There are no dams along the river's length.-Course:...

.

Crossings

Below is a list of all crossings over the Palmer River and its branches. The list begins at the headwaters and goes downstream.

West branch

• Rehoboth
  • Fairfield Street
  • Ash Street
  • Homestead Avenue
  • Perryville Road
  • Danforth Street
  • Carpenter Street

East branch

• Rehoboth
  • Fairview Avenue
  • Williams Street
  • Winthrop Street (U.S. 44)
  • Moulton Street (MA 118
    Route 118 (Massachusetts)
    Route 118 is a north-south state highway in Bristol County, Massachusetts.-Route description:Route 118 begins at U.S. Route 6 just east of I-195's Exit 3. The route, which begins as Swansea Mall Drive, passes Swansea Mall and the Swansea Crossing shopping center before crossing Wood Street and...
    
    )
  • County Street (Twice)
  • Winthrop Street (U.S. 44)

Main branch

• Rehoboth
  • Danforth Street
  • Winthrop Street (U.S. 44)
  • Wilmarth Bridge Road
  • Summer Street
  • Wheeler Street
  • Reed Street
  • Providence Street
  • Interstate 195
    Interstate 195 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)
    Interstate 195 is an Interstate Highway running a combined 40.1 miles in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It travels from a junction with Interstate 95 in Providence, Rhode Island east to a junction with Interstate 495 and Route 25 in Wareham, Massachusetts...
    
    
  • Fall River Avenue (U.S. 6)
• Swansea
  • Old Providence Road
• Barrington
  • County Road (RI 103
    Route 103 (Rhode Island)
    Route 103 is a numbered State Highway running in Rhode Island. It runs from I-195 in East Providence to the Massachusetts state line in the town of Warren, where the road continues as Massachusetts Route 103...
    
    /114
    Route 114 (Rhode Island)
    Route 114 is a numbered State Highway running in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It connects the city of Newport to the city of Woonsocket. Route 114 was a major north–south artery for its entire length until the arrival of the Interstate Highway System...
    
    )

Tributaries

In addition to many unnamed tributaries, the following brooks feed the Palmer and its branches:

• Mine Brook (West Branch)
• Bliss Brook (West Branch)
• Wolf Plain Brook (West Branch)
• Carpenter Brook (West Branch)
• Roaring Brook (East Branch)
• Bad Luck Brook (East Branch)
• Rumney Marsh Brook
• Fullers Brook
• Rocky Run
• Torrey Creek

Eponym

The river was probably named for Walter Palmer

Walter Palmer (Puritan)

Walter Palmer was an early Separatist Puritan settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony who helped found Charlestown and Rehoboth, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut.-Early life:...

, one of the founders of Rehoboth.