The Saugus River is a river 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...

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The river is 13 miles (20.9 km) long, drains a watershed of approximately 47 square miles (121.7 km²), and passes through Wakefield

Wakefield, Massachusetts

-History:-Geography:The diagram above shows what is to the east, west, north, south, and other directions of the center of Wakefield. Towns with population above 25,000 are in bold italics.-Demographics:-Notable residents:...

, Lynnfield

Lynnfield, Massachusetts

Lynnfield is a wealthy town in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 11,542.- History :...

, Saugus

Saugus, Massachusetts

Saugus is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 26,628 at the 2010 census.-History:Saugus was first settled in 1629. Saugus is an Indian name believed to mean "great" or "extended"...

, and Lynn

Lynn, Massachusetts

Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:...

 as it meanders east and south from its source in Lake Quannapowitt

Lake Quannapowitt

Lake Quannapowitt is one of two main lakes in Wakefield, Massachusetts, the other being the manmade Crystal Lake. Lake Quannapowitt is a popular setting for walkers, joggers, bikers, and in-line skaters off Route 128 in Middlesex County. It is the site of many organized races from 5Ks to Ultra...

 in Wakefield (elevation 90 feet) to its mouth at Boston Broad Sound. It has at least eight tributaries: the Mill River; Bennets Pond Brook; the Pines River; Hawkes Brook; Crystal Pond Brook; Beaver Dam Brook; Strawberry Brook; and Shute Brook.

Although Native Americans called the river Aboutsett ("winding stream"), European settlers first called it the River at Saugus, where Saugus (possibly a native word for "long") arguably named the beach running from Swampscott

Swampscott, Massachusetts

Swampscott is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States located 15 miles up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population is 13,787...

 to Revere

Revere, Massachusetts

Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...

 (there are competing theories as to the origin of the word "Saugus"). In early European times, alewives

Alewife

The alewife is a species of herring. There are anadromous and landlocked forms. The landlocked form is also called a sawbelly or mooneye...

 and bass

Bass (fish)

Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...

 were harvested from 1632 onwards. The Saugus Iron Works used water power from the river in by 1642, and the river subsequently attracted grist mills, chocolate mills, wool and flannel mills, and a tannery.