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P l d F nt Street h s od Drive r ce e t o s a o w A network of land and water trails connecting the Town River re a t n n s C s e c a e rv i a s n T H and the Bay Circuit Trail to public conservation areas

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r e Road e Existing Trail oldi t a A - Skim Milk Bridge G e tre W _^ 1 - Skim Milk Bridge B oad S er R d a Proposed Trail o wst r Bre a y B - Forest / Clinton n ow n eet H oad  i Str R ter Str e horn ark Cen eet E Bay Circuit Trail _^ 2 - Comfort Bridge rts B a C - Holmes Hill R a g t H ha as s o S E 106 t UV a S t State Road d r D - Flaggy Meadow t e ee e _^ 3 - Holmes Hill tr t APR Lands ct S on pe H ert E - War Memorial Park s i av ro l e P l B s ds River Bend Golf Course _^ 4 - War Memorial Park i o L E d o  F - Iron Works e t l e W r Stree l o est Cente i W s A P A v Dept. of Fish & Game Lands C e E a G - Stiles & Hart v h r _^ n 5 - Trucchi's Landing e et k e a u e u n tr en r S u e et t D Av Town Centers l e an n e e tr ry r rso H - Tuckerwood s B i e S v r Em A S e e ^ s _ 6 - Reynold's Landing t iv h  School Zones r R  S e o S e u t t r t e Bridgewater State University h 28 e (! t _^ 7 - Iron Works Park S C t S r o e u t e t e t h e _^ M 8 - Town River Landing r t a S D in

m S l F t E r ^ o _ 9 - Hayward Street e h r e e e A t iel Terrac t s Dan r u t t t T o w h S To n e o S u t R e fort S _^ 10 - Tuckerwood w r r r m t e i t s o re n v C e e e S P t e c t l l D l a d C r a a a l a o u et c l R m an P e M e o W ich a C et C e op re i n t p p t rc v er t e l e ll i fie e e o r l S y d R t o r S t e n Dr an l a iv o n r K D e e e t e o K y g a t r S r W d C B w d e l e b i o l d e e i r e l a u o r u l V B B t m W o S g e b w v n i d u o r r m l e L s t D o E e v A i f p S e r d v t r e e e o a High Stree t D t B n e t l t S l r r u u t i d e c e S H e 28 a v n (! iv k i o o r t r l e A s D t Tra ld B C d e il  r u s n ic A k a er a h r  t o iv L R a e 18 R R d r o P F e (! e r a r e e e d e t H  r a n S k h b v y o T b i B A a k Y u R l w a H K R dri o t y ch a O a E R e C d T R e W r l t o r a h A a t n po  e d S le S i y W l t f r u r e C E e e Lan t e ow i G t M t d r D n G a e a c I e e n l a e C L M t R M M nt B e a sa e i a T e d n he S r n a S P t a E R o tr t t S L e E R e e W y e e h T e r e t r t r At t W t a g e  r S  S A r e h W o M r l o d t it il E t S m N F n M G o e d a M D d e r n I l m r o a S R O t r t r w e m S r B l i y e v a s i r a e T S r H e a S A H t c D u e p a o r v t d n P in u la l e g e e v S n n R 24 n fi A tr t u (! e u n d h st He e o n S t r ather Dri t e n in t r e ve Rgi vR 24 re o h e H iev r (! e N m riv a G er t A D le o UV104 Ro t t S od ad  t es e t w e r M re re in t re rc o t e S Plymouth Stree ad t a un S t tr e E o S d t n e iv  d e P B e r t W lm R r C r io t o u D e a y a s n r e l ive b v p r l n urner Dr 24 S l r ec U ill l tr T (! o a d t t i G u t C a S A h S r r H o t e Sch v r e t e re e o e e R o P n e S 24 e ad et r l S a u g te n (! e t tr r e t t o e k e d b a n r g R S et a e A E r L e ll is h v W i r 1:20,000 e e ± o ill t Gro en C u ve St u t W o reet e S To Carvers Pond Hockomock Swamp The Town River - Protected at Both Ends The Nunckatessett Greenway As the largest remaining fresh-water swamp in Massachusetts, Known today as Town River, the Nunckatessett originates in the Hockomock in this 16,950 acre wetland is a protected Area of Critical Swamp. This meandering, 14-mile river corridor is one of the earliest areas of Environmental Concern (ACEC), a huge, 7 ½ billion-gallon colonial settlement dating back to the mid-1600. Before then it was home to West Bridgewater, MA water reservoir. It is a unique and irreplaceable wildlife the Pokanoket Nation, an ancient American civilization that existed in southern habitat, home to at least 13 rare and endangered species - a New England for thousands of years. The Town River, with several Colonial and vast natural and scenic area, an oasis of peace and quiet. For Era industrial sites on the National Register of Historic Places, flows through thousands of years the Hockomock has remained close to the centers of both West Bridgewater and Bridgewater before converging with Bridgewater, MA primeval wilderness, a soggy, trackless woodland of white the Matfield River to form the Wild & Scenic Taunton River, now federally cedar, red maple, cat-tail marsh, small ponds and meandering protected under the National Park Service. T o d a y t h e r e i s a v i s i o n . . . and a huge effort across the streams. state to link hundreds of open spaces through: During the Woodland Period, the Indians depended on this •Parks and Trails swamp as an abundant source of game; they believed that if •Natural Resource Areas they camped once a year in an area known to them as ‘Mollie •Important Community Features Ground,’ the good spirits of the swamp would stay with them for the rest of the year. The significance of the Hockomock’s Bay Circuit Trail The Towns of West Bridgewater and Bridgewater embrace this archaeological resources is enormous; small stone hearths 15” Vision with the goal of linking town-owned conservation areas to in diameter, a plummet stone fishing sinker, an ulu stone knife The 200-mile Bay Circuit Trail the nationally recognized Bay Circuit Trail and the historically and other artifacts have been unearthed, indicating a very (BCT) is a permanent recreation important Nunckatessett (Town River) in order to satisfy diverse early civilization. trail extending through 34 towns environmental, economical, educational, recreational, and social The Mass Division of Fish & Game own approximately 5000 in Eastern Massachusetts, linking needs. acres of this swamp, providing public access to recreational parks and open spaces areas along the Nunckatessett Greenway. The swamp is surrounding metropolitan Boston. popular for hunting, fishing, boating, canoeing, swimming, Recognized nationally, the BCT Greenways and for the observation and study of plants and animals. travels through the Nunckatessett Greenways are corridors of land and water and the natural, The fertile agricultural fields adjacent to the Hockomock’s Greenway in West Bridgewater cultural, and recreational resources they link together. A riverfront wetlands, brooks, and rivers are of prime importance, with and Bridgewater. Promoting BCT walkway, a bicycle path, an urban walking trail connecting West Bridgewater using its Community Preservation Fund to stewardship is a goal found in historical sites and neighborhood parks, a wildlife migration secure permanent protect of 116 acres in the town’s first both communities Open Space & corridor, and a series of open spaces joined by trails are all Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) agreement. Recreation Plans. examples of Greenways.

Sites of Special Interest The Nunckatessett Greenway is a network of trail spurs connecting the Town River and Bay Circuit Trail to municipal and state Holmes Hill conservation areas, historical sites and urban centers, school Holmes Hill overlooks the Town River and is the location of the first stockade / districts and Bridgewater State University, the Hockomock Swamp fort in Old Bridgewater. It was here that colonists sought refuge during King and the Wild & Scenic Taunton River. Set aside for passive Phillip’s War, both for the settlers at times of siege and for the Native American recreation by both the Town of West Bridgewater and the Town of prisoners of war when settlers wanted to execute them. Bridgewater, the Nunckatessett Greenway connects people to the natural world. National Park Service - Wild & Scenic Rivers War Memorial Park Ths park saw intensive industrial activity as early as 1662 when the first grist The National Wild & Scenic Rivers System was created by mill was built; eventually 17 different mills were on site. The Ames Shovel Congress in 1968 to preserve certain rivers with Company operated here through the 19th century, producing shovels used Trail Construction - AmeriCorps outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values, across the nation to build railroads, canals and subways, and farm land. War Based in Hawley, Massachusetts, AmeriCorps’ primary partners are keeping them in a free-flowing condition for the Memorial Park is listed on the National Register of Historical Places. enjoyment of present and future generations. The Act the Massachusetts Service Alliance and the Massachusetts safeguards the special character of these rivers, while also Iron Works Park Department of Conservation and Recreation. Corps Members spend the winter months providing environmental education and recognizing the potential for their appropriate use and Iron Works Park is also on the National Register of Historical Places. The first development. The Taunton received Wild & Scenic River service learning programs to students in the schools of western iron rolling mill was built on the Town River in 1695; by 1875 ranked the Massachusetts. During the summer, members are engaged in status and was placed under the National Park Service in largest iron concern in New England, covering over 70 acres. This mill was 2009; as a key tributary, the Town River is also recognized delivering conservation service to Massachusetts State Parks and chosen to produce armor plating for the USS Monitor and later wrought iron and afforded protection. Forests as well as many community-based natural areas. Their for the USS Constitution. The Bay Circuit Trail networks through this park. work mostly involves trail construction and maintenance. West Bridgewater and Bridgewater are fortunate to have been Stiles & Hart Conservation Parkland able to engage the AmeriCorps in the construction of several trail This 2010 Nunckatessett Greenway© map was produced by Kitty Doherty of Stiles & Hart was once home to the Plymouth County Agricultural Society spurs within the Nunckatessett Greenway. In partnership, the Riverland Consulting, Scott Lussier of Suffolk University, and the Towns of West Fairgrounds - complete with an exhibition hall, grandstand, and ¼ mile Bridgewater and Bridgewater in harmony with their Open Space & Recreation Conservation Commissions from both communities are anticipating trotting track. In 1895 the site became a clay- mining industry, producing Plans. It is intended to promote unified passive recreation, education, construction that the AmeriCorps will again assist in building new trails during of new trail spurs, PR to share Greenway information with the people, and to bricks until into the early 1900s. Today this parkland is part of the the summer of 2011. discover a new generation of stewards for these forgotten resources. Nunckatessett Greenway in the heart of downtown Bridgewater.