Did you know the river played a central role in battles between the Native American Wampanoag people and English settlers in the historic King Philip's War in 1675?

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• Summary of Historic Resources and Sites
• Summary of Archaeologic Periods
• History of the Titicut Reservation
• Tools, Bowls and other Archaeologic Finds
• The Taylor Farm Property
• Native American Fort at Fort Hill
• "Praying Indians" of Titicut
• The Nemasket Plimoth Path
• The Path to the Great Chief Pokonoket
• The Rescue of Tisquantum
• King Philip's War of 1675
• The Wamponoag Canoe Passage
• The First Post Office at East Taunton
• Historic Mill and Iron Bog Sites
• History of Ship Building on the Taunton River
• Chronology of the 3rd Congregational Church
  of Middleborough
• History of the Pratt Free School

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Visit the Massachusetts Archeological Society and the Robbins Museum (dedicated to the Native People of New England) at 17 Jackson Street, Middleboro, MA
508-947-9005

Summary of Historic Resources and Sites

The Taunton is rich in history. The area served as a vital waterway for Native American settlements as well as Colonial settlements. Paleo Indian artifacts have been found in the Taunton River area dating back as far as 12,000 years.

There are historic sites of Native American trails, river crossings, settlements, remains of colonial grist mills, ship building yards, industrial iron works, as well as paper and textile mills found all along the Taunton River.

Following are several Historic Sites Within The Titicut area of North Middleborough along the taunton River.

• At Titicut Bridge on Plymouth Street (now called World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge) if you walk 1/2 mile east to the Titicut Green, you will be transported back over 200 years in time to a quieter, more peaceful era. Several old Pratt Family houses from the early 1800's are located near Titicut Green. The North Middleborough Congregational Church (1747-1748), Pratt Free School (1865) and Titicut Parish Cemetery (1746), all speak of simpler times. The Frederic L. Chamberlain School (1976) is a private, residential school for emotionally disturbed and learning disable adolescents, (11-18) years of age. Much early history evolved around Titicut Green.
• Moving 100 yards or so upstream from Titicut Bridge, we find the remains of the Keith Iron (Foundry) Works, started around 1740. The dam on South Street, Bridgewater still has two sluiceways pouring water to the Taunton River. Around 1900 Embert Sturtevant had a store and boathouse just north of Titicut Bridge. It was a Sunday custom to rent a canoe and cruise the Taunton River.

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Summary of Archaeologic Periods

Following is a current age chart for the various cultures along the Taunton River and Eastern Massachusetts: (Hoffman-1994). Click on any of the time periods for more detail.

• Paleo-Indian 12000-10000 B.P.
• Late Paleo-Indian 10000-9000 B.P.
• Early Archaic 9000-8000 B.P.
• Middle Archaic 8000-6000 B.P.
• Late Archaic 6000-3700 B.P.
• Transitional Archaic 3700-2700 B.P.
• Early Woodland 2700-2000 B.P.
• Middle Woodland 2000-1000 B.P.
• Late Woodland 1000-400 B.P.
• Contact (Historic) 400 - 150 B.P.

The above 16 Bifurcate spear points are from the Early Archaic period (9,000 to 8,000 B.P) found in the Titicut area in Middleborough. Material is felsite. The longest is 2".

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