The First Decade By Jim Glinski, Scituate Even though the NSRWA lacked a permanent office and held meetings in private homes, under the leadership of its first president, Bill Finn, it got right to work to preserve the scenic and recreational values of the North and South Rivers. In January it published its first newsletter, […]
By Caleb Estabrooks, Hanover The year 1821 was not a particularly busy year for North River Shipyards: The Panic of 1819 had set in and few people were investing in shipping. As a result only eight ships were launched on the North River that year. Despite this, John B. and Elijah Barstow managed to build […]
NSRWA began as a group of 200 local citizens 50 years ago. Today, we have grown to more than 1,700 members across our region, making NSRWA the largest environmental organization on Boston’s South Shore. With our supporters, we strive to act as a catalyst for change by boosting the capacity of grassroots groups, fostering advocacy […]
The site of SMITHS YARD in Hanover is about 300 yards below the old North River Bridge, and about 12 miles up-river from the ocean (although the distance was 15 miles until the Portland Gale altered the river in 1898). The cast iron sign that marks the location for this shipyard reads “SMITHS YARD LATER […]
December 19, 1919 By: Henry T. Claus Transcribed and edited by Jane Estabrooks A Democracy Afloat Others perhaps had a large share in making history in those history-making days, but in the light of today no vessel reaches quite the picturesque heights attained by the Roanoke, 99 tons, built in 1842 at Barstow’s Lower Yards. […]
December 19, 1919 By: Henry T. Claus Transcribed and edited by Jane Estabrooks Came to Boston’s Tea-Party Another history-making ship that the North River gave to the nation was the brig Beaver, one of the vessels participating in Boston’s famous tea party on Dec. 16, 1773. The Beaver, tonnage unknown, was built by Ichabod Thomas […]
December 19, 1919 By: Henry T. Claus Transcribed and edited by Jane Estabrooks Rapid Accretion Another interesting shipbuilder of his time was Alden Briggs of the Briggs family which played so important a part in Plymouth County history. Alden Briggs had the peculiar habit of adding, from year to year, by compound interest to the […]
December 19, 1919 By: Henry T. Claus Transcribed and edited by Jane Estabrooks Nature Acted When She Got Ready From the earliest days trouble was experienced in getting the larger ships from the river to the sea, and all sorts of contrivances were rigged up to drag the vessels through the shoals. But the thing […]
This is a reprint of an article that appeared in the following newspapers: Pilgrim County Press, Duxbury Pilgrim, Marshfield Mail, Cohasset Cottager, Hanover Advance, Pembroke Colonist, Abington Advertiser, Scituate Herald and Norwell News Friday, December 19, 1919 Romance and Tragedy By: Henry T. Claus Transcribed and edited by Jane Estabrooks, June 2019 The story of […]
This is a reprint of an article that appeared in the following newspapers: Pilgrim County Press, Duxbury Pilgrim, Marshfield Mail, Cohasset Cottager, Hanover Advance, Pembroke Colonist, Abington Advertiser, Scituate Herald and Norwell News Friday, December 19, 1919 The River of a Thousand Ships By Henry T. Claus Transcribed and edited by Jane Estabrooks, June 2019 […]