441 Summer St, Abington, MA 02351, USA
Owned By: Town of Abington
Town-owned park for small and large dogs.
Features
This park opened in 2019, primarily funded by the Stanton Foundation. Located close to the MBTA railroad tracks, patrons may hear the trains passing! Dogs must be under voice control while in the park. Children under 16 require adult supervision. Dogs must be licensed and vaccinated. Limit 2 dogs per adult. No smoking, alcohol or food (including dog treats). A full set of rules are posted outside the park.
This land is within the region of the Massachuseuk (or Massachusett) Native American tribe. According to Martha Campbell’s Remembering Old Abington, the original town of Abington included today’s Abington and Rockland as well as most of Whitman. in the 1660s, European settlers from Weymouth began establishing homesteads within the town. While the settlers came from Massachusetts Bay Colony, the land was part of Plymouth Colony. All of the 18 original land grants were along the Satucket Path, a trail established by Native Americans that extended from Wessagusset Beach in North Weymouth to Robbins Pond in East Bridgewater. Campbell also explains how the Native American name for the town was Manamooskeagin, translated from the Algonquin as “great green place of shaking grass.” The Abington town seal incorporates its Algonquian name.
Trail Description
Dedicated dog park with separate areas for small and large dogs. Features include sprinklers shaped like fire hydrants, mounds of dirt for digging, and tunnels.
Habitats and Wildlife
The fenced and graveled park is surrounded by woodlands, with oak, pine, birch, maple and sumac. The land here drains to the Shumatuscacant River.
The Shumatuscacant River flows for 8.8 miles through Abington and Whitman. In Hanson’s Poor Meadow Brook Conservation Area, it joins with Poor Meadow Brook. The stream continues to Robbins Pond in East Bridgewater, where it empties into the Satucket River, part of the Taunton River watershed. The word “Schumatuscacant” has been translated from the Algonquin as “beaver stream with the stepping-over place.” It originally referred to a specific spot on the Satucket Path where the river could be crossed easily. A similar word, “Schumacastcacut,” has been translated as “beaver stream always dependable.”
Historic Site: Yes
Park: Yes
Beach: No
Boat Launch: No
Lifeguards: No
Size: 1 acre
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: Ample on-site parking at Abington Senior Center.
Cost: Free
Trail Difficulty: Easy
Facilities:
Trash and pet waste receptacles.
Dogs: Yes
Boat Ramp: No
ADA Access: Yes
Scenic Views: Yes
Waterbody/Watershed: Shumatuscacant River (Taunton River watershed)