Packet Landing

Owned By: New England Forestry Foundation

• Directions
• Trail Map

An early wharf built of logs and stone marks this site at most tides. Access from Nelson Memorial Forest and by boat.

Features

The Packet Landing is a historic spot that evokes the North River’s rich commercial history. In the book “Pembroke: Ancient Trails to the 21st Century,” Joseph Chetwynd describes packet landing construction as follows. “The landings were most likely built of crib-logs, back-filled with rocks and topped with gravel, with dead-man posts set up as bollards for tying up the vessels. These landings ran parallel to the shoreline and projected into the stream as little as was necessary so as not to impede the flow of traffic in the stream. They may also have incorporated vertical sheathing on the facing to act as fenders for the boats as they lay against the bulkhead.”

Packet ship lines were established prior to 1670, and thrived until railroads came to the South Shore in the mid-to-late 1800s. Over time, White’s Ferry, Little’s Bridge, Union Bridge, Hobart’s Landing, Foster’s Landing (aka Curtis-Wanton Yards), Job’s Landing, Brick-Kiln Yard, and the North River Bridge in Hanover became regular stops. Farmers would meet the packet ship and barter their home-grown vegetables and dairy products for goods from China and Mediterranean, such as coffee, sugar and spices. In addition to home-grown goods, packet pilots also bought wood, fish, pot iron, and charcoal from locals, and sold them lumber and ship supplies. A typical packet run, up and down the river, could take three or four days.

Trail Description

The New England Forestry Foundation occasionally harvests trees from Nelson Forest. In order to facilitate access for forestry staff, many of the trails are wide cart paths and unpaved logging roads. There are also some narrower footpaths. Some trails are well-marked. Others could use some tidying up. The property extends for a considerable distance along the side of a hill. Depending on where you enter and exit, your hike could involve a long uphill climb. Although the trails within the forest are often wide, the access trails from the parking areas are not, so maneuvering a stroller into Nelson Forest is not an easy feat!

The best access to Nelson Forest is through the Union Street Woodland. Portions of this trail (especially the boardwalks) are rather rustic, but keep going and you’ll find flatter, wider paths ahead. Entering from the Union Street Woodland spur trail, you will come to a T intersection. This is the River Pasture Road. Head downhill, and after passing at least 2 old stone walls, look for a narrower trail to the left. This leads down a steep incline to an overlook on the banks of the North River. If you walk out to the river’s edge and look downstream, you should be able to see what remains of the Packet Landing.

Habitats and Wildlife

Nelson Memorial Forest is full of wildlife, ranging from white-tailed deer to the tiny 4-toed salamander that can be found near the small creeks. Grey squirrels can be found collecting acorns and raccoons can be found foraging by the river’s edge. Look for the long-billed marsh wren in the marsh areas, as well as osprey along Cove Creek.