194 History of Hingham. 



through a rocky, shrubby country and over high lands toward 

 Rockland Street, is Weir Street, once the old Weir-River Lane. 

 It affords one of the beautiful and sequestered rides for which 

 Hingham and Cohasset are famed. The tract of high land lying 

 east of it, now largely overgrown by woods, used to be Great 

 Pasture. 



A little further on, around a bend in the road, we come to 

 Cushing's Bridge, across Weir River. Many fine " wine-glass 

 elms " are scattered here and there in the meadow by the river's 

 banks, and by the roadside, across the stream, is the magnificent 

 Old Elm, which was transplanted to this spot in 1729, three 

 years before the birth of Washington. It is justly celebrated for 

 its size and symmetry. All the territory in this vicinity, from 

 Hull Street to Summer Street, has always been known as Rocky 

 Nook. 



The road, after passing a row of sturdy red oaks on the left, 

 which must have been old trees when the Pilgrims landed, reaches 

 a descent cut through a rough ledge and known as Rocky Hill. 

 Just bevond the hiffh lands to the right is Chamberlin's Swamp, 

 and the little stream running through the meadow, parallel with 

 the road and crossing it at last, to empty into Weir River at the 

 foot of the Agricultural Society's grounds, is Chamberlin's Run. 

 It is nearly dry in summer. The large white house between it 

 and the Agricultural Hall, now a private residence, was, in the old 

 days, a tavern. 



East Street ends at Leavitt Street, passing over which west 

 to Main Street, we find ourselves in the middle of the village of 

 " Hingham Centre," upon Lower Plain, which extends from 

 Pear-Tree Hill to Tower's Bridge, as generally understood, al- 

 though the town book giving the " names of streets, lanes, plains, 

 and bridges, as established by the town May 7, 1827, and since," 

 gives the boundaries of Lower Plain, " Pleasant Street to Pear- 

 free Hill." 



Main Street runs through the village, passing The Common, 

 lying east of the public library, and on the west side of the road 

 at this point a fine old-fashioned residence, which was in earlier 

 days a tavern. A short distance beyond, opposite the Grand 

 Army Hall, is a deep depression on the north side of the road, 

 containing a small sheet of water, now hardly more than a 

 puddle, which was often referred to in old deeds as Bull's 

 Pond. An Almshouse formerly stood on the site of the Grand 

 Army Hall. 



After a turn to the westward, about a quarter of a mile further 

 on, the street turns abruptly south at Cold Corner, and a few 

 rods beyond is entered by Hobart Street, near the corner of 

 which was the old Town Pound, where stray cattle were im- 

 pounded. Half a mile or so beyond, the road crosses a little 

 stream by Tower's Bridge. From this bridge to the south line 

 of the town, the country bears the general title of Great Plain, 



