Ancient Landmarks. 197 



Beechwoods is a very sparsely settled district, mostly heavily 

 wooded with beech and oak, and with much of the beautiful 

 holly growing at intervals. That rare and delicate shrub, the 

 ink-berry, is not uncommon on the open roadsides of Union 

 Street. 



Retracing our way, and taking South Pleasant Street, we will 

 turn south into Charles Street by Stony Hill. Here is Mast- 

 Bridge Plain, where formerly fine masts were cut from the for- 

 est to equip the vessels building at the harbor. Mast-Bridge 

 Meadows lie along Beechwoods River. This little stream is 

 crossed by Hersey's Bridge. The noble height to the east is 

 Prospect Hill, the highest in Hingham. The view from the 

 summit is very extensive. 



After crossing Hersey's Bridge the road turns southward. To 

 the westward is The Wigwam, a most interesting locality. Here 

 dwelt the Indians in considerable numbers, and the stone lire- 

 places of their wigwams were standing within the remembrance 

 of persons now living. Many of their implements of domestic 

 use and of the chase have been found here. 



There remains but one part of Hingham which has not been 

 explored for the landmarks. To cover that, we will start at Cold 

 Corner and take Central Street, a road laid out within a few 

 years, which near the Ropewalks runs over a marsh which was 

 once known as Christmas Pond. No trace now remains, however, 

 which would indicate that a pond had ever existed here. Turning 

 west into Elm Street, we soon pass over rising ground, the portion 

 of which on the right, between Elm and Hersey streets, was called 

 Powder-House Hill. A red Powder House formerly stood 

 upon it, in which was stored a supply of gunpowder. It was 

 moved here from the hill just north of the New North Church, 

 on Lincoln Street. 



Near the corner of Elm and Hersey streets, there stood until 

 within a few years a beautiful wood, known as Tranquillity 

 Grove. It was long made use of for picnics and various other 

 sorts of gatherings, social, political, and religious. The early 

 abolitionists used it for some of their stirring meetings. 



The lower part of Hersey Street, from Elm to South streets 

 was in early times Austin's Lane, taking its name from Jonas 

 Austin, one of the first settlers in 1636, who had his homestead 

 granted on Town Street (now South) at the north end of this 

 lane. 



South Street, which was, like North Street, first called Town 

 Street, begins at North Street opposite the old Gay mansion, im- 

 mediatelv crosses Maroon's Bridge, and runs west. After cross- 

 ing Main Street, and just before Lafayette Avenue is reached, it 

 until within three years passed by a homely old provincial build- 

 ing, which was in the last century the Anchor Tavern. General 

 Lafayette once lodged in it when he had occasion to pass the 

 night in Hingham, during the Revolutionary War. It was the 



