THE GEOGRAPHY OF GROTON. 5 I 



Boston road near the house of Luther Gilson, — as given on 

 Mr. Butler's Map of Groton, from a survey made in the 

 years 1828 and 1829, — and emptying into Cow Pond. This 

 little stream might well be called Way Pond Brook. 



In this list of ponds I have included two or three which 

 now lie wholly in other towns, inasmuch as they are fre- 

 quently mentioned in the Groton records. The area of the 

 ponds, with the exception of Martin's Pond, is taken from 

 the Fourth Annual Report of the State Board of Health of 

 Massachusetts (January, 1873), as given on pages 124 and 

 125. 



An absurd story is told relative to Massapoag Pond, based 

 on tradition, which has no real foundation. It is said that — 



Its outlet was on the easterly side, and as it was the reservoir into 

 which Cowpond brook poured its waters, a considerable mill-stream 

 issued from it. The waters passed without any rapids for a consid- 

 erable distance, affording no favorable site for a mill. The north end 

 of the pond was bounded by a ridge of loose sand, rising but little 

 above the surface of the water, and being about six rods only in width ; 

 on the opposite side of which was a descent of about forty feet. Here, 

 then, was an eligible spot for an overshot mill. At a town meeting 

 held May 21, 1688, a grant was made to Samuel Adams of a small 

 pond near Buck meadow, and leave given to drain it by a brook run- 

 ning into " Tyng's cove." At the same meeting, for the encourage- 

 ment of any who would set up iron-works at Massapoag, a grant was 

 offered of the wood on the easterly side of Unquetenassett brook. It 

 is said that Adams, who is supposed to have accepted the grant, 

 erected a grist-mill at the site above-mentioned, conducting the water 

 across the sand-bank to the flume of his mill. At the time of a flood 

 about the year 1700, (the precise time is not known,) a breach was 

 made across the sand-bank, and it being very loose and moveable, 

 the whole bank was soon torn down by the water to the depth of more 

 than thirty feet : and consequently a sheet of water of that depth, where 

 the pond was so deep, and where of less depth the whole water upon 

 the surface, flowed suddenly off (all in one night,) with irresistible vio- 

 lence. The mill of course was demolished, and the stones, though 

 diligently sought for, and even the skill of the famous Moll Pitcher, of 

 Lynn, employed in the search, have never yet been found. The 

 bottom of the pond being uneven, fish in abundance were left in the 



