Designated Wild & Scenic, Our RIvers Have History

In 1999, 29-miles of the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers were designated "Wild & Scenic" by the federal government, recognizing their outstanding scenery, ecology, recreation opportunities, and their place in American history and literature.

Over 500 years ago, a group of Native American tribes, called the Agonquians, lived in the area. They called the rivers Musketaquid, which means "place where waters flow through the grasses." The wide, flat meadows attracted early settlers in the mid 1600s and they brought their cattle to graze.

More and more people came to the rivers because of all the resources they provided. Businesses grew and developed. Concord and Sudbury were the first towns to be established along the rivers, and in 1775 the colonists fought for their freedom in the American Revolution.

ACTIVITY:

ACTIVITY:
Imagine you are a Native American, early settler, farmer, or mill owner. What did these rivers look like? Were they a lot different from what you see today?
Draw a picture or write a story about what life was like for those who lived on these rivers over 400 years ago.

Send your word search, picture or story to summerquestprogram@gmail.com.

Download a pdf of this activity!