232:). The first regulation, enacted October 28, 1623, observed the environmental impact, and regulated the taking of the fish therein. In recent times, significant efforts have been pursued in the hopes of increasing those numbers for ecological improvement of the brook. Although an estimate of 7,000 herring were counted in 2003, counts before and after that time until 2008 remain relatively sketchy at best. Starting in 2008, counts began receiving considerable recognition and recording by Plymouth's Department of Marine and Environmental Affairs and the
139:
29:
191:
The
Pilgrims first made landfall at the tip of Cape Cod, but were reluctant to settle there due to the lack of fresh water. They sailed across to the mainland, and observed what one person described as “a very sweet brook,” fed by cool springs of “as good water as can be drunk.” At the brook's mouth
227:
in the
Billington Sea. Historically, the number of alewives spotted were reportedly enough so that one could "walk across their backs" to the other side of the water. In the time since the Pilgrims' arrival, the number of alewives have dwindled drastically due to the increasing human population and
255:
Significant restoration has been conducted on Town Brook in the last 20 years for fisheries/alewife restoration. Billington Street Dam was removed in 2002, Off-Billington Street Dam removed in 2013, Plymco Dam removed in 2014–15, and finally the Holmes Dam was removed in 2018–19.
202:
John Jenney arrived in the
Plymouth Colony from Leyden in 1623, and built a grist mill on Town Brook in 1636. The original mill burned down in 1847. The banks of the brook were used for industrial purposes (at times powered by the brook's waters) well into the 20th century.
236:. In 2016, the count was 199,368 alewives. Additionally, projects around the region to remove old dams have helped the alewife numbers increase, and have received support from the
321:
Many attractions are near Town Brook, especially since
Plymouth is of such historical importance. This is a list of the attractions within one quarter of a mile from Town Brook.
1060:
1242:
1686:
1172:
233:
1642:
527:
186:
1582:
410:
1501:
165:, a 269-acre (109 ha) freshwater pond. The brook passes through numerous small ponds, including Deep Water Pond and Jenny Pond. It also passes by the
441:
1521:
1019:
383:
1531:
984:
944:
929:
750:
1222:
1197:
1192:
1177:
1392:
199:, an Indian interpreter, taught the colonists to use the fish to fertilize their corn crop. The first corn mill was built along the brook.
924:
520:
456:"Records of the colony of New Plymouth in New England : Printed by order of the legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts"
1080:
483:
1691:
1681:
1557:
1147:
914:
865:
540:
536:
237:
1167:
969:
740:
673:
605:
241:
192:
was a salt marsh, where the colonists could anchor their boats. The
Pilgrims built their houses near the fresh water supply.
585:
513:
1457:
1310:
1217:
798:
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1437:
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1212:
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575:
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469:
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67:
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The brook led to upstream spawning grounds for river herring. It also attracted eels and fresh water fowl.
298:
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1417:
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1432:
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1329:
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1422:
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28:
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1009:
939:
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813:
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803:
723:
693:
668:
615:
580:
340:
313:
Two small streams flow into Town Brook in downtown
Plymouth, but they are not named.
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57:
47:
1619:
1610:
1511:
1491:
1372:
1187:
1132:
1090:
974:
954:
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855:
833:
732:
658:
570:
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484:"Town Brook Restoration Complete with Removal of Holmes Dam | NOAA Fisheries"
1567:
1541:
1377:
1357:
1207:
1070:
765:
755:
653:
107:
1577:
1562:
1481:
1452:
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1095:
1034:
885:
216:
1657:
1644:
345:
212:
384:
Tucker, Abigail. "The
Waterway That Brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth",
220:
196:
264:
Eleven roads pass over Town Brook, including two major highways.
229:
509:
398:
177:. A nature trail runs along the entire length of the brook.
1609:
1600:
1550:
1471:
1337:
1328:
1300:
1266:
1117:
1108:
1048:
904:
779:
731:
722:
702:
639:
556:
547:
128:
116:
106:
90:
82:
73:
63:
53:
43:
38:
21:
228:industrialization of the area (including numerous
470:"New England/Mid-Atlantic | NOAA Fisheries"
501:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
234:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
187:Town Brook Historic and Archeological District
157:who made their homes adjacent to the brook on
521:
399:"The Plimoth Grist Mill", Plimouth Plantation
161:in Plymouth. Town Brook's headwaters are the
8:
1606:
1334:
1114:
728:
553:
528:
514:
506:
211:Each Spring, the brook sees thousands of
142:Town Brook Herring Run counts (2008-2016)
1687:Rivers of Plymouth County, Massachusetts
379:
377:
137:
373:
440:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
433:
149:is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) stream in
18:
223:, swimming up its path to eventually
16:River in Massachusetts, United States
7:
153:that provided drinking water to the
14:
280:Driveway to 96R Billington Street
33:Town Brook, near Plymouth Harbor
27:
238:Environmental Protection Agency
242:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1:
74:Physical characteristics
1218:North Branch Westfield River
246:U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
1000:South Branch Souhegan River
118: • location
92: • location
1708:
1213:North Branch Millers River
184:
132:1.5 mi (2.4 km)
102:
78:
26:
1198:Mill River (Springfield)
1193:Mill River (Northampton)
1692:Rivers of Massachusetts
1682:Plymouth, Massachusetts
537:Rivers of Massachusetts
301:(Main Street Extension)
151:Plymouth, Massachusetts
143:
1658:41.95667°N 70.66222°W
1418:Salisbury Plain River
1158:East Brookfield River
881:Stony Brook (Waltham)
283:Off Billington Street
185:Further information:
173:before emptying into
141:
1433:Shumatuscacant River
876:Stony Brook (Boston)
386:Smithsonian Magazine
1663:41.95667; -70.66222
1654: /
896:Weymouth Back River
388:, November 22, 2010
360:Plymouth Yacht Club
1602:Upper New York Bay
1517:Quinsigamond River
1086:Roger Island River
1005:South Nashua River
965:North Nashua River
935:Cochichewick River
761:Little Pamet River
591:Mattapoisett River
317:Nearby Attractions
274:(Pilgrims Highway)
250:U.S. Army Reserves
167:Plimoth Grist Mill
144:
1637:
1636:
1633:
1632:
1596:
1595:
1428:Segreganset River
1403:Poor Meadow Brook
1363:Cedar Swamp River
1324:
1323:
1143:Connecticut River
1119:Connecticut River
1110:Long Island Sound
1104:
1103:
1015:Squannacook River
960:Nissitissit River
829:Indian Head River
781:Massachusetts Bay
718:
717:
684:Popponesset Creek
679:Oyster Pond River
664:Coonamesset River
601:Paskamanset River
596:Nasketucket River
486:. 6 January 2021.
331:Jenney Grist Mill
277:Billington Street
136:
135:
1699:
1669:
1668:
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1665:
1664:
1659:
1655:
1652:
1651:
1650:
1647:
1625:Kinderhook Creek
1607:
1558:Barrington River
1487:Blackstone River
1473:Providence River
1463:Winnetuxet River
1448:Three Mile River
1408:Quequechan River
1335:
1330:Narragansett Bay
1277:Housatonic River
1268:Housatonic River
1243:Seven Mile River
1163:Farmington River
1115:
1066:Eagle Hill River
1061:Blackwater River
1020:Stillwater River
980:Quinapoxet River
846:Monatiquot River
729:
554:
530:
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507:
488:
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480:
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416:. Archived from
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336:Brewster Gardens
268:Little Pond Road
171:Brewster Gardens
93:
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19:
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1573:Kickemuit River
1546:
1522:Sevenmile River
1497:Chockalog River
1467:
1383:Hockomock River
1341:
1320:
1316:Quinebaug River
1296:
1292:Umpachene River
1262:
1258:Westfield River
1173:Five Mile River
1153:Deerfield River
1148:Cranberry River
1128:Burnshirt River
1100:
1056:Annisquam River
1044:
990:Shawsheen River
950:Merrimack River
915:Artichoke River
906:Merrimack River
900:
775:
714:
698:
641:Nantucket Sound
635:
631:Weweantic River
543:
541:drainage system
534:
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477:
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411:"Archived copy"
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382:
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319:
311:
295:Pleasant Street
286:Newfield Street
262:
209:
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175:Plymouth Harbor
123:Plymouth Harbor
119:
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34:
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12:
11:
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1532:Ten Mile River
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1468:
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1460:
1455:
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1440:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1423:Satucket River
1420:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1398:Nemasket River
1395:
1390:
1388:Matfield River
1385:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1368:Cocasset River
1365:
1360:
1355:
1349:
1347:
1339:Mount Hope Bay
1332:
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1325:
1322:
1321:
1319:
1318:
1313:
1307:
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1298:
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1282:Konkapot River
1279:
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1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
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1160:
1155:
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1138:Chicopee River
1135:
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1045:
1043:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
995:Souhegan River
992:
987:
982:
977:
972:
970:Phillips Brook
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
911:
909:
902:
901:
899:
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888:
883:
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873:
868:
863:
861:Neponset River
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848:
843:
836:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
791:
789:Aberjona River
785:
783:
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773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
743:
741:Bluefish River
737:
735:
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720:
719:
716:
715:
713:
712:
710:Tiasquam River
706:
704:
700:
699:
697:
696:
691:
689:Quashnet River
686:
681:
676:
674:Mitchell River
671:
666:
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651:
645:
643:
637:
636:
634:
633:
628:
626:Westport River
623:
621:Wankinco River
618:
613:
611:Sippican River
608:
606:Pocasset River
603:
598:
593:
588:
583:
578:
573:
568:
566:Acushnet River
562:
560:
551:
549:Atlantic Ocean
545:
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532:
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495:External links
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1588:Runnins River
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1527:Tannery River
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1510:
1508:
1507:Mumford River
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1446:
1444:
1443:Taunton River
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1436:
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1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1414:
1413:Rumford River
1411:
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1404:
1401:
1399:
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1394:
1391:
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1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1353:Assonet River
1351:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1344:Taunton River
1340:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1327:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1299:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1287:Schenob Brook
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1265:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1248:Tarbell Brook
1246:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1238:Scantic River
1236:
1234:
1233:Quaboag River
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1203:Millers River
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1183:Hubbard River
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
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1126:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1107:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1081:Jericho Creek
1079:
1077:
1076:Ipswich River
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1053:
1051:
1047:
1041:
1040:Whitman River
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1025:Sudbury River
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1010:Spicket River
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
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986:
983:
981:
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976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
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946:
943:
941:
940:Concord River
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
920:Assabet River
918:
916:
913:
912:
910:
907:
903:
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882:
879:
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869:
867:
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852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
841:
840:Millers River
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
814:Cochato River
812:
810:
809:Chelsea Creek
807:
805:
804:Charles River
802:
800:
797:
795:
794:Alewife Brook
792:
790:
787:
786:
784:
782:
778:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
751:Herring River
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
738:
736:
734:
730:
727:
725:
724:Gulf of Maine
721:
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708:
707:
705:
701:
695:
694:Santuit River
692:
690:
687:
685:
682:
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669:Mashpee River
667:
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617:
616:Slocums River
614:
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589:
587:
586:Crooked River
584:
582:
581:Copicut River
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572:
569:
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517:
512:
511:
508:
502:
499:
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485:
479:
476:
472:. March 2022.
471:
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423:on 2017-02-25
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344:
342:
341:Plymouth Rock
339:
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329:
327:
324:
323:
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308:
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297:
294:
291:
289:Willard Place
288:
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259:
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180:
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168:
164:
160:
159:Leyden Street
156:
152:
148:
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98:
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77:
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69:
66:
62:
59:
58:Massachusetts
56:
52:
49:
48:United States
46:
42:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1639:
1620:Hoosic River
1611:Hudson River
1583:Palmer River
1512:Peters River
1492:Bungay River
1458:Wading River
1373:Cotley River
1311:French River
1302:Thames River
1188:Manhan River
1133:Chapel Brook
1091:Rowley River
985:Salmon Brook
975:Powwow River
955:Nashua River
945:Little River
930:Beaver Brook
871:Saugus River
856:Mystic River
838:
834:Malden River
799:Canton River
770:
733:Cape Cod Bay
659:Childs River
571:Agawam River
558:Buzzards Bay
478:
464:
450:
425:. Retrieved
418:the original
405:
394:
385:
354:Mayflower II
352:
351:State Pier (
320:
312:
304:Water Street
292:Spring Court
263:
254:
252:, and more.
210:
201:
194:
190:
146:
145:
1661: /
1568:Coles Brook
1542:Wilde River
1438:Snake River
1378:Forge River
1358:Canoe River
1228:Otter River
1223:North River
1208:Mirey Brook
1178:Green River
1071:Egypt River
1030:Trout Brook
866:North River
851:Muddy River
824:Fresh River
766:Pamet River
756:Jones River
654:Bumps River
363:Burton Park
326:Morton Park
309:Tributaries
207:Herring Run
1676:Categories
1649:70°39′44″W
1646:41°57′24″N
1578:Lees River
1563:Cole River
1537:West River
1502:Mill River
1482:Abbott Run
1453:Town River
1393:Mill River
1346:Watershed)
1253:Ware River
1168:Fall River
1096:Skug River
1035:Vine Brook
925:Back River
891:Weir River
886:Stop River
819:Fore River
771:Town Brook
649:Bass River
576:Back River
427:2017-03-30
368:References
217:anadromous
147:Town Brook
22:Town Brook
1613:Watershed
1475:Watershed
1304:Watershed
1270:Watershed
1121:Watershed
908:Watershed
746:Eel River
346:Massasoit
260:Crossings
436:cite web
299:Route 3A
219:type of
213:alewives
169:and the
155:Pilgrims
68:Plymouth
39:Location
272:Route 3
221:herring
197:Squanto
181:History
44:Country
1551:Others
1049:Others
703:Others
348:Statue
248:, the
244:, the
240:, the
129:Length
112:
86:
83:Source
64:Region
421:(PDF)
414:(PDF)
225:spawn
215:, an
108:Mouth
54:State
442:link
230:dams
539:by
1678::
438:}}
434:{{
376:^
1342:(
529:e
522:t
515:v
458:.
444:)
430:.
357:)
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