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Town Parks & Monuments

Cohasset Common

Highland Ave, Cohasset, MA 02025, USA

Town of Cohasset: 781-383-4100

Owned By: Town of Cohasset

Cohasset Common is a grassy, tree-lined, 24-acre property located within the town’s historic district. With benches, picnic tables and a duck pond, it is a lovely spot for picnic or a short stroll.

Features

Nestled between Highland Ave. and North Main Street, between Robert E. Jason Road and William B. Long Jr. Road, this grassy green space is bordered by churches, private homes, and the Town Hall. It was designated as public land in 1670, when Cohasset was part of the town of Hingham, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Prior to European contact, a band of the Massachusett Native American tribe maintained a village in what is now Cohasset. It was known as Quonahassit — often translated as “long rocky place.”

In 1614, while exploring what was known then as the New World, Captain John Smith (1580-1631) landed in “Quonahassit Harbor” to trade for furs.

The Quonahassit village was probably in the vicinity of today’s Elm Street, a summer camp for fishing, and for growing corn, beans and squash. The village moved inland during the winter for shelter, and to hunt for deer, turkey and other wildlife. A widespread plague decimated the Quonahassit population shortly after Smith’s visit.

To learn more about local Native American tribes, we encourage you to interact with their members. The Mattakeeset band of the Massachusett and the Massachusett tribe at Ponkapoag share information on their websites. 

Trail Description

The southern portion of the Cohasset Common is bordered by paved sidewalks. The northern portion does not have sidewalks around its border, however criss-crossed paved pathways cross its middle. Altogether there are about 0.5 miles of paved sidewalk/trail.

Habitats and Wildlife

The Cohasset Common is grassy and lined with stately trees, including elms. There is a manmade pond at the southern end of the property. Most of the Cohasset Common drains to James Brook, which flows into Cohasset Harbor. The northernmost section of the Common drains into Little Harbor.

  • A photograph of a historic marker on a boulder, with grass and white buildings in the background.
  • A photograph of a church and a flagpole with grass and trees.
  • A close-up photograph of a historic marker on a boulder.
  • A photograph of a flagpole in a grassy park at sunset.
  • A photograph of a paved trail extending across a grassy area with scattered trees.
  • A photograph of a few benches on a lawn with a white building in the background.
  • A photograph of a flagpole in a grassy park at sunset.
  • A photograph of benches on a lawn overlooking a large grassy area.
  • A photograph of a duck pond with grass and trees.
  • A photograph of a pond set within a grassy area. In the foreground two people are seated on a bench.
Highland Ave, Cohasset, MA 02025, USA

Historic Site: No

Park: Yes

Beach: No

Boat Launch: No

Lifeguards: No

Size: 24 acres

Hours: Dawn to Dusk

Parking: Limited on-street parking on some perimeter streets, plus additional parking at Cohasset Town Hall (Highland Ave.).

Cost: Free

Trail Difficulty: Easy

Facilities:

Trash receptacles and picnic tables in two locations — next to St. Stephen’s Church and next to First Parish Unitarian Church. Benches. Duck pond with fountain. Please do not feed the waterfowl!

Dogs: Dogs must remain on leash. Scoop the poop!

Boat Ramp: No

ADA Access: Yes

Scenic Views: Yes

Waterbody/Watershed: James Brook (Gulf River watershed), also Little Harbor watershed

Other Things to Do at This Site

Picnic Tables