Veterans Memorial Park - North and South Rivers Watershed Association

2200 Ocean St, Marshfield, MA 02050, USA

https://www.marshfield-ma.gov/marshfield-veterans-services/pages/veterans-memorial-park

Owned By: Town of Marshfield

Directions

The South River flows through Veterans Memorial Park in Marshfield, a grassy property with a small pond. A footbridge, a water wheel, paved walking paths, and small lagoon with a fountain make it a pleasant spot within the busy Route 139 corridor. There is also a fish padder, plus numerous benches and memorials. This historic milling and manufacturing site dates back to 1656, when William Ford and Josiah Winslow erected Marshfield’s first grist mill here.

Watch this spot! After 10 years of planning, removal of the old mill dam will begin in November 2024 — a process that is estimated to take 4 months. We can’t wait to see what happens after the dam is removed and migratory fish such as herring are able to swim farther upstream toward their spawning areas. For years, we’ve observed significant numbers of herring below the fish ladder, but relatively few making it over the dam.

Please note that park access is currently restricted, due to the dam removal project.

Features

The town of Marshfield was founded in 1640. Its first mill, a grist mill, was established by 1656, on the South River at the site of today’s Veterans Memorial Park. In Colonial times, churches and mills were the social centers of a community. William Ford and Josiah Winslow were the first to operate a mill at this site. Winslow sold Ford his interest in 1657, and the Ford family carried on the business of both grist mills and sawmills at this location for several generations.

In 1810 or 1814, the Duxbury & South River Manufacturing Company opened Marshfield’s first major factory where the park stands now, producing cotton and woolen goods. The company owned three mills — the other two were at Chandler’s Pond and at Mill Brook in Duxbury. The mills employed both men and women for such tasks as weaving, spooling and cording. Some workers lived in a boarding house nearby. Later the operation was taken over by the Duxbury Manufacturing Company.

In the 1850s Henry C. Dunham operated a sawmill at the site. After 1900, the location was also used as a boxboard mill, an ice house, a paint shop, and for storage. In the 1930s Stanley Baker ran a laundry on site, often referred to as “the wet wash.” The mill building was torn down in the 1940s, and Veterans Memorial Park itself was created in 1948, to honor military servicemen and women.

Veterans Memorial Park is part of the South River Greenway, interconnected green spaces in Marshfield’s downtown, including South River Park, Pratt Farm, the Keville Footbridge, Dandelion Park and the Rail Trail/Bridle Trail.

This land is within the region of the Massachusett (or Massachuseuk). To learn more about local Native American tribes, we encourage you to interact with their members. The Massachusett tribe at Ponkapoag and the Mattakeeset band of the Massachusett share information on their websites.

Trail Description

This is an open, grassy park with paved walkways, located at the corner of Routes 3A and 139. Follow the trail down a gentle slope from the parking to the park itself. In addition, on the other side of the parking area, a short trail leads to a gazebo with views of the South River.

The park itself is dedicated to American Veterans everywhere and hosts town events on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Visitors are welcome, but a permit is required for use of the park by groups.

Below Veterans’ Memorial Park, the South River is navigable by canoe or kayak, however the stretch of river between the park and Willow Street may not be accessible at all tides due to bridge clearance and/or low water. Launching a boat at Willow Street is not recommended, as poison ivy is abundant! Instead, launch at the Francis Keville Footbridge.

Habitats and Wildlife

The South River flows through this property. There is a dam on the river, with a fish ladder to help migrating fish such as herring make their way upstream every spring to spawn. The fish ladder is not well designed. It requires daily manipulations to allow fish to pass. Thus, unfortunately, the South River fish run struggles to survive. Our volunteers often note thousands of fish downstream, unable to make it over the ladder. Their habitat is limited by additional dams at Chandler’s Pond in Marshfield, and at Temple Street in Duxbury. Neither of those dams have a fish ladder.

NSRWA is currently working to restore the South River fishway, with support from MassBays South Shore, the state’s Division of Ecological Restoration, the towns of Marshfield and Duxbury, the Veterans, and private dam owners. We are hoping to remove all three dams, as they no longer serve their original purpose. Funds for engineering work, to remove the dam at Veterans Memorial Park, were approved by the Town of Marshfield in 2019, and dam removal work is scheduled to commence in November 2024.

Currently the best time to see fish at this site is in May, and even into June. The run is predominantly blueback herring. Look for birds such as the black capped chickadee in the shrubs surrounding the park. Farther upstream, look for beavers constructing dams. Below Veterans Memorial Park, the South River is tidal. Twice per day, the fresh water flowing downstream is pushed back by the incoming salt water tide.

The South River originates deep in Duxbury. Its source is in the Round Pond area, and from there it winds unobtrusively through the woods for several miles. Although one can view it from Route 3, and also from both the South River Bogs and the Camp Wing Conservation Area, it remains a narrow and mostly un-navigable stream until just below Veterans Memorial Park. From there it flows through South River Park, behind the playground of South River School, and under the Willow Street and Francis Keville Bridges. Wider at that point, and navigable at most tides, its course winds through the marshes as it runs parallel to Route 139, all the way to Rexhame. From there the river turns northward. It flows for 3 miles between Humarock and the mainland to Fourth Cliff, where it joins the North River at its outlet to the sea.