The First 200 Years along the Mystic River
18th Century
Industrial use along the river in Somerville increased . Agricultural land was transformed into factories , meat packing plants , food processing centers , and eventually auto factories
and glassworks .
Pre-17th Century
Native American Pawtucket and Menotomet tribes inhabited the area , which consisted of low-lying tidal wetlands . The tribes referred to the river as “ Missi- Tuk ” or “ Great Tidal River .”
17th Century
The Mystic River Estuary was one of the most important settlement areas of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . The riverfront banks , marshes and estuaries gave way to industrial uses , agriculture , mining and residential areas .
Industry dominated the shoreline , leaving little opportunity for public open space , and heavily polluting the River .
1897
The Mystic Valley Parkway , a key component of the Mystic River Reservation , opened to the public .
The Mystic River Reservation was one of five original reservations delineated by the Metropolitan Park Commission .
1926 - 1958
The Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant which ultimately gave Assembly Square its name .
1970s
Construction of Interstate 93 – Completely reshaped the area with extensive dredging and realignment of the lower river channel , including the straightening of meanders and the filling of marshes .
The construction of the elevated highway significantly reduced the sites access and visibility from surrounding area , isolating the riverbanks from adjacent communities .
96 BSLA