Vine Brook

Brook in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

Vine Brook

Location
Country| United States
State| Massachusetts
District| Middlesex County
Cities| Lexington, Burlington, Bedford
Physical characteristics
Source| Spring near the "Old Reservoir"
• location| Old Reservoir Park, Marrett Road, Lexington
Mouth| Shawsheen River

• location

| Bedford
Discharge|
• location| Shawsheen River, Bedford
Basin features
Tributaries|
• right| Upper Vine Brook, Long Meadow Brook

Vine Brook is a brook in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. According to the History of Bedford, Vine Brook is "an important tributary of Shawsheen River." The book also states it as an excellent source of water-power in the 17th to 19th centuries.

Vine Brook flows from the "Old Reservoir," at a public park off Marrett Road in Lexington, then meets Upper Vine Brook (one of its tributaries), then continues northward through Lexington Centre, through Butterfield's Pond on the Lexington–Burlington border, underneath the Middlesex Mall and Burlington Mall (in a culvert), remaining northward and parallel to the Middlesex Turnpike for a ways, then meets Long Meadow Brook (one of its tributaries), then part of it branches off to form Sandy Brook, then continues to flow northwesterly over the Burlington–Bedford border, to Route 3 at Burlington Road, then crosses over Rte. 3 to an old millpond, and empties into the Shawsheen River. (The Shawsheen, in turn, empties into the Merrimack River, which then empties into the Atlantic Ocean.)

Vine Brook is one of the best-known water features in Lexington, and is closely identified with the histories of Lexington and Burlington, due to the several mills which once operated on its banks. The brook lends its name to many local streets and developments. Several segments of the brook, in all three towns it passes through, are parts of town-owned conservation land parks.

## Tributaries

[edit]

Vine Brook has two major tributaries.

* Upper Vine Brook. Source: wetlands off Marrett Road, primarily to eastern side of Kendall Road, Lexington. This tributary, in modern times, is often mistakenly assumed to be the main channel of Vine Brook.
* Long Meadow Brook. Source: between Indian Hill Road and Arlington Road, Burlington.

## Branches

[edit]

Vine Brook has one secondary branch.

* Sandy Brook. Just past the Burlington Mall (going downstream), a branch breaks off Vine Brook to form Sandy Brook.

## General history

[edit]

Before the first white settlers came around the 1630s, the Indians had formed no permanent settlement near Vine Brook in Lexington, as the water supply was not great enough for an entire tribe. However, towards the Shawsheen River there were settlements, as that was certainly a greater body of water. (While Vine Brook was small in those days, though, it did have fish.)

When the first settlement was made at Lexington c. 1642, it was near Vine Brook.

As can be seen in the next section, there was a great use of the Brook for mills, from the 17th to 19th centuries.

In the early 20th century, however, the practical use of the Brook switched to irrigation for neighboring farms, as Lexington was still very much a farming community up to around the 1950s. In the 1930s, as part of a WPA project, the Brook was widened and deepened from its original shallow, narrow bed from Hayes Lane to Emerson Road, all in Lexington. This was to better use it for irrigation purposes. (Today, much of the brook bed is reverting to its natural size, gradually filling back in with silt.) In addition, it was culverted from Hayes Lane back upstream to Vine Brook Road in Lexington.

Today, a great deal of the Brook is on town-owned conservation land parks. Though many sections of the Brook have had their appearance altered over the years, some areas still remain relatively as they were in the Colonial days and before.

## Mills

[edit]

Ruins of Wilson Mill in Bedford

There have been several mills on Vine Brook over the centuries, and it is this industry that has so connected the brook to the towns it passes through. According to the History of Bedford, at the time it was written, "the only motive-powers, utilized [at that time in Bedford] are on the Shawshine River and Vine Brook." According to the Bedford town website, when Bedford was being incorporated as a separate town from Billerica, there were negotiations as to which town would retain rights to the Vine Brook area, due to its valuable water-power. Following are known mills listed in downstream order, with locations, and dates if known:

* Muzzey mill, date unknown. Approximate site: today's 1666 Mass. Ave., Lexington.
* Estabrook mill, date unknown. Approximate site: rear of today's 1625 Mass. Ave., Lexington. The millpond created as a result of this mill was used afterwards (19th century) for baptisms by the First Baptist Church of Lexington.
* Wyman fulling mill, before 1794. Exact site: at Butterfield's Pond and North Street, Lexington, opposite today's 113 North Street. (See Gibbs mill, below.)
* Gibbs mill, on same site as Wyman fulling mill (see above). Burned 1840s. Foundations still visible.
* Locke grist mill, before 1794. Exact site: at Butterfield's Pond and Lowell Street, just over the town line into Burlington.
* Reed saw mill, before 1794. Still existent in the 1890s. Approximate site: off Middlesex Turnpike, between Adams Street and Route 128, Burlington.
* Vine Brook Mill, originally c. 1645, rebuilt twice afterwards. The first mill was the Bacon mill; this was burned by Indians in King Philip's War. Then came the Wilson corn mill, built 1685, and later used by the Blodgets and Gleasons. It was apparently this mill that Ashbys and Fitches used as well. And then, c. 1840, a paper mill was built on the site. According to the History of Bedford, this mill produced coarse paper and employed many people. When the mill burned (c. 1850–1860), the second mill to burn on that site, about one tenth of the town's residents moved away. The millpond created by this mill is still visible today. Exact site: foundations still visible off Burlington Road, Bedford, near corner of Route 3.
* Saw Mill(s): the History of Bedford also mentions saw mills located on both the Shawsheen River and Vine Brook; specific locations or other details are not mentioned. These mills created millponds which were used for cutting ice. (In addition, ice was cut from Butterfield's Pond by Wyman's Mill.)

## Conservation lands

[edit]

Although Vine Brook no longer flows in its original bed in Lexington, it provides attractive views

Many stretches of Vine Brook are owned by their respective towns, as conservation land. This body of water is vital to the wildlife of its respective towns; The Bedford town website notes that the old millpond at Vine Brook and Route 3 "is one of the few open bodies of water in Bedford and supplements an important wildlife habitat corridor along Route 3 which supports a diverse wildlife population." Following is a list of conservation areas that include sections of the Brook.

* Lexington: there are two parcels of conservation land in Lexington which touch on parts of Vine Brook. Lower Vine Brook[1] is about 100 acres (0.40 km2), and can be accessed from the end of Utica Street; this parcel is bordered for a good stretch by a paved bikeway along the Brook. The Upper Vine Brook[2] parcel encompasses some of Upper Vine Brook, one of the tributaries to the main Vine Brook; this parcel is about 50 acres (0.20 km2), and can be accessed from Highland Avenue.
* Burlington: a section of Vine Brook, near where Sandy Brook breaks off from it, is today a conservation land park owned by the Town of Burlington (22 acres). Further upstream on Sandy Brook is another town-owned park (5 acres). In addition, there is another town-owned park (3.78 acres) off Chadwick Road, that touches on part of Sandy Brook. There is conservation land at part of Long Meadow Brook, a tributary of Vine Brook. There is also the "Muller Road Conservation Land" (over 3 acres), which sits just behind Vine Pond. (Vine Pond is connected, and sits next to, Vine Brook.)
* Bedford: a large section of the Shawsheen River is town-owned conservation land, not far from where Vine Brook empties into the River. Small boats can be used in the Shawsheen.

## Etymology and spelling

[edit]

Vitis labrusca, or "Fox Grape."

In 1636 is the first deed reference to land that is now Lexington. It granted 600 acres (2.4 km2) of upland and meadow to a Mr. Harlackenden of Cambridge, at "Vynebrooke."

Vine Brook probably took its name from grape vines growing by its banks. John Josselyn (in his "New England's Rarities") and other writers from the 17th century (such as William Wood in his "New England's Prospect") noted the abundance of grape vines, primarily in low, wet areas.

The type of grape that probably grew at Vine Brook was Vitis labrusca, or "Fox Grape." These same 17th-century authors noted the great size of these grapes (nearly four inches around in some cases), and enjoyed the sweet flavor. There are still a few grape vines which grow at the Brook's bank in Lexington today, on conservation land.

It is quite probable that there was an ancient Indian name for this brook, though it is not known. The Nipmuck Indians were frequent passers-through in the Vine Brook area, though they had no permanent settlement there. A loose translation of "Vine Brook" into Natick Algonquin would be "Wenonis Seep," literally grapevine river.

## Flooding

[edit]

The brook would frequently flood Waltham Street, Lexington, in the Colonial days. The residents of the Southwest part of town would complain that they could not get to "meeting," or church.

March 14 and 15, 2010, has seen the only major flood in recent years. North Street in Lexington was nearly submerged, and Vine Brook's swelling contributed to major flooding on the Shawsheen River.[3]

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Worthen, Edwin B. Tracing the Past in Lexington, Massachusetts. Vantage Books.
* Worthen, Edwin B. Historic Lexington Map Collection. Accessible at Cary Memorial Library, Lexington.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Lower Vine Brook" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
2. ^ "Upper Vine Brook" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
3. ^ "Eagle Tribune, Weekend's rain may trigger major Shawsheen River flooding today". Retrieved 2010-03-15.

* v
* t
* e

Merrimack River watershed

Tributaries|

| Massachusetts|

* Artichoke River
* Assabet River
* Back River
* Beaver Brook
* Cochichewick River
* Concord River
* Little River
* Merrimack River
* Nashua River
* Nissitissit River
* North Nashua River
* Phillips Brook
* Powwow River
* Quinapoxet River
* Salmon Brook
* Shawsheen River
* South Branch Souhegan River
* South Nashua River
* Spicket River
* Squannacook River
* Stillwater River
* Stony Brook
* Sudbury River
* Trout Brook
* Vine Brook
* Whitman River

|

New Hampshire|

* Baboosic Brook
* Back River
* Baker River
* Bear Brook
* Beards Brook
* Beaver Brook
* Beebe River
* Big River
* Black Brook
* Blackwater River
* Cockermouth River
* Cohas Brook
* Contoocook River
* East Branch Baker River
* East Branch Pemigewasset River
* Fowler River
* Frazier Brook
* Gridley River
* Gunstock River
* Lane River
* Little River (Big River)
* Little River (Merrimack River)
* Little Massabesic Brook-Sucker Brook
* Little Suncook River
* Lost River
* Mad River
* Melvin River
* Merrimack River
* Merrymeeting River
* Middle Branch Piscataquog River
* Moosilauke Brook
* Nashua River
* Newfound River
* Nissitissit River
* North Branch Contoocook River
* North Fork East Branch Pemigewasset River
* Nubanusit Brook
* Pemigewasset River
* Pennichuck Brook
* Piscataquog River
* Powwow River
* Purgatory Brook
* Red Hill River
* Salmon Brook
* Shedd Brook
* Smith River
* Soucook River
* Souhegan River
* South Branch Baker River
* South Branch Piscataquog River
* South Branch Souhegan River
* Spicket River
* Squam River
* Stony Brook
* Suncook River
* Tioga River
* Turkey River
* Warner River
* West Branch Mad River
* West Branch Souhegan River
* West Branch Warner River
* Winnipesaukee River

Lakes|

| Massachusetts|

* Lake Attitash
* Lake Boon
* Lake Cochichewick
* Lake Cochituate
* Fairhaven Bay
* Haggetts Pond
* Lost Lake
* Lake Saltonstall
* Tuxbury Pond
* Wachusett Reservoir
* Walden Pond

|

New Hampshire|

* Arlington Mill Reservoir
* Ayers Island Reservoir
* Baboosic Lake
* Canobie Lake
* Cobbetts Pond
* Contoocook Lake
* Country Pond
* Crystal Lake (Gilmanton)
* Crystal Lake (Manchester)
* Deering Reservoir
* Franklin Pierce Lake
* Great Pond
* Halfmoon Lake
* Harrisville Pond
* Highland Lake
* Hopkins Pond (Adder Pond)
* Island Pond (Derry)
* Island Pond (Stoddard)
* Jenness Pond
* Lake Kanasatka
* Little Squam Lake
* Locke Lake
* Lonesome Lake
* Massabesic Lake
* Lake Massasecum
* Merrymeeting Lake
* Mirror Lake
* Newfound Lake
* Northwood Lake
* Nubanusit Lake
* Opechee Bay
* Paugus Bay
* Pemigewasset Lake
* Penacook Lake
* Pleasant Lake (Deerfield)
* Pleasant Lake (New London)
* Potanipo Pond
* Powder Mill Pond
* Powwow Pond
* Profile Lake
* Sebbins Pond
* Silver Lake (Hollis)
* Skatutakee Lake
* Lake Solitude
* Squam Lake
* Stinson Lake
* Suncook Lakes
* Sunset Lake
* Thorndike Pond
* Turkey Ponds
* Tuxbury Pond
* Lake Waukewan
* Weare Reservoir
* Webster Lake
* Lake Wentworth
* White Oak Pond
* Lake Wicwas
* Willard Pond
* Lake Winnipesaukee
* Lake Winnisquam

Towns|

| Massachusetts|

* Acton
* Amesbury
* Andover
* Ashland
* Bedford
* Billerica
* Burlington
* Chelmsford
* Clinton
* Concord
* Dracut
* Fitchburg
* Framingham
* Groton
* Groveland
* Haverhill
* Hopkinton
* Hudson
* Lawrence
* Leominster
* Lexington
* Lowell
* Lunenburg
* Marlborough
* Maynard
* Merrimac
* Methuen
* Newburyport
* North Andover
* Northborough
* Pepperell
* Salisbury
* Sudbury
* Tewksbury
* Tyngsborough
* West Newbury
* Westborough
* Westford

|

New Hampshire|

* Allenstown
* Amherst
* Ashland
* Atkinson
* Bedford
* Belmont
* Boscawen
* Bow
* Bridgewater
* Bristol
* Campton
* Canterbury
* Concord
* Derry
* Franklin
* Gilford
* Goffstown
* Hampstead
* Hill
* Hillsborough
* Holderness
* Hollis
* Hooksett
* Hopkinton
* Hudson
* Kingston
* Laconia
* Lincoln
* Litchfield
* Londonderry
* Manchester
* Meredith
* Merrimack
* Milford
* Nashua
* New Hampton
* Northfield
* Pelham
* Pembroke
* Penacook
* Peterborough
* Plaistow
* Plymouth
* Salem
* Sanbornton
* Suncook
* Thornton
* Tilton
* Weare
* Windham
* Wolfeboro
* Woodstock

Landmarks|

* Amoskeag Falls
* Bear Brook State Park
* Belknap Mountains
* Blackwater Dam
* Egg Rock
* Franconia Notch State Park
* Franklin Falls Dam
* Gunstock Mountain
* Hannah Duston Memorial
* Hobo Railroad
* Lakes Region
* Lost River Reservation
* Middlesex Canal
* Minute Man National Historical Park
* Mount Major
* Mount Monadnock
* Mount Pemigewasset
* Mount Rowe
* Pawtucket Falls
* Pemigewasset Wilderness
* Sculptured Rocks Natural Area
* Wellington State Park
* White Mountains

* v
* t
* e

Rivers of Massachusetts by drainage system

Atlantic Ocean|

| Buzzards Bay|

* Acushnet River
* Agawam River
* Back River
* Copicut River
* Crooked River
* Mattapoisett River
* Nasketucket River
* Paskamanset River
* Pocasset River
* Sippican River
* Slocums River
* Wankinco River
* Westport River
* Weweantic River

|

Nantucket Sound|

* Bass River
* Bumps River
* Childs River
* Coonamesset River
* Mashpee River
* Mitchell River
* Oyster Pond River
* Popponesset Creek
* Quashnet River
* Santuit River

Others|

* Tiasquam River

Gulf of Maine|

| Cape Cod Bay|

* Bluefish River
* Eel River
* Herring River
* Jones River
* Little Pamet River
* Pamet River
* Town Brook

|

Massachusetts Bay|

* Aberjona River
* Alewife Brook
* Canton River
* Charles River
* Chelsea Creek
* Cochato River
* Fore River
* Fresh River
* Indian Head River
* Malden River
* Millers River
* Monatiquot River
* Muddy River
* Mystic River
* Neponset River
* North River
* Saugus River
* Stony Brook (Boston)
* Stony Brook (Waltham)
* Stop River
* Weir River
* Weymouth Back River

Merrimack River Watershed|

* Artichoke River
* Assabet River
* Back River
* Beaver Brook
* Cochichewick River
* Concord River
* Little River
* Merrimack River
* Nashua River
* Nissitissit River
* North Nashua River
* Phillips Brook
* Powwow River
* Quinapoxet River
* Salmon Brook
* Shawsheen River
* Souhegan River
* South Branch Souhegan River
* South Nashua River
* Spicket River
* Squannacook River
* Stillwater River
* Sudbury River
* Trout Brook
* Vine Brook
* Whitman River

Others|

* Annisquam River
* Blackwater River
* Eagle Hill River
* Egypt River
* Ipswich River
* Jericho Creek
* Roger Island River
* Rowley River
* Skug River

Long Island Sound|

| Connecticut River Watershed|

* Burnshirt River
* Chapel Brook
* Chicopee River
* Connecticut River
* Cranberry River
* Deerfield River
* East Brookfield River
* Farmington River
* Fall River
* Five Mile River
* Green River
* Hubbard River
* Manhan River
* Mill River (Northampton)
* Mill River (Springfield)
* Millers River
* Mirey Brook
* North Branch Millers River
* North Branch Westfield River
* North River
* Otter River
* Quaboag River
* Scantic River
* Seven Mile River
* Tarbell Brook
* Ware River
* Westfield River

|

Housatonic River Watershed|

* Housatonic River
* Konkapot River
* Schenob Brook
* Umpachene River

Thames River Watershed|

* French River
* Quinebaug River

Narragansett Bay|

| Mount Hope Bay
(Taunton River Watershed)|

* Assonet River
* Canoe River
* Cedar Swamp River
* Cocasset River
* Cotley River
* Forge River
* Hockomock River
* Matfield River
* Mill River
* Nemasket River
* Poor Meadow Brook
* Quequechan River
* Rumford River
* Salisbury Plain River
* Satucket River
* Segreganset River
* Shumatuscacant River
* Snake River
* Taunton River
* Three Mile River
* Town River
* Wading River
* Winnetuxet River

|

Providence River Watershed|

* Abbott Run
* Blackstone River
* Bungay River
* Chockalog River
* Mill River
* Mumford River
* Peters River
* Quinsigamond River
* Sevenmile River
* Tannery River
* Ten Mile River
* West River
* Wilde River

Others|

* Barrington River
* Cole River
* Coles Brook
* Kickemuit River
* Lees River
* Palmer River
* Runnins River

Upper New York Bay|

| Hudson River Watershed|

* Hoosic River
* Kinderhook Creek

|

## See also

[edit]

* Lexington, Massachusetts
* Burlington, Massachusetts
* Bedford, Massachusetts
* Middlesex County, Massachusetts

42°30′25″N 71°15′00″W﻿ / ﻿42.507°N 71.250°W﻿ / 42.507; -71.250
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