And the Water Runs Through It

For decades, I drove the town roads – and the “water” was Lake Winthrop, Factory Pond or perhaps the Bogastow Brook. A beautiful threesome, but rather limited given the rich web of water that runs through our town. In the last five years, with the Holliston Rail Trail completed, I have been able to open my eyes to the extensive waterway network that flows throughout all corners of our town. Be it when walking, or skiing or biking on the re-purposed railway bed, I have noticed so much more water flow than I had ever imagined. I have asked, “Where does that water come from? How do these numerous brooks and streams connect to lake and pond – and finally, of course, how do they all make a good contribution to the Charles River?”

So here I offer up several photos of some of the modest starting points and connectors of our “east of Highland Street” brooks and streams.

  1. Hill St. has three small streams feeding down to the south shore of Lake Winthrop.

2. The Winthrop Canal is now seen with clarity from different perspectives from up along the Rail Trail.

3. Jar Brook – sourcing at the Ashland town line – flows down under Winter St. near Stagecoach Rd. and heads on to Houghton’s Pond and then under Washington St. to Factory Pond (Woodland St.) and the Bogastow.

4) Dopping Brook starts up at the Sherborn town line and sneaks under the Rail Trail on its long journey to the connection with the Bogastow to slide under Fiske St. and then Central St. further downstream –finally headed out to the Charles River in Millis.

None of this is to belittle the tiny stream that comes quietly down under Pearl St., over to the narrow Austin Lane channel, then under Washington St. and down by the Peddler’s Lane wetlands and under the Rail Trail to feed the Lake Winthrop wetland ponding just west of the access road to Pleasure Point. This flow then feeds into the Winthrop Canal just below the culvert at Arch Street. Even the Holliston Library (John’s Shoe Repair?) parking lot has a little slot stream feeding down to the Winthrop Canal. It is, in fact, carrying water that originates in the very modest Willow Brook tucked in the hidden swale between the Green St. houses and the Hollis St. houses as one looks up toward Powder House Hill. A culvert – presumably quite substantial in design – carries the water under Washington St. and several parking areas to connect to the canal.

Some will point out that I have ignored the “west of Highland Street” waters that entwine and snake under the Rail Trail as they flow down to the Medway section of the Charles River. Yes, Chicken Brook and Hopping Brook need their day in the sun also. Alas, there are too many waters to fully describe and photograph in this short space: they can await another day. Let us just remember and appreciate fully that these waters run freely—and with some subtle beauty— through our town. Also, as Spring approaches, we can reflect upon how fortunate we are that the

Rail Trail serves to bring us into a closer connection with our many flowing brooks and streams—all Good Waters running through our town.

11 thoughts on “And the Water Runs Through It

  1. Nice pics and narrative. We also have Dirty Meadow Brook in East Holliston. Runs from Sherborn I believe.

    1. Thanks Rick for mentioning this. Dirty Meadow Brook is indeed one of our contributors to the Bogastow and then the Charles. Cutting under Bullard St. For space reasons, I was not able to refer to all the water flows that wash though the town. Good you spoke up! Walter

    1. Played in Chicken Brook behind Summer St my whole youth. When Axton Cross was built and had a spill the brook died.

  2. Nice article Walter – I remember when we first moved here and seeing these canal/brooks popping up all over town

  3. Just beautiful photos of our precious resource, water.
    Outstanding article! Thank you for sharing!

  4. I lived on Maple Street next to Jar Brook where it went under the road. Our backyard and basement flooded sometimes when there was rain and snow melting in the spring. The flow was improved when Jar Brook was relocated in the Queens development. That was the end of flooding.

  5. Appreciate the connection to land water town and time you have. Maybe you have read Walden Pond. John’s shoe repair goes over 50 years back. Spent my childhood and Boy Scout years in town when there were only 2 school buses. Names and faces change. Sounds like the waterways are still the same.

  6. Walter. It was nice meeting you on a walk through town and to learn of this article you wrote. I enjoyed it very much. It was nice to learn the names of these waterways that criss-cross Holliston. When our kids were young, we often went on walks with them through Mudville and out to PleasurePoint. The Winthrop canal was a must-see stop along the route to look for frogs and turtles and toss in a couple pebbles in summer and to watch ice drifting slowly by in winter.

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

    1. I am glad you liked this, Mark. You might want to check out Hollistonreporter.com of April 9, 2023. And the Water Runs Through It – Part II. It covers the west side of Highland St. and includes a map of the waters of both articles. It was a fun project, and hopefully, the Town will always keep in mind the beauty of these places. They are a hidden rich resource for our town.

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