North River (Massachusetts Bay)

The North River is a river, approximately 12 miles (19 km) long, in eastern Massachusetts, the United States. It is primarily a tidal river, formed by the confluence of the Indian Head River and Herring Brook. The North River forms the boundary between the towns of Norwell , Pembroke, Massachusetts, Hanover, Massachusetts and downstream, the boundary between Scituate and Marshfield. The river flows into Massachusetts Bay at New Inlet, where it also converges with the mouth of the South River. The North River area is also known as the "Irish Riviera" due to the large Irish American population that migrated during the 19th century.

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Fishing

The North River is primarily a habitat for striped bass and bluefish. As the tide rapidly changes both the bass and bluefish get trapped in the shallows. The most common shallows occur by the flats of the river. These flats are approximately half a mile wide and one mile long. During the spring, when schools of striped bass and bluefish are most active, is the best time to fish by the flats, either by boat or on land.

Boating

The North River is a popular river for kayakers as well as for small boats. There are several locations to load into the water. One at Bridge Street in Norwell, Union Street in Marshfield, Chittenden Lane in Norwell, Driftway Park in Scituate and upriver close towards the end of the North River in Hanover, there is a public boat launch off of Indian Head Drive. The North River ends in Hanover/Pembroke at Luddams Ford. The water upstream from the Luddams Ford dam is the Indian Head River. The North and South Rivers Watershed Association has a kayak guide and map explaining more about using the rivers. Tide is a major factor in determining timing of putting in and taking out. The North and South Rivers Watershed Association has an offset tide table for different locations along the river. Public parking is available at these locations.

History

The North River was host to the Fox Hill Shipyard which produced vessels up to 390 tons. The Fox Hill Shipyard produced over 56 vessels between 1690–1869. The heaviest vessel that was created was the Hilo. The very first ship launched by the shipyard was the Orient, weighing 42 tons. The first two shipbuilders on the river were Nathaniel Church and John Palmer.^[1]

Prior to the Portland Gale of 1898, the North River flowed south between Scituate's Humarock section and Marshfield, Massachusetts, joining the South River and entering the ocean several miles to the south of the current opening. The storm breached a thin strip of beach, which connected Scituate's Third and Fourth Cliffs, leaving Humarock an island. Eventually the old inlet has silted in, forcing the South River to flow north between Marshfield and Humarock, where it now joins the North River to enter the ocean between Third and Fourth Cliffs. Although Humarock is now connected by land to Marshfield, North of Rexhame Beach, there are no roads across the old inlet. As a result, Humarock is only accessible via the Marshfield Avenue and Julian Street bridges from Marshfield. The change to the course of the North River also increased the salinity of the large marsh area surrounding the current outlet, resulting in the loss of the valuable salt haying business. On the river itself, there were multiple landings throughout the towns for packet boats. Whites Ferry in Marshfield and Barry's Landing in Scituate were the first stops for the ships, then they would go down the North River to Hobart's Landing in Pembroke and the Wanton/Fox Hill Shipyards in Norwell, then eventually to the last stop on the river at Barstow's Bridge/Shipyard in Hanover.

The North River was also host to Whites Ferry shipyard and Barstows Two Oaks shipyard from the 17th through the 19th century.

References

^ "Barque Hill Association History". Barque Hill Association. Retrieved 2014-10-22.

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 Kickamuit River Lees River Palmer River Runnins River

Upper New York Bay

Hudson River Watershed	Hoosic River Kinderhook Creek

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