Mystic River

The Mystic River is a 7.0-mile-long (11.3 km) river in Massachusetts. In the Massachusett language, missi-tuk means "large estuary", alluding to the tidal nature of the Mystic River. The resemblance to the English word mystic is a coincidence, which the colonists followed.

The Mystic River lies to the north of Boston and flows approximately parallel to the lower portions of the Charles River, encompassing 76 square miles (200 km²) of watershed. The river flows from the Lower Mystic Lake and travels through East Boston, Chelsea, Charlestown, Everett, Medford, Somerville, and Arlington. The river joins the Charles River to form inner Boston Harbor. Its watershed contains 44 lakes and ponds, the largest of which is Spot Pond in the Middlesex Fells, with an area of 307 acres (124 ha). Significant portions of the river's shores are within the Mystic River Reservation and are administered by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, which include a variety of recreation areas.

The Mystic River has a long history of industrial use and a continuing water quality problem. Some sections are undergoing an extensive cleanup as part of the construction of Everett's new Encore Boston Harbor casino.

History

American Indians and colonists used weirs to catch alewives and fertilize their crops. In 1631, the first ship built in Massachusetts was the Blessing of the Bay, launched from the river's shores. The first bridge was built in 1637; neighboring towns squabbled about the costs for more than a hundred years.