Pequossette Park (near Arsenal)
Pequossette is the Indian word for "The place where the water widens". About the year 2000 B.C. the sea Level had risen so that the tides met the fresh water at this point. To the East, nearby, Swain's Brook flowed into the Charles River; as a result this place was heavily inhabited.
Pequossette Park (near Arsenal)
The greatest ranges of prehistoric objects, on this region, have been discovered near this site. Discoveries include a stone tool of the Early Archaic period (about 7000 B.C.). Many archaic implements (about 4000 B.C.) and several Squibnocket tools (about 2500 B.C.) most of the objects date from what is now called the Watertown period (160-1400 B.C.).
Prehistoric Site (Nonantum Road)
In prehistoric times Lemon Brook flowed into the Charles River at the foot of Nonantum Hill. Gravel excavations in the 19th century revealed extensive prehistoric remains, including stone implements dating from 4000 B.C. down to recent times. Found were cutting tools, axes, pestles, and hammer stones. Many of these objects are at the Jackson Homestead in Newton, MA.
Near this site in 1857 an archaeologist, Jessie Fewkes, discovered the burial site of an aged Indian woman. She was facing east, downstream, and was adorned with turtle shells, a totem of stone and arrowheads, and some metal beads and buttons, possibly of European origin. The last recorded Indian settlement in this area in t626, was a group of "Praying Indians" moved here after being held at Deer Island during the King Philip War.
Prehistoric Site (North Beacon Street)
About 1500 B.C. the ocean level had risen so that the tides met the fresh water at this point. Construction work, nearby, revealed an extensive collection of stone cutting tools, which are now at the Peabody museum, Harvard University. Some date from 1600 B.C. but the greatest majority area of the Orient Period (1100-600 B.C.) and a few of more recent origin.
Birds that have been seen in the Perkins Pond area
1978 Revision
All Year Residents
American Blue jay
Starling
Common Grackle
English sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Black-capped Chickadee
American Goldfinch
Rock Dove
Slate Colored Junco
Common Crow
Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Chinese Ring-necked Pheasant White-breasted Nuthatch
Herring Gull
Cardinal
Kestrel
Mockingbird
American Robin
Summer Residents
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Brown and White Creeper
Red-winged Blackbird
North American Oriole
Song Sparrow
Rose-breasted Crosebeak
Yellow Warbler
Maryland yellowthroat
Gray Catbird
House Wren
Belted kingfisher
Eastern Phoebe
This list was compiled in March, 1978 by Francis Maher, Mae Ellis, Wm. Heisler and Cathy LaForte. Many Thanks
Rufous-sided Towhee
American Woodcock
Brown-headed Cowbird
Mourning Dove
Yellow-shafted Flicker
Eastern Meadowlark
Great BIue Heron
Bob-o-link
Migratory (Spring/Fall)
Cedar Waxwing
Chewink
Olive-sided Flycatcher
American Kingbird
Lapland Longspur
Common Redpoll
Red-eyed Vireo
Brown Thrasher
Mallard Duck
Black-crowned Night Heron
Barred Owl Fox Sparrow
Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Shrike
American Redstart
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Brown Creeper
Wood Thrush
Oven Bird
Myrtle Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Wilson Warbler
Canadian Warbler
Parula Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Connecticut Warbler
Blackpoll
Winter Residents
Tree Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Pine Siskin
Tufted Titmouse
Evening Grosebeak
Sawhet Owl
Sparrow Hawk (Kestrel)
Ovenbird
White-crowned Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Bob-white
Red-breasted
Nuthatch
Animals, Reptiles etc that have been seen in the pond area.
Skunk
Opossum
Fox, Red
Raccoon
Grass Snake
Garter Snake
New England Cottontail Rabbit
Bat, Brown
Gray Squirrel
Muskrat
Water Rat
Frog, Bull
Toad
Turtles, Painted and Snapping, Box Mice
Dog
Cat
Also found are numerous insects including:
Mosquito
Dragonfly
Bees Hornets Wasps
Crickets
Grasshopper
Ants
May FIy
Moth
Butterfly
Praying Mantis
Water Beetle
Water Plants
Water Lilies
Pickerel Weed
Arrowhead
FIag
Mallow
Algae, (Various species)
Trees
Red Maple
Tulip Poplar
Swamp White Oak
Black Birch
Black Walnut
Butternut
Wild Black Cherry
Sugar Maple
Weeping Willow American elm
Shrubs
Elderberry
Button Bush
Arrow-wood
Blueberries
Pussy willow
Viburnum
Flowers
Pokeberry
Cinquefoil
Blue Violets
White Violets
Ground mint
Asters, New England Buttercup
Mustard
Poison Ivy
Meadow Sweet Dandelion
Dock
Ceiadine
Jewel Weed
Fern and Grasses
Royal Fern
Lady Fern
Sensitive Fern
Grasses numerous varieties
Dr. Allen and the Trees of Perkins
When Dr. Allen first visited the site of the present Perkins Campus, he was deeply impressed with the number and the beauty of the trees he saw there. Being something of an arbor culturist, as well as educator, Dr. Allen not only preserved the campus trees but added many new ones. Persons attending Perkins during his administration have recalled seeing the director on numerous occasions busily engaged in making grafts on the different trees.
Today more than 45 different species of trees are found on campus. Included among them are maples, oaks, walnuts, ashes, and a few venerable elms that have managed to survive the Dutch elm disease epidemic. Two yellowwood trees on campus have attracted worldwide attention, being the only known specimens to bear pink blossoms.
Tree identification signs, in both Braille and print, which have been placed on many of the trees, have proved useful for classes in science and nature study and by the scouting program. A manual, "Trees of the Perkins Campus", describes the different kinds of trees and their locations.
Our trees, like our campus, represent a valuable educational and aesthetic resource.
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