This area and this bridge have seen lots of history in the last
300+ years.
On June 26, 1675 a group of Soldiers camped on these banks of
the Neponset River. They were marching to Swansea in response to
the first battle of Metacomet's (King Philip’s)War. As the soldiers
were camping here, there was a Luna eclipse that they interpreted
as a bad omen for they saw what resembled a bloody scalp, and an
Indian bow. They were correct in interpreting it as a bad omen, for
it was going to be the worse war ever seen in this country for the
percentage of the population that would die during the
conflict.
One of the military leaders camping at this site, that would set
the tone for the cruelty of this war was Captain Samuel Moseley. He
was described as "an old privateer from Jamaica". Moseley's company
of men were called, "an unsavory lot of servants, seamen, and
convicted pirates". Moseley's hatred towards Natives including
Indian women and children and elderly non-combatants would be
revealed at several famous battles in the coming year.
A few months later, on December 10, 1675, six hundred men were
mustered together again on Dedham Plain due west of here, which is
now part of Hyde Park, Boston. They were brought together for an
expedition to march out against the neutral Narragansett Indian
Tribe camped at their swamp fort near South Kingstown, Rhode
Island. That battle called the Great Swamp Fight would be the
single most bloody day of the war.
Fighting spread across New England and came as close to Boston
as this area where soldiers engaged Native Warriors and several
buildings were burned in February of 1676.
The first wooden bridge on this spot was called, “Hubbard’s
Bridge" for a Mr. Hubbard built it for Israel Stoughton who owned a
large tract of land on the Neponset River. It was built around
1700.
In 1759 the towns of Milton and Dedham rebuilt this wooden
bridge while taxing each town for the cost.
In 1807 it was rebuilt again but took on the name "Paul’s
Bridge" from the owner of the adjacent lands on the Dedham side of
the river.
The stone bridge that you see before you was built in 1849
costing the town of Milton an incredible $627.62.
During the Civil War, this same area on Dedham Plain was once
again used to muster soldiers. At that time Dedham plain was the
Union Army's Readville Camp. The famed Massachusetts 54th Black
Regiment trained here.
Paul's Bridge was widened in 1932 using its original cut stone
arches.
And Finally one of the most historic events to happen here in
11-29-2007, "a GEOCACHE was placed here!"
Bring your picnic lunch, hiking shoes, canoe and have some fun
after finding the cache. Or take a hike out to the nearby
Fowl Meadow Cache (GCY76T).
Happy Caching. Don’t fall in the water.