Street Name Project

Marshfield Street Name Project

Marshfield Historical Commission

Listing of Streets in Marshfield and the Origin of Their Names
 

This listing is in four distinct parts. Part one is a listing of streets named after our Indian neighbors when we arrived here in the 1630’s. Second list is of streets named after famous ships. Third list is streets named after famous people in the history of our nation. The last list is streets named after people in the history of our town.

Streets named for Indians
 

Wampanoag Indians included Nauset, Nantucket, Patuxet, Titicut, Mashpee, Nemasket and Pocasset Tribes as well as other small sub-tribes.

  • Agawam Avenue - sub tribe from the Buzzards Bay area.
  • Arrowhead Road
  • Canonchet Terrace- Narragansett Sachem Indian
  • Chickatawbut Avenue -Massachusett Indian Chief
  • Indian Road
  • Massasoit Avenue - Wampanoag Chief
  • Pokanoket Lane - was the headquarters of Massasoit near Bristol, Rhode Island.
  • Saginaw Avenue - Saginaw sub tribe of the Chippewa Indians
  • Samoset Avenue- Wampanoag Chief from Maine who greeted the pilgrims with "Hail Englishmen".
  • Satucket Avenue -sub tribe "Sawkatuket" Indians from Brewster/Harwich area.
  • Seminole Avenue - Tribe from Florida
  • Wamsutta Pathe named for one of Massasoit's sons known as Alexander.
  • Tecumseh Street- Shawnee Chief
  • Metacomet - Wampanoag Chief (King Philip) son of Massasoit.

Streets named for famous Ships
 

  • Alabama Street
  • Arkansas Street
  • Columbia Road
  • Constellation Road
  • Constitution Road
  • Essex Avenue
  • Kearsage Road
  • Mayflower Lane
  • Monitor Road
  • Nebraska Street
  • Nevada Street
  • Ohio Street
  • Olympia Road
  • Oregon Road
  • Salem Avenue
  • Utah Street
  • Vermont Street
  • Wyoming Street

Streets named for people famous in the history of the USA
 

  • Farragut Road
  • Franklin Street
  • Fremont Rd.
  • Hamilton Rd.
  • Harding Road
  • Jackson Street
  • Jefferson Avenue
  • Kennedy Road
  • Lincoln Avenue
  • MacArthur Lane
  • Roosevelt Road
  • Taft Road
  • Tyler Road
  • Washington Avenue
  • Webster Street
  • Wilson Avenue
  • Winthrop Drive.

Streets named for people and places in Marshfield History
 

  • Alden Road- named for Pilgrim John Alden
  • Allerton Road - named for Isaac Allerton- Pilgrim & Plymouth Colony financier
  • Ames Avenue- named for Sarah & Elijah Ames- landowners and developers of Old Rexhame
  • Appleton Way - named for Daniel Webster's daughter Julia who married an Appleton.
  • Arleita Street - named for Arleita Macker, wife of Arthur Macker, developer
  • Ashburton Avenue- named for Lord Ashburton whose treaty with Daniel Webster helped to establish the boundaries between the state of Maine with Canada.
  • Assumption Road - named for the first Catholic Church in Marshfield, Our Lady of the Assumption built in 1919.
  • Atwell Circle - named for the Atwell family who lived in the vicinity of Careswell & Atwell Cir. in 1750's.
  • Aunt Lizzies Lane- named for Elizabeth Pauldingl Eames who was a school teacher, early advocate of protecting the Pilgrim Trail.
  • Bakers Lane- named for Samuel Baker who was among the principal settlers in Marshfield.
  • Baker Street- named for Horace Baker who in 1875 built a summer cottage on Winslow Street in Rexhame.
  • Barouche Drive- named for Daniel Webster's barouche carriage.
  • Bartletts Island Way- named for an old Marshfield Hills family.
  • Black Mount Drive- named for a hill that looked black when seen from Duxbury Bay. It was famous for being a place where Daniel Webster made an important speech, and for an observatory and a cistern for DW. which gathered water for his estate.
  • Blanchard Drive- named for Dr. Herbert Blanchard from Scituate.
  • Boles Road- named for Robert S. Boles, selectman and developer of Holly Hill.
  • Bourne Park Avenue named for Thomas Bourne 1637, landowner and farmer and his large family of early settlers. John Bourne fought at Bunker Hill, was a selectman, assessor and a deputy for Plymouth Colony Court.
  • Bow Street named for the shape which resembles a bow.
  • Boxboard Road- named for a boxboard mill owned by Isaac, Andrew and Ambrose Magoun.
  • Bradford St named for Governor William Bradford. Gov. of Plymouth Colony
  • Bradley St named for Bradley S. Bryant who helped to build the Union Chapel in 1895 on his property.
  • Bryant Street was also named for Bradley S, Bryant.
  • Branch Street named for John Branch who was a tenent farmer then a landowner of the area in 1684
  • Brewster Road- named for Elder William Brewster of Plymouth Colony.
  • Calypso Lane named for Daniel Webster's boat.
  • Canal Street named for the canal that provided access to Duxbury Bay from the Green Harbor River. It was built in 1636 and was one of the earliest canals in America.
  • Canoe Tree Street named for the large white pine trees used by the indians to make canoes.
  • Cantering Close named for the bridle path which runs only a few feet away and was originally the railroad bed.
  • Capt. Luther Little Way named for a naval hero of the American Revolution.
  • Careswell Street named for Edward Winslow's ancestral home "Kerswell" in the village of Kempsey, Droitwich, Worcestershire, England.
  • Carolina Trail named for Caroline Ames Smith who with her husband Enoch Smith and descendants owned a large parcel of land on Carolina Hill for 118 years. She was the daughter of Tilden Ames.
  • Carpenter Lane named for Blanche Carpenter real estate agent who lived there and owned the land.
  • Carr Road named for the developer of the area.
  • Carriage Hill Way named for the stagecoach which was used to transport people from Plymouth to Boston
  • Carver Street named for Gov. John Carver of Plymouth Colony.
  • Chamaral Circle named by Selectman Charles Monahan by combining his family surnames.
  • Chandler Drive named for the Chandler family, Arthur who purchased the land of the Harlow Farm in 1937 .and Russell who was a selectman and long time Director of the Marshfield Agricultural & Horticultural Society and local businessman.
  • Chapel Place named for the Union Chapel.
  • Chilton Road named for Pilgrim Mary Chilton.
  • Chowdermarch named for a group of neighborhood men who periodically marched with bowls of chowder to the home of Colonel NormanThompson on Union St..
  • Church Street was the path used to go to the Episcopal Church when it was located on Ferry Street in Center Marshfield.
  • Churchill Heights named as it is above and parallel to Church Street.
  • Colby Hewitt Lane named for the Hewitt family.
  • Copeland St named for Ken Copeland, owner of Copeland Lumber Co.
  • Damons Point Drive named for the Damon family who were early settlersin Marshfield Hills. Many Damons were prominent in town affairs.
  • Decker Way named for Decker Hatch who ran a sawmill for 54 years (Hatch Mill). His father ran the same sawmill for 49 years before him. Mill was in operation from 1647.
  • Delano Circle named for early settlers in Duxbury one of whose descendents was FDR.
  • Double Eagle Drive named for the hot air helium balloon launched here to attempt a trans Atlantic flight manned by Ben Abruzzo and Max Anderson
  • Dwight Road named for Edwin W. Dwight who was one of the developers of Holly Hill in 1922.
  • Eames Way named for Anthony Eames an early settler on Summer St in the 1650's. He was a representative in the Plymouth Colony Court. The way was used by the people of the area to get to church.
  • Elliot Street named for Elliot Magoun of the prominent Magoun family.
  • Emery Road named for Gov. Geo. W. Emery who had a large estate there.
  • Endicott St named for Governor John Endicott, English colonial magistrate, soldier and Gov. of Massachusetts Bay Colony.
  • Ewell Way named for the Ewell family. Chester Ewellwas a store owner at 112 Summer St in 1893. Judson Ewell was a blacksmith at 185 Old Main St.
  • Ferry Street named as the road to White's Ferry at Humarock.
  • Flaggler Dr named for the developer Jack Flagg.
  • Ford Street named for the Ford Family, early settlers and owners of the first mill in Marshfield on the South River. William Ford was a farmer. John Ford was well known as a surveyor and map maker, Joseph was involved in the development of the airport in 1948. Lucy Ford Callahan was well known as Marshfield postmistress for many years.
  • Fletcher Drive named for the son of Daniel Webster, Fletcher Webster, who was killed in the Civil War at the 2nd Battle of Bull Run.
  • Frisbie Road named for the Frisbie family. Lloyd and son Richard ran a school bus transportation company for many years.
  • Furnace Street named for the iron furnace that was located at Furnace Brook.
  • Gates Road named for Clyde Gates Marshfield Police Officer who sold a portion of land to the developer of Southport.
  • Grace Lane named for Daniel Webster's first wife, Grace Fletcher.
  • Gratto Road named for the Gratto family, Varnum Gratto was active in real estate.
  • Guide Post path named for a guide post located there to mark a trail.
  • Hannah Brook Waye named for Hannah Trouant Eames daughter of Morris Trouant who settled in the area of Summer Street around 1650.
  • Harlow Road named for Gideon and Olive Harlow who owned a large farm on that property.
  • Hen Island Cartway is an old dirt road off Summer Street near Cornwell Hill that led out to Hen Island.
  • Holly Road named for the abundance of holly trees in the area.
  • Holmes Road named for the William Holmes family of Marshfield Hills.
  • Howes Brook Road named for the Howes Brook nearby.
  • Hunter Drive named for John and Anne Hunter who lived there.
  • Ilex road was given that name as the latin word for holly.
  • Jedidiah's Path named for Jedidiah the son of Jedidiah Eames who was a Tory at the time of the Revolution.
  • Joan Way named for Joanne Shepherd from the Magoun family.
  • John Alden road was named for Pilgrim John Alden.
  • Joseph E. Driebeek Way named for a local lobster fisherman who died in 2002. His boat was named the Spruce Goose 2.
  • Joyce St named for the early Joyce family and the Joyce School nearby.
  • Keene Road named for the Keene family. Josiah Keene was a shipbuilder from the 1800's and his son Benjamin Keene was apostmaster.
  • Kenelm Drive named for Kenelm Winslow brother of Edward Winslow, "first Family" of Marshfield who came here in 1636.
  • Kent Avenue named for John Kent an early settler and landowner from the 1740's.
  • King Philips Path was an early Indian path named for King Philip, the son of Massasoit (Indian name was Metacomet).
  • Lapwing Waye named for Daniel Webster's boat.
  • Liversidge St named for Henry & Thomas Liversidge who owned a large farm which occupied most of Hewitts Island in the 1800's bounded by Ocean Street and Daniel Websters island farm.
  • Macker Terrace named for Arthur Macker who was the builder of homes in Ocean Bluff from some of the lumber from the Peace Haven Hotel located near the present Fairview Hotel.
  • Macombers Ridge named for William Macomber an early settler from the 1650's.
  • Magoun Path named for the Magoun family. Ambrose, Andrew and Isaac ran a boxboard mill on Magoun Pond.
  • Mounce Farm Way named for the Mounce family who had a large farm on Union Street.
  • Napier Road named for Arthur Napier who was a landowner in the area in the 1950's when that area was being developed.
  • Nathaniel Way named for Nathaniel Phillips who lived in the area around 1827. He was a prosperous farmer and merchant in coastal trade with the West Indies and the Maritimes.
  • Oakman Way named for the Oakman family. Samuel was an early settler in the 1600's. Tobias built a home at 460 Summer St. in 1702. He was a yeoman and mariner and built ships at the Wanton Shipyard and operated Upper Ferry and ran a packet ship hauling wood from the North River to Boston. Hiram Oakman was a shoemaker and operated a stable and mill in Two Mile.
  • Observatory Way named for Daniel Webster's observatory which was on top of Black Mount.
  • Old Farm Road named for Frank Sinnotts farm which was the homestead of Charles Porter Wright, earlier manager of Daniel Webster's Estate.
  • Old Wharf Way named for Bourne's Wharf which was located there. It was named for the Bourne family who operated it.
  • Orchard Road named because it was the location of Daniel Websters orchard of apple and peach trees.
  • Oxen Drive named after Daniel Webster's oxen.
  • Parsons Walk named for the location near the parsonage of the Methodist Church where the parson walked..
  • Paulding Rd. named for the Paulding family. In the 1800's Joshua was a blacksmith and his descendant John was a fisherman and Elizabeth Paulding Eames was a Marshfield School teacher for many years.
  • Peregrine White Drive named for Peregrine White who was the first child born to the Pilgrims in Plymouth. He was the son of William and Susannah White (Winslow). Stepson of Edward Winslow.
  • Perryn Way named for Dr. James McLaughlin's son Perryn.
  • Peterson Path named for the Peterson family. Charles was a fisherman and another descendant Helen was a Marshfield School teacher for many years.
  • Phillips Farm Rd named for John Phillips who settled here in the 1650's. He had a farm at Ferry Street near Coast Guard Hill.
  • Priscilla Road named for Priscilla Alden, hence it's proximity to Alden Road.
  • Queens Guard Way named for the British troops sent by General Gage to protect the Torys of Marshfield during the Revolution.
  • Randalls Creek Road named for the Randall family who ran a mill on Summer Street at the pond.
  • Regis Road named for Dr. McLaughlins daughter, Regis.
  • Rocky Reach Road named for the rocky area in the North River nearby.
  • Rugani Ave named for the Rugani family who moved here in the 1920's from Italy and were builders and stonemasons.
  • Ryders Lane named for Grace Ryder who taught school in Marshfield from 1917 to 1954 and was active in Town affairs until 1967.
  • Samuel Curtis Way named for the first deacon of the First Baptist Church.
  • Sawyers Lane- named for the saw mills in the area.
  • School Street named for the old Joyce School on the corner of School & Forest St.
  • Seaflower Lane named for the sloop owned by Nathaniel Winslow which freighted oak wood from Bourne's Wharf, Careswell Creek, to Boston. (See Old Wharf Way)
  • Seager Farm Road named for the DC Seager Farm in that area.
  • Seth Sprague Drive named for the early Sprague Family who were active in town affairs.
  • Sherrill Rd named for Edgar B.and Sarah Sherrill who were owners of the Kenelm Winslow House on Rexhame Hill.
  • Shermans Path named for the Sherman Family. Sandy & Ada ran the Golden Pheasant Tea Room near Ocean & Webster in the 1930's & 1940's. Martha had a tea room and craft store at 915 Union St in the 1920's. They traveled that path to attend church in Marshfield Center.
  • Signal Hill Road named for the hill where smoke signals were sent between Plymouth and Boston.
  • Smoke Hill Ridge was another location used by the Indians to send smoke signals.
  • Snow Road named for Anthony Snow who was owner of a large tract of land in downtown Marshfield in the 1650's.
  • Spring Street, originally called Clift Street for the owner and builder of the Clift House located at Spring & Riverside Circle. It was renamed Spring Street for the spring at the bottom of the hill near Highland St.
  • Stagecoach Drive named as it was the route the stage took on it's route from Plymouth to Hingham.
  • Standish Street named for Myles Standish, pilgrim.
  • Statesman Terrace named for Daniel Webster, statesman.
  • Station Street named for the railroad station there.
  • Steamboat Drive named for Daniel Webster's horse who he named Steamboat in honor of one of his famous court cases.
  • Stetson Avenue named for the Stetson family. Leon delivered ice and George was a fisherman.
  • Stratton Avenue named for Dr. Warren Stratton who lived there.
  • Tea Rock Lane named as the location where the Marshfield Tea Party was held in December 1773 in support of the Boston Tea Party held in protest of the British tea tax.
  • Telegraph Hill was used to send smoke signals to Coles Hill in Scituate and on to Boston during the Revolution..
  • Temple Road named for our telephone exchange early in the 20th century.
  • Thomas Street named for the Nathaniel Ray Thomas family. William was an original settler. Nathaniel Ray Thomas was a leader of the Torys in the Revolution. Col. Anthony Thomas was a patriot in the Revolution and lived at the corner of Parsonage and Moraine St.
  • Tilden Rd named for theTilden family. Joseph bought land near Murdock's Pond in 1668. The Tilden family were amoung the original "Men of Kent", settlers of Scituate. Many Tildens moved here and married into Marshfield families and descendants are still in town today. They were farmers, shipbuilders, and sometimes toll keepers of Union Street bridge.
  • Tory Lane named for our local Torys who sympathized with the English cause during the Revolution..
  • Waterman Avenue named for the Waterman family- Anthony was a furniture maker in the 1600's. Robert, an early settler, was a deputy to the Plymouth Colony Court in 1638 and Capt Asa Waterman purchased the Kenelm Winslow house in 1783.
  • Weston Farm Path named for Weston Family. Ezra was a shipbuilder in Duxbury and one of the founders of the Marshfield Cotton & Woolen Mfg. Co. at Chandler/Baker pond.
  • White Holland Dr named for the breed of turkeys raised by the Gerard Turkey Farm nearby.
  • White's Ferry Landing named for Benjamin White, descendant of Peregrine White, who ran the ferry nearby.
  • Whitford Drive named for Elizabeth Whitford who was active in the American Legion Auxillary and active in the welfare of veterans.
  • Winthrop Drive was named for Gov. John Winthrop, Governor of Maassachusetts Bay colony in 1630.

This list was prepared after extensive research was done in the local history book "Marshfield, A Town of Villages 1640-1990" written by our Town Historian Cynthia Hagar Krusell and Betty Magoun Bates and a lengthy interview with the authors and the testimony of other residents. If after reading this report you find any mistakes that need correcting please contact the Marshfield Historical Commission at 781-837-2647 or email.