Prophet About the Wilderness

Doc Robbins once proposed in his prophetic writings that Attleboro was to the local native peoples “a backwater” hunting and gathering area – that there existed a close association with native peoples living primarily along the shores of Narragansett Bay with the ability of ready access to this wilderness hunting ground.

I personally agree with Doc’s assessment, but since further self-study of local watersheds, I have expanded this concept of ancient resource use within the confines of early Attleboro.

Attleboro is bounded northward closely by the Charles and Neponset River Watersheds, is bracketed by the major drainages consisting the Taunton River (east) and Blackstone River (west) Watersheds. And as fore mentioned, Narragansett Bay looms to the south.

Attleboro is a localized hub containing portions of several area watersheds with the primary Ten Mile River Watershed holding sway along with portions of the Taunton River, Palmer River, Bucklin Brook and Blackstone River Watersheds in tandem.

This hub of intimate watershed symmetry most likely enabled a diverse population of native peoples to periodically filter into our “Attleboro backwater” from many directions for thousands of years leaving, yet, the telltale and subtle evidence of their repeated presence within our local Attleboro soils.

All the more reason to responsibly preserve and study our remaining and finite prehistoric cultural resources – “preservation” being our constant watch word. 

Don Doucette

“Ten Mile River Rambles”

Friends of the Ten Mile and Bucklin Brook

Citizens of the Narragansett Bay