“Pometacom’s Rock” -Part 1 of Native Tongue Series LbNA #60787 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | Shamoose  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Feb 12, 2012 |
| Location: | Profile Rock State Park |
| City: | Freetown |
| County: | Bristol |
| State: | Massachusetts |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Nairon |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Dec 20, 2014 |
| Status: | FFFFFaFFFFm |
| Last edited: | Feb 12, 2012 |
Wampanoag has a meaning of “people of the first light.” This letterbox is placed in honor of them.
Directions: From the north: Take Route 24 South to exit 10’s N. Main Street, Assonet/Freetown exit. Stay towards the left on the ramp towards Freetown and take a left onto N. Main ST. Turn left onto Elm ST/Route 79 and stay on it for about 2 miles. Elm ST turns right and becomes Slab Bridge Road. Look for the brown Freetown State Forest sign and also the white Profile Rock sign on the left. If you pass the Freetown State Forest entrance on the right, you have gone too far. From the south (New Bedford area): Take 140 North to exit 8’s Lakeville/Freetown exit. Turn a slight right onto Chace RD and follow this road for 3.5 miles. At the end of the road, take a right onto Slab Bridge RD. Pass the entrance to Freetown State Forest on the left and Profile Rock will be shortly following this on the right.
Clue: Drive down the road to the parking area. The gate closes at 3:30, so park outside of the gate if you plan to be there later than that. From the parking area there are two graveled paths; one on the left and one on the right. Facing the paths, take the graveled path on the right (there is a brown pole on the right that says “Overlook.” There is a stone wall on the right and a big rock cluster on the left. Stand on the big rock outcropping and look straight ahead and to the left for the best view of the profile. Go back to the gravel path and follow it to the Profile. Just before the base of Profile Rock, there is a path on the right leading deeper into the forest. Take that path (just past two birch trees; one down and one up with peeling bark on the right of the beginning of that path). Stay on that path leading away from the Profile for a short minute. Look for a diamond shaped stone in the walkway and stop there. If you reach a Private Property sign, you’ve gone too far. Notice a smaller birch tree on the right and a large flat rock behind that. Walk to the big flat rock and look behind it for the box, under some bark, brush and rocks. PLEASE BE CAREFUL NOT TO STEP ON THE PRINCESS PINE growing underfoot…step around them. Also be aware of the green briars. Please re-cover this box well. Return the way you came.
Be sure to climb to the top of Profile Rock. The easiest way to get up the rock is approaching on the right of the profile. Just beyond the top of the face, swing to the left and follow the path all the way up.
History: Wampanoag’s chief Sachem, Massasoit (a.k.a. Woosamequin) was the peace keeper between English settlers and his native people. After Massasoit’s death, his son, Pometacom (a.k.a. King Philip and Metacom/Metacomet) became Chief Sachem until he was killed by an Indian solider under the command of Josiah Winslow, the governor of Plymouth Colony near Mount Hope in Bristol, Rhode Island on August 12, 1676.
After many years of co-existence, King Phillip’s war broke out between the native tribes and settlers. This was one of the bloodiest wars in U.S. history. “In the 55 year span between the Mayflower’s arrival and King Philip’s War, the natives were in decline from introduced disease and loss of tribal lands to the settlers.” Wampanoags joined forces with the Nipmucks, the Narragansetts and the Pocassets to defend their land and people. Captain Benjamin Church’s troops killed over 500 Narragansetts (including women and children) in the Great Swamp Fight/Massacre. Pometacom was later tracked down and he was shot in through the heart. Pometacom had a war general named Anawan. Anawan was killed by Capt. Church’s troops who promised peace but beheaded a band of Wampanoags instead and took the sacred Wampum history belt. The belt was given to Anawan by Pometacom (days before Pometacom’s death) at Profile Rock. The belt’s location is now unknown, as it may have been sent to England from the Plymouth colony.
Much of Freetown was sold to the colonists to pay off Massasoit’s debts. Freetown was the last major land purchase before King Philip’s War broke out. Profile Rock (a.k.a. Old Joshua’s Mountain) has a natural profile of Massasoit. This rock was sacred to his son, Pometacom, as he met with important tribe members here. It also served as a great lookout point. “The grief he release praying and meditating here the night before he died somehow left his energy in the stone, and many believe you can still see him on the rock today, seeking council and consolation.”
Quotes take from “Ghosts of the Bridgewater Triangle” by Christopher Balzano and “Dark Woods” by Christopher Balzano.
Bring a bag to pick up trash and Pitch-in with helping preserve this beautiful place!
Directions: From the north: Take Route 24 South to exit 10’s N. Main Street, Assonet/Freetown exit. Stay towards the left on the ramp towards Freetown and take a left onto N. Main ST. Turn left onto Elm ST/Route 79 and stay on it for about 2 miles. Elm ST turns right and becomes Slab Bridge Road. Look for the brown Freetown State Forest sign and also the white Profile Rock sign on the left. If you pass the Freetown State Forest entrance on the right, you have gone too far. From the south (New Bedford area): Take 140 North to exit 8’s Lakeville/Freetown exit. Turn a slight right onto Chace RD and follow this road for 3.5 miles. At the end of the road, take a right onto Slab Bridge RD. Pass the entrance to Freetown State Forest on the left and Profile Rock will be shortly following this on the right.
Clue: Drive down the road to the parking area. The gate closes at 3:30, so park outside of the gate if you plan to be there later than that. From the parking area there are two graveled paths; one on the left and one on the right. Facing the paths, take the graveled path on the right (there is a brown pole on the right that says “Overlook.” There is a stone wall on the right and a big rock cluster on the left. Stand on the big rock outcropping and look straight ahead and to the left for the best view of the profile. Go back to the gravel path and follow it to the Profile. Just before the base of Profile Rock, there is a path on the right leading deeper into the forest. Take that path (just past two birch trees; one down and one up with peeling bark on the right of the beginning of that path). Stay on that path leading away from the Profile for a short minute. Look for a diamond shaped stone in the walkway and stop there. If you reach a Private Property sign, you’ve gone too far. Notice a smaller birch tree on the right and a large flat rock behind that. Walk to the big flat rock and look behind it for the box, under some bark, brush and rocks. PLEASE BE CAREFUL NOT TO STEP ON THE PRINCESS PINE growing underfoot…step around them. Also be aware of the green briars. Please re-cover this box well. Return the way you came.
Be sure to climb to the top of Profile Rock. The easiest way to get up the rock is approaching on the right of the profile. Just beyond the top of the face, swing to the left and follow the path all the way up.
History: Wampanoag’s chief Sachem, Massasoit (a.k.a. Woosamequin) was the peace keeper between English settlers and his native people. After Massasoit’s death, his son, Pometacom (a.k.a. King Philip and Metacom/Metacomet) became Chief Sachem until he was killed by an Indian solider under the command of Josiah Winslow, the governor of Plymouth Colony near Mount Hope in Bristol, Rhode Island on August 12, 1676.
After many years of co-existence, King Phillip’s war broke out between the native tribes and settlers. This was one of the bloodiest wars in U.S. history. “In the 55 year span between the Mayflower’s arrival and King Philip’s War, the natives were in decline from introduced disease and loss of tribal lands to the settlers.” Wampanoags joined forces with the Nipmucks, the Narragansetts and the Pocassets to defend their land and people. Captain Benjamin Church’s troops killed over 500 Narragansetts (including women and children) in the Great Swamp Fight/Massacre. Pometacom was later tracked down and he was shot in through the heart. Pometacom had a war general named Anawan. Anawan was killed by Capt. Church’s troops who promised peace but beheaded a band of Wampanoags instead and took the sacred Wampum history belt. The belt was given to Anawan by Pometacom (days before Pometacom’s death) at Profile Rock. The belt’s location is now unknown, as it may have been sent to England from the Plymouth colony.
Much of Freetown was sold to the colonists to pay off Massasoit’s debts. Freetown was the last major land purchase before King Philip’s War broke out. Profile Rock (a.k.a. Old Joshua’s Mountain) has a natural profile of Massasoit. This rock was sacred to his son, Pometacom, as he met with important tribe members here. It also served as a great lookout point. “The grief he release praying and meditating here the night before he died somehow left his energy in the stone, and many believe you can still see him on the rock today, seeking council and consolation.”
Quotes take from “Ghosts of the Bridgewater Triangle” by Christopher Balzano and “Dark Woods” by Christopher Balzano.
Bring a bag to pick up trash and Pitch-in with helping preserve this beautiful place!