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15-685: The Mystic Dam (and its gatehouse ) are a historic dam and gatehouse between Lower and Upper Mystic Lakes in the suburbs north of Boston, Massachusetts . The dam was built in 1864–65 by the Charlestown Water Commission (Charlestown then being separate from Boston) as part of a water supply system. It was located at a narrow point between the Lower and Upper Mystic Lakes, with its west end in Arlington and its east end in Medford . The water system it

30-478: A brick-lined aqueduct that delivered the water to Charlestown. The lake area impounded by the dam is 186 acres (75 ha). The dam and gatehouse were each listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. By the early 2000s, the dam was known to not be in very good condition, with failing spillway masonry, erosion, and other damage to the dam's stonework. A major storm in 2006 flooded portions of

45-510: A progenitor to the Erie Canal , operated on the eastern shore of the Mystic Lakes, connecting Lowell to Charlestown . Squaw Sachem of Mistick Squaw Sachem of Mistick ( c.  1590 -1650 or 1667 ) a. k. a. " Massachusetts Queene " was a prominent leader of a Massachusett tribe who deeded large tracts of land in eastern Massachusetts to early colonial settlers. Squaw Sachem

60-484: A thousand years. Such varves in meromictic lakes preserve a historical record somewhat like tree rings do. In the case of Lower Mystic Lake, the varves have been used by Mark Besonen and his collaborators to study the historical incidence of hurricanes. Although the Mystic Lakes are popular for swimming, sailing, and fishing, the Upper Mystic Lake suffers from contamination by arsenic and other heavy metals from

75-570: A tribal priest, Wompachowet (also known as Webcowit or Webcowet). In 1639 she deeded the land of what was then Cambridge and Watertown to the colonists, an area that covers much of what is now the Greater Boston area, including Newton , Arlington , Somerville , Malden , and Charlestown . She lived her last years on the west side of the Mystic Lakes near what is now Medford, Massachusetts , where she died sometime between 1650 and 1667. She

90-460: Is a spillway area consisting of a series of square columns constructed of granite blocks and a masonry apron. These columns are grooved on their inner faces to facilitate the installation of stop logs. A wooden walkway with a plank railing ran across the top of the dam. A wooden fish ladder was built, but removed at a later date. A gatehouse on the Medford side was used to connect the upper lake to

105-622: Is fed by the Aberjona River , and drains south, over the Mystic Dam , into Lower Mystic Lake, which in turn empties into the Mystic River and then Boston Harbor . Lower Mystic Lake is a meromictic lake , which means that the lake has a deep layer of water that rarely, if ever, mixes with its top waters. As a consequence, the sediments at the bottom of Lower Mystic Lake accumulate in annual layers (or varves ) that have been nearly undisturbed for

120-581: Is remembered on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail . Her sons, Wonohaquaham , Montowampate , and Wenepoykin were tribal leaders as well. She is sometimes confused with other contemporary Squaw Sachems in the region, including Awashonks and Weetamoo . Using the Squaw Sachem of Mistick name or likeness has been protested by individuals of surrounding tribes as well as multiple social justice groups. There has been an ongoing battle (20+ years) to get rid of

135-624: The Aberjona River . The eastern shore of the lakes is part of the Mystic River Reservation managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation . The lakes were previously part of the drinking water supply for Charlestown and later Boston (see Massachusetts Water Resources Authority ). In the 1600s, the Squaw Sachem of Mistick , who deeded much of the land in Greater Boston to settlers, resided near

150-575: The Mystics Lakes. Her Naumkeag band likely established fishing weirs at the outlet of the lake and the downstream Mystic river, and had grown corn on the lake's eastern shores. An indigenous burial site from the 1600s, possibly of sachems Nanepashemet or Montowompate , was discovered in 1862 just east of the Mystic lakes and was memorialized as Sagamore Park. From 1803 to 1851, the Middlesex Canal ,

165-405: The surrounding area, and highlighted the potential inability of the dam to handle a significant high-water event, leading to catastrophic flooding of downstream areas. Between 2010 and 2012 major work was undertaken to improve the dam's condition. A new spillway was constructed to the east of the old spillway, which received a new spillway apron. Work was done on the embankments and the shores near

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180-422: The upper areas of the dam, and a new fish ladder and bridge were built. The historic gatehouse was also rehabilitated, and modern controls were added, enabling improved control over the water levels behind the dam. Mystic Lakes (Boston, Massachusetts) The lakes lie at an elevation of 1 meter above sea level, within the towns of Winchester , Arlington , and Medford, Massachusetts . Upper Mystic Lake

195-660: The use of the Sachem name and likeness as a mascot or logo in the surrounding towns. In 2020, the Sachem was removed as the mascot of the Winchester, Massachusetts public schools. Defenders of mascots often state their intention to honor Native Americans by referring to positive traits, such as fighting spirit and their being strong, brave, stoic, dedicated, and proud; opponents see these traits as being based upon stereotypes of Native Americans as savages. The use of American Indian mascots as symbols in schools and university athletic programs

210-679: Was a part of eventually merged into the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), predecessor to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). As built, the dam was over 1,500 feet (460 m) long and 16 feet (4.9 m) high, with most of that length (about 1,000 feet (300 m)) consisting of earthen embankments lined with riprap and puddle clay . Near its center

225-622: Was the widow of Nanepashemet , the Sachem of the Pawtucket Confederation of Indian tribes, who died in 1619. Her given name is unknown and she was known in official deeds as the "Squaw Sachem." Squaw Sachem ruled the Pawtucket Confederation lands aggressively and capably after Nanepashmet's death. Around 1635, along with several other Native Americans, she deeded land in Concord, Massachusetts to colonists, and by that time she had remarried to

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