The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.

THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Andover was settled in 1643, and incorporated five years later.
It is watered by the Shawsheen River, a tributary of the Merrimack,
having its confluence on the right bank at Lawrence, and there are
excellent facilities for manufacturing, which are extensively im proved. There is a celebrated Theological Institution, and other
institutions for educational purposes of a high character located
here.
Methuen is situated on the north bank of the Merrimack, and is
an extensive manufacturing and mechanical town. The Spicket
River, which has its source in Hampstead, N. I-I., passes through
this place, and having a splendid fall of thirty feet, furnishes a fine
water-power. Methuen was detached from Haverhill ill 1725, and
has maintained a steady growth and prosperity, and takes high rank
among the flourishing towns of Essex County. The Spicket empties
into the Merrimack, on its left bank, at Lawrence.
Bradford was incorporated in 1675. It is a very pleasant town,
the land rising gradually from the Merrimack, culminating in elevated ridges and gentle hills, and as the neat dwellings are built
along the slopes, the appearance of the town from a distance, or
from some neighboring elevation, with the broad and placid Merrimack in the foreground, is picturesque and pleasant. The shoe business is the principal interest of Bradford; in fact, it may be said it
is only a repetition of its larger neighbor on the opposite side of the
river. Besides the Boston & Maine Railroad Bridge there is what
-is known as the Toll Bridge, which was made free in July, 1868, by
indemnifying the stockholders, and the Rock Bridge, so called,
further down the river.
"The Agawam tribe occupied the eastern part of what is now
Essex County, in Massachusetts, extending from tide-water upon the
Merrimack, round to Cape Ann. Their territory skirted upon two
sides by the Merrimack and Atlantic, indented by bays, intersected
by rivers, and interspersed with ponds, was appropriately called
IVonnesquamsauke, meaning, literally, "The Pleasant Walter
Place;" the word being a compound from wonne (pleasant),
asqhtam (water), and auke (a place). This word was sometimes
contracted to Wonnesquam, often to Squamsaukee, and still oftener
to Squaw or Asquam. The deep, guttural pronunciation of /sq?tam by the Indians sounded to the English like tc4awam, and
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