OLD TOWN CONFLUENCE
FIRST CHURCH IN OLD ATTLEBOROUGH
BY DON DOUCETTE
I’ve always been interested with the thought of the earliest proprietors settling the original Old Town neighborhood, chose in fact to put down roots at the combined eastern base of Red Rock Hill and Walnut Hill near the early precinct dividing line of old Attleborough – and yet, presently remains as the town and city border.
A natural geologic transition occurs here within the Seven Mile River drainage – a transition of waters running off the higher elevated Wamsutta Volcanic formations onto and through the glacial outwash fan of the lower Seven Mile River drainage before its confluence with the Ten Mile River flowing toward strategic old Rehoboth center (Rumford) and Narragansett Bay – by the way, the confluence where Mr. Luther expertly planned the future gravity fed footprint for the City of Attleboro sewage treatment facility.
The early proprietors first recognized the potential for modest water privilege development as small mill site industries, farm and ice making ponds etc. and as well, greater grazing and food production actualities.
Our Mr. Luther smartly recognized the added future potential for larger water storage possibilities equating during time as the extended Orr’s Pond water treatment complex for the City of Attleboro.
The subject of Old Town is an interesting area study given the fact that the strategic Bay Path added to its early notoriety along with its important local geographic juxtaposition and including the early notable personages having passed through this historic neighborhood.
Our Old Town remains today as community fabric and an actual motivating example for continued local historic preservation efforts.
Don Doucette
“Ten Mile River Rambles”
Friends of the Ten Mile and Bucklin Brook
Citizens of the Narragansett Basin