Moswetuset Hummock (Quincy, MA)

Date Visited: April 21, 2016 & May 22, 2016

Location: East Squantum St, Squantum (Quincy), MA

Cost: Free

Parking: about 8 parking spots.  Parking is also available at the beach which is located about half a mile away on Quincy Shore Drive and is an easy walk to Moswetuset.

Highlights: great views, easy trail, secluded, not usually very busy, a lot of historical significance

Mosewtuset may seem much like all the other small parks that dot the Massachusetts shoreline.  But, its significance in the historical landscape of Massachusetts and all of the colonies and commonwealths should never be minimized.

Moswetuset is not only significant because the commonwealth of Massachusetts derived its name from Moswetuset but it is also the original trading place of Chickatawbot Sacamore and Myles Standish in 1621 that spurred the trade of the early settlers and the Native Americans. Moswetuset was also the area they used as their planting grounds.

What does a funky name like Moswetuset mean, you may ask.  Moswetuset has been translated into “shaped like an arrowhead” (the area does have a distinct arrowhead shape) and “site of the great house.”  The area is shielded by rows of trees and growth.

The trail is an easy loop with a very minor incline.

Only underscoring how small things can be very big in their place in history, Moswetuset is only a quarter of a mile loop, if that.  But, it does offer some pretty views and it is a nice place to take a short stroll or sit on one of the many rocks along the beach (Moswetuset is located next to Wollaston Beach).  It was low tide when I went so I was able to get out onto the rocks and get some decent views of the water and the surrounding neighborhood of Squantum (which is technically part of Quincy) which is in the background of the photos.

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Of course, what would a park or attraction in Quincy be without graffiti? There were some interesting works of graffiti at Moswetuset.

Moswetuset is a popular place for dog walkers.  But, for some reason, there weren’t any dog walkers at Moswetuset when I visited.  I found Buddy, though, on my way to my car as I walked along the beach.