Ancient history…
It is believed that the Native Americans used this land as a fishing and hunting ground, similar to what has been discovered across the marsh at Broad Meadows. Additionally, the rich marsh grasses around this area would have provided the Native Americans and the colonists with a source of bedding and insulation. These grasses would have also been harvested as feed for domestic animals, since traditional English grasses and hay were not available.
Who owned this land???
This land was part of several much larger land grants, and eventually, Norton Quincy, who was Abigail Adams’ grandfather, acquired the land. He then passed it onto the Adams family who then passed it on to their children and so on.
In 1778, John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams, left on a diplomatic mission to France. It is believed by Quincy historian, Tom Galvin, that it is a strong possibility that the Adams’s left from the nearby beach in order to avoid capture from the waiting British.
This land became known as “The Crusher” during its brief time under the control of the Tidewater Broken Stone Company. When the company went out of business, the city took the land back due to unpaid taxes and has owned it ever since.
The Crusher was formally declared open space in 1984, thanks in large part to Leo Kelly, a former Ward 1 Councilor. This means that this land is exempt from further development and is now a nice walk in the woods.