Mattabesset River
| Mattabesset River | ||
 Former New Haven Railroad (Middletown Branch) railroad bridge over the Mattabesset River in Middletown, Connecticut |
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| Data | ||
| Water code | US : 208768 | |
| location | Middlesex County , Connecticut (USA) | |
| River system | Connecticut River | |
| Drain over | Connecticut River → Long Island Sound | |
| source | Harts Ponds 41 ° 37 ′ 9 ″ N , 72 ° 48 ′ 8 ″ W. |
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| Source height | 55 m | |
| muzzle | Confluence with the Connecticut River Coordinates: 41 ° 34 ′ 23 " N , 72 ° 39 ′ 5" W 41 ° 34 ′ 23 " N , 72 ° 39 ′ 5" W. |
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| Mouth height | 3 m | |
| Height difference | 52 m | |
| Bottom slope | 2 ‰ | |
| length | 25.9 km | |
| Left tributaries | Willow Brook , Little Brook , Willow Brook , Chestnut Brook | |
| Right tributaries | Stocking Brook , Hatchery Brook , Spruce Brook , Bradley Brook , Sawmill Brook , East Miner Brook , Swamp Brook , Coginchaug River | |
| Communities | Berlin , Kensington , Middletown and Cromwell | |
The Mattabesset River is a tributary of the Connecticut River in the area of the parishes of Berlin , Kensington and along the border between Middletown and Cromwell . It is 16.1 mi (25.9 km) long.
Surname
The river was named after the Mattabesic Indian tribe who used to live in the area. However, it has a number of alternative names, probably because the sound of the name in English was unpleasant (be sick = get 'ill). Other names: Beckley River, Betses River, Ferry River, Honehas River, Honhius River, Little River, Massabeset River, Matabezeke River, Matowepesack, Matowepesack River, Mattabasset River, Mattabesec, Mattabeset River, Mattabesett, Mattabesic, Mattabesic River, Mattabesick River, Mattabesicke River, Mattabessett River, Mattabezeke, Mattapeaset, Mattpeaset River, Middletown River, Sebethe Creek, Sebethe River.
geography
According to today's names in maps, the river arises on the Harts Ponds, on Ragged Mountain . From Wasel Reservoir , west of Ragged Mountain, one of the original streams first flows south into the uppermost Hart Pond , then turns east and flows in the notch between Ragged Mountain and Short Mountain to the east side of Ragged Mountain, where it flows into the Upper Reservoir Hart Pond flows into the Lower Hart Pond further north . Another source river rises on the east side of Short Mountain and also flows into Upper Hart Pond.
The outflow is in the Berlin area at the north end of Hart Pond at 55 m (180 ft ) above sea level . There the river first passes a small swamp area, where it takes Stocking Brook from the right and south and is then crossed by the 71A (Chamberlain Highway) . Then it turns north where it is dammed twice in the Kensington area as Papel Goods Pond (Paper Goods Pond, Railroad Pond). Then he enters a small plain while he has already descended to 18 m . It runs through swampy terrain with many turns to the east, takes the Hatchery Brook with the Belcher Brook from the right and south and turns further north again in its winding course. It is crossed by the CT-9 and takes Willow Brook from the left and north . From its confluence on, it again runs more strongly to the east, takes on another tributary from the north and is crossed by US Highway 5 (Wilbur Cross Highway). It takes three more nameless tributaries and the Little Brook from the north and then breaks through the next ridge at Wethersfield Road , from where it turns south again and runs through East Berlin . In this area it receives tributaries from the right and west through the Spruce Brook and later the Bradley Brook , as well as several small tributaries from the left and east. South of East Berlin it turns again to the east. It is crossed by Interstate 91 and runs north of Achenbach as the border between Middletown (S) and Cromwell (N). The right notable tributaries (from the south) in this area are Sawmill Brook and East Miner Brook . Another Willow Brook flows into it from the north .
Then it enters the marshland that extends to the Connecticut River and continues to wind in a southeastern direction. There it receives inflow from Chestnut Brook (left, north), from Swamp Brook (right, west) and shortly before the confluence with Connecticut from right and south in Round Meadow through the Coginchaug River . The rivers served as the main migration routes for the Indians. Sachem Sowheage had its main base at Indian Hill about 2 km further north on the Connecticut River.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map .
- ^ Mattabesset River in US Geological Survey. Geographic Names Phase I data compilation (1976-1981). 31-Dec-1981. Primarily from US Geological Survey 1: 24,000-scale topographic maps (or 1: 25K, Puerto Rico 1: 20K) and from US Board on Geographic Names files. In some instances, from 1: 62,500 scale or 1: 250,000 scale maps.
