This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Forty Second Week, Saturday's "Medfield Historical Minute"

A little something to read and learn to give you a little break during this time of boredom during isolation due to the Coronavirus Crisis.

Charles River
Charles River (Courtesy photo)

A Medfield Historical Minute...

This "Medfield Historical Minute" is brought to you by town historian Richard DeSorgher.
A little something to read and learn to give you a little break during this time of boredom during isolation due to the Coronavirus Crisis. A different "Medfield Historical Minute" will appear each day during the Crisis.

"In 1661 Medfield selectmen ordered that “no person in this town can make or have any canoe in any pond, brook or river, especially the Charles River, except allowed by the selectmen, under penalty of 10 shilling fine.” Many people throughout Massachusetts Bay Colony had been drowned by means of canoes and as a precaution many towns enacted laws against the use of canoes. At the time few people knew how to swim."

Find out what's happening in Medfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?