‘Tuk in Indian, denotes a river whose waters are driven in waves by the tide or winds. With the adjectival missi, “great ” it forms missi-tuk, now written Mystic—the name of the “great river” of Boston Bay.’
The origin of the name Menotomy yet awaits explanation. The spellings of the word have been various.
Newtowne soon took advantage of the privilege granted by the General Court, and on March 1st, 1635, ‘Agreed with John Clark to make a suffcient Weir to Catch Al-wiffs vppon Monotomies River in the bounds of this Town before the 12th of Aprell next and shall sell and deliver vnto inhabetants of the Town and no other, except for bayte, all the Aylwifs he shall take at III s VI pr thousand.’
On April 4th, 1636, it was ordered by the Town,‘That Walter Nichols shall pull vpp the boarded weire in Menotemis River.’ Whether this order to pull up the weir was in anticipation of the order of the General Court, June 6, 1639, to set open the weirs from Saturday noon till Monday morning, to allow the fish to pass, or for its entire removal, is not plain, but probably the former, for on the 23rd of April, 1636, Andrew Warner was ‘Apointed to see a cartway made to the weire.’
In February, 1686, the weir and weir field were let to Nathaniel Patten for thirty shillings for the ensuing year, and in April he was chosen to look after the gate at ‘Notomie Bridge,’ for which the rent of the weir was to be allowed him.
At a meeting of the proprietors, March 25, 1720, it was voted that the privilege of the weirs for catching of fish, with the lands thereto appertaining belongs to said proprietors. Also voted that one acre of the flats of Great Spy pond on the north side of the bridge over Mills' Weir be laid out for the better securing said proprietors' privilege of catching of fish in said town. The ‘Bridge’ carried Weir lane or Lake street, Arlington, over the outlet of Spy pond.
