Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Jerusalem Road called Jerusalem Road?
Like many other early streets in Cohasset, Jerusalem Road was named after the place where it led. The area known today as West Corner was once called “Jerusalem Village.” Unfortunately, we still do not know why this area was referred to as “Jerusalem Village,” but Biblical names seem to have been popular in many towns and cities. The central village of Scituate was commonly called “Egypt” in the 1830s. There is also a Cohasset map that labels Strait’s Pond as “Lake Galilee” and the small stream at the west end of the pond as the “Jordan River.”
What is the carved stone on Black Rock beach?
The Black Rock Stone was originally carved by teenage Nathaniel Nichols Bates. The earliest carvings date to 1822, when he was 19 years old. The stone was carved again in 1826 and 1828, presumably by the Bates family.
The initials on the stone are for Nathaniel N. Bates’ brothers, sisters, and cousins. MB for Martin Bates, CB for Charlotte Bates (who later married Abraham Hobart Tower), MSB for Margaret Stephenson Bates (who later married Ephraim Snow), MBB for Martha B. Bates, who never married. LNB for Nathaniel’s cousin, Levi N. Bates. CP stands for Charles Pratt, and TB stands for Thomas Bourne, both friends of Levi Bates. It is unknown what or who the letters GC, DH, or JJC stand for.
Nathaniel Nichols Bates likely visited the small cottage near the area of the Black Rock Stone owned by his grandfather, Nathaniel Nichols. “Perched on Nichols Rock between Jerusalem Road and the Ocean Ledges, just east from Forest Avenue,” the cottage was originally built by Captain Nathaniel Nichols in 1757. It was then passed to his son, Nathaniel Nichols, and became an inn known as the First Black Rock House by the 1830s.
There are additional initials and dates that were added in subsequent years.
What are the REd “HT” signs on houses around town?
Homes with red “HT” signs are part of our townwide Heritage Trail. Click here to learn more!