[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 86 (Friday, June 8, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           IN RECOGNITION OF THE 375TH ANNIVERSARY OF DUXBURY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 8, 2012

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 375th 
anniversary of the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, a beautiful coastal 
haven on the State's historic South Shore.
  While the town itself was incorporated in 1637, people have inhabited 
the area for as much as 12,000 years. The Wampanoag tribe called the 
area now known as Duxbury ``Mattakesset,'' meaning ``place of many 
fish.'' Indeed, Duxbury is blessed with bountiful natural resources, 
including not only fish but shellfish, cranberries, rivers, ponds and 
idyllic beaches. Its English name was chosen by Myles Standish--an 
officer serving as a military advisor to the Pilgrims--who named it 
after Duxbury Woods in Great Britain.
  Colonists in Duxbury fought in several early American wars, and 
during the Revolutionary War, the town maintained a militia of 60 
minutemen under the leadership of Ichabod Alden. One of Duxbury's first 
natives, George Partridge, went on to represent the State of 
Massachusetts at the Continental Congress and was elected to the First 
Continental Congress.
  The fishing industry developed rapidly after the Revolutionary War, 
when fishing rights were granted following the Treaty of Paris. What 
began as a small operation involving no more than a few families with 
two-masted schooners eventually grew into the largest ship-building 
port in the world. At the peak of the shipbuilding era, Duxbury boasted 
20 shipyards and produced an average of 10 large sailing vessels every 
year. Eventually, swift clippers that required deep harbors superseded 
the brigs built in the shallower waters surrounding Duxbury, and the 
center of American shipbuilding shifted to Boston. However, several 
historical monuments to this era remain standing today.
  The shift in the shipbuilding industry made way for a new industry to 
dominate Duxbury's economy--tourism. Thanks to its coastal location and 
natural beauty, Duxbury soon became a popular summer resort 
destination. Several area landmarks were built during this period, 
including the 130-foot Myles Standish Monument. The elegant Standish 
Hotel, originally built to accommodate the influx of summer visitors, 
survives today as two private residences.
  Duxbury's population further boomed with the construction of Route 3, 
which made Boston and the surrounding region more accessible. The rapid 
growth that occurred in subsequent years helped shape Duxbury into the 
vibrant community it is today.
  Mr. Speaker, the 375th anniversary of Duxbury is an opportunity both 
to reflect on its past accomplishments and look forward to its future. 
Its long history embodies the richness of American history and the 
indomitable spirit of the American people. May this remarkable 
Massachusetts town flourish for many years to come.

                          ____________________