Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 11, 2022 ~ Malden Musings ~ A Lea Called Coytemore By Peter F. Levine “A Lea Called Coytemore” was written in 2014 by Bob Rotondi. In 2022 it is presented to you by Peter F. Levine: “Of all the parks in Malden, the one whose appearance has changed the most is Coytemore Lea. The West Side open space easily wins ‘biggest change’ honors, as none of the Law Offices of Terrence W. Kennedy 512 Broadway, Everett • Criminal Defense • Personal Injury • Medical Malpractice Tel: (617) 387-9809 Cell: (617) 308-8178 twkennedylaw@gmail.com Real photo postcard: Coytemore Lea Park of yesteryear. other parks had a river running through the middle. “Coytemore, long before the Mountain Avenue pool opened on its south end, was a diamond-less tract of land with a fenced in creek running from north to south, In the center of the park was a concrete bridge over the brook that connected the two sides. On the west side, sitting behind the houses on Linden Avenue, was a line of gigantic elm trees, under which sets of swings, a seesaw, and sand boxes provided entertainment for the young’uns. “On the east side, the larger side, which in front of Park View Terrace, lay a fl at patch of ground, a veld, or lea, stretching from Clifton Street to Mountain Avenue. With makeshift bases, an infi eld was laid out by the participants to play baseball. Home plate was at Clifton Street, and the batter hit towards Mountain Ave. A bit narrow, but suffi cient for the neighborhood baseball-playing wannabees. The problem arose when a struck ball ended up in the brook. “The waterway, which came ~ Home of the Week ~ Lynn....Commercial store fronts (consisting of two condos), 6 store fronts - two vacant (Potential tenant for the vacant units at $3,000 monthly), easy to lease, great income, minimal expenses make this property a great investment. Condo fee of $782 monthly includes master insurance, water, sewer, exterior maintenance, etc. Centrally located near public transportation. Great money maker, perfect for 1031 exchange, GREAT INVESTMENT! Income and expenses attached. Call for more information. Offered at $2,799,000 335 Central Street, Saugus, MA 01906 (781) 233-7300 View the interior of this home right on your smartphone. View all our listings at: CarpenitoRealEstate.com from Melrose in the north, ran through backyards and eventually under Clifton Street, through the park, under Mountain Ave. After disappearing, the creek then continued under Joslin’s Department Store on Pleasant Street in downtown Malden, later Jordan Marsh (then CVS, now an extension of Boda Borg), eventually reaching the Malden River. “Ruth Kimball Randall wrote in her 1975 book, ‘Malden, from ‘Primitive Past to Progressive Present,’ that ‘Thomas Coytemore, a Puritan Sea captain, built a gristmill, which is a mill for grinding grain, by the pond in Malden Square, on a portion of the 35 acres he was awarded in 1640. His dam, near present day Mountain Ave, on the easterly side of Three Mile Brook (later, Spot Pond), carried the water in a wooden trough to the gristmill below. This early enterprise fl ourished for years, long after the death of the then original owner.’ “Kimball continued, ‘Scarcely four years after he had begun his mill, Captain Coytemore was lost at sea off the coast of Spain. He commanded ‘The Trial’ the fi rst ship ever built in Boston, completed in 1642.’ “From Saint Patrick’s Day until near Thanksgiving, baseball was the sport of choice for the athletes of Coytemore. The difference between baseball played at other parks across the city of Malden and Coytemore, was often a batted ball ended up with a splash. Since baseballs were in great demand, the outfi elder closest to the bridge had to run between the fence and bridge and grab the ball before it went under Mountain Ave, never to be seen again. “Of course, occasionally, the retriever fell into the brook, which was studded with rocks, creating ripples, and re-routing the ball in various directions. After a heavy rain, the river would swell into the Colorado River, and the ball would gain momentum, racing toward the bridge. In an instant, the bobbing covered rawhide sphere would disappear forever, If it was recovered, the ball would be put back into play immediately, even though it weighed twice as much as it did before it was driven into the waterway. “However, they came to play, through the 1950’s, into the 1960’s, until the MDC Pool was constructed. Dozens of the immediate area’s youths matriculated to the ‘hole,’ the pasture, the lea that was Coytemore. “The Rodenheisers, Dick and Bert. Dick later played for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, coached by Jack Riley, Jr of
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