Flooding in Wayland
From Heard Pond to Egg Rock in Concord, where it meets with the faster flowing Assabet, the Sudbury River drops just a few inches; because there was so little power to be gained from the river, almost no industry developed along Wayland’s shore. It’s this almost flat gradient that results in flooding.
Below these photographs, you can click to watch a recorded presentation from 2011 by Sally Newbury and Tom Sciacca, “History of Flooding in Wayland.” For more information, enjoy “Crossing the Sudbury” a 2020 article by Brad Keyes, and discover a wonderful book about Henry David Thoreau and the Sudbury River.
If you have a story to share about flooding in Wayland, please send it to stories@waylandmuseum.org.
Thank you.
1968 Town Center
Aerial photo looking east
2010 National Guard
At Pelham Island Road
1936 Town Center
Looking northeast toward Millbrook Road, Bennett Road boys in boat
1936 Town Center
Looking north Collins Market on left; old Town Building on right
2001 "Old Gloria"
Helps Pelham Islanders across the river
1968 Sudbury River
Aerial photo showing old and new Old Sudbury Road bridges in flood
Pelham Island in Flood Times–boundary approx.
Showing how flooded Wash Brook merges with Heard Pond and the Sudbury River to create Pelham “Island”
1936 Newly Built High School
Now Town Building — no basement for a reason
1936 Town Center
Looking west, Mellon Law Office on right
1968 Purity Supreme (later, Whole Foods)
Aerial photo
1936 Town Center
Looking south from intersection, First Parish on right
1936 Russell's
Yellow house is still home to Russell family
1968 Wayland Town Center
Aerial photo looking west
1936 Town Center
Looking west from First Parish Church; 13 Pelham Island Rd just to right of car
1936 Town Center
Looking south from intersection, First Parish on left
Additional Information
2011 "History of Flooding in Wayland"
2020 "Crossing the Sudbury"
2017 Thoreau and the Sudbury River
Bob Thorson demonstrates how seemingly small changes downstream result in flooding; his book, The Boatman, reveals how Thoreau, accomplished surveyor, river scientist and love of nature, proved this.