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Historians believe that the interesting history of Hull was determined by its unusual geography. The town is a long narrow peninsula projecting into Boston harbor, which the Plymouth Colony used to set up a trading post with local Indians in 1621. Star-shaped Fort Independence was built in Hull in 1776 to defend Boston Harbor, and General Benjamin Lincoln oversaw the evacuation of Boston from this site in 1778. French Admiral d'Estaing used the fort to defend the French fleet from British attack when the French were forced to land for repairs. The town was devastated by loss of manpower and income during the Revolution when its major businesses of fishing, shipbuilding and lightering were interrupted by the blockade of Boston.
The Massachusetts tribe called the area "Nantasket," meaning "at the strait" or "low-tide place." It is a series of islands connected by sandbars forming Nantasket Peninsula, on which the Plymouth Colony established a trading post in 1621 for trade with the Wampanoags. The town was first settled in 1622 and officially incorporated in 1644, when it was named for Hull, England. Early industries included fishing, trade and salvaging shipwrecks.
Hull has seven distinct hills and these seven hills are what make the peninsula's topography quite unique. Millions of years ago during the formation of the peninsula, seven glaciers came in close proximity to each other and over hundreds of thousands of years dirt, clay, sand, etc, covered the glaciers and the areas between them. This formed the town as it currently stands, and is what created 'the seven hills of hull'.
Hull was originally part of Suffolk County, and when the southern part of the county was set off as Norfolk County in 1793.
Hull features Nantasket Beach, with fine, light gray sand—generally considered one of the finest beaches in New England. At low tide, there are acres of sandy tide pools. Beginning the community's development as a tourist resort, in 1825 Paul Worrick established the Sportsman Hotel on Nantasket Avenue. More hotels were built, and by 1840, steamboats made 3 trips a day between the town and Boston. |
