By Sara Mattes
(Editor’s note: The Lincoln Historical Society used this raging controversy as its theme for this year’s July 4 parade float — see the first picture in this photo gallery.)
In Lincoln’s earliest history, the road was known simply as Middle County Road. Lincoln lore has it that the name “Trapelo Road” derived from “traps below,” referring to the beaver traps that were set along the Beaver Brook in northeast Waltham. But that is probably myth, and a dive into archives offers an alternate explanation.
According to noted Waltham historian Edmund Sanderson, author of Waltham as a Precinct of Watertown and as a Town, the road from Beaver Brook to the Lincoln border was known for its steep hills. It was the custom to have horses stationed at the foot of such hills that could be temporarily hooked up to assist wagons with heavy loads. The word “trapelo” in Italian means “to drag by hooks or by extra horses,” so this practice in Italy is called “going trapelo.”
So, while some in Lincoln pronounce it “TRAPelo,” in light of the Italian derivation of the word, the proper pronunciation would be “TraPELo.” All the other towns through which Trapelo runs pronounce it “TraPELo.” Lincoln remains the outlier.
(This will be the first of several pieces on the development of Lincoln’s road system. We are very indebted to Kerry Glass’s important work on the evolution of Lincoln roads from its beginnings, using original deeds and maps. This work, “Tracing the History of Lincoln Ways,” will soon be available on line through Lincoln Archives and the Lincoln Historical Society.)
“Lincoln’s History” is an occasional column by members of the Lincoln Historical Society.