History:

The name "Nenameseck" is a Native American term used by the Nipmuc Indians of central Mass, sometimes referred to as the Quabaug Indians. A nenameseck referred to the fishing traps and basket that was used to gather and catch a large quantity of spawning salmon which once filled the local waterways. The Nipmuc's would place a "V" shaped pattern of sticks in the stream to funnel the fish pointed up or down stream, depending on the direction of the fish spawn. A large coarsely woven basket was placed in the center of the fish trap and, when lifted, would allow the water to drain, leaving the fish that the Nipmuc's depended on as a staple food source. This pattern of sticks was known to the English as a fish weir and is how the town of Ware and the river that runs through it got its name since much of this activity occurred at or around the Ware falls. The roots and origin of the town are still reflected today by a Native American fishing at the waters edge in the Ware Town Seal.