What if a river could double back on itself?
A true story about HIGHLAND-avenue, told for kids 6-8.
Read along
What if a river could double back on itself? Not far from here, the Charles River does just that! It starts in Hopkinton and ends at Boston Harbor. But it does not take the short way. Its watery path bends and loops, sometimes turning back toward where it came from.
Here is the whoa part: the water travels about eighty miles, but the river ends only about twenty-six miles from where it starts! Picture a long, wiggly string curled up on your table. The string is long, but its two ends can sit close together. Try drawing a winding river in the air with your finger. Sweep forward, curl back, then go forward again.
Whoosh! If this river delivered pizza, your cheese would get cold! All those bends give the Charles its extra-long trip to the sea. Splash!
Quiz the back seat
Why is the Charles River's trip so long?
Show the answer
Its path bends and doubles back.. Yes! All those bends and loops stretch the river out to about eighty miles, even though its start and end are only about twenty-six miles apart!
3 fun facts
- The Charles River flows about 80 miles from Hopkinton to Boston Harbor.
- Its source is only about 26 miles from its mouth.
- Its meandering route doubles back on itself several times.
Questions kids ask
- How long is the Charles River?
- The Charles River flows 80 miles from Hopkinton to Boston Harbor.
- How far apart are the Charles River's start and end?
- Its source and mouth are only about 26 miles apart.
- Why does the Charles River take such a long route?
- Its path meanders, bending and doubling back on itself several times.
For grown-ups
Written with AI from public sources, then checked claim by claim against the sources below before it was published; stories that don't pass stay off the app and this site. Narration is pre-recorded, and nothing you do on this page is tied to your kids.
Sources
Roads
Town and county names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).