Old Indian Mortar
This stone monument on the common in Leominster preserves a small but important connection to the area’s Native American history.
The plaque identifies the artifact as an “Old Indian Mortar”, which was found near White Gates and presented to the city by the historical society in 1917. Mortars like this were used by Native peoples to grind corn, seeds, grains and other foods as part of everyday life.
The Native people most associated with this region were the Nipmuc Nation, who lived throughout central Massachusetts long before English settlement. This monument quietly reminds visitors that the history of Leominster did not begin with colonial settlement.
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