The Taunton River Today we call it the Taunton River. When the first Europeans arrived here, they called it the Great River. Long before that, the Wampanoag Indians, who were the first people to settle where we live today, called it the Kuttetequat. Our river has a very intresting human and natural history. Home to many different kinds of fish and other animals, it was also one of the first rivers explored by the Pilgrims and early settlers who came to live and work along its shores. The Taunton River needs to be understood and appreciated so that we can take care of it and keep its waters from getting polluted. We must work hard to keep the river clean, so that we can continue to enjoy fishing, boating, swimming, and other fun activities on the water. We also want to protect the Taunton River so that the fish and other creatures that live there will always have a home.