Brousseau v. Inhabitants of the Town of Southbridge

In 1953, the plaintiffs, Raymond A. Brousseau and Alfreda M. Brousseau (the “Brousseaus”), purchased a lot with a single-family home at 153 Highland Street in Southbridge — Lot 88. The lot was located at the base of a natural drainage kettle adjoining a wetlands area. After purchasing the property, they cleared the area behind the house and seeded it to create a lawn that reached nearly to the *183banking of the nearby brook, known aptly as Nuisance Brook. For many years, the lawn was relatively dry, certainly dry enough to be used by his children. Then, after developments were built on nearby…