On the South Shore, this wealthy town is traced by the North River, which runs along the southeastern boundary. That watercourse is considered one of the most beautiful in the region, recognized as a National Natural Landmark, and a Commonwealth of Massachusetts Scenic River. In the 18th century the riverbanks in Norwell were a center …
An attractive South Shore town, Holbrook has a lot of family-owned businesses, as well as easy access to nature at conservation lands, and a state park nearby. Much of the commerce is along the east-west Union Street, including a diner that has fed generations of locals, and a small but lovable summer farmers’ market. Although …
Just west of Worcester, Leicester is a town at the northern end of the Blackstone Valley, with a compelling industrial history. From the early days of the American Industrial Revolution, Leicester was a center for the production of cards, which were tools for disentangling cotton fibers before being spun into thread. At the turn of the …
Revolutionary and literary history converge at this captivating town where the “shot heard ‘round the world” was fired on April 19, 1775, when the first British troops died at the hands of the American colonial militia. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), the famed Transcendentalist who coined that phrase, spent most of his adult life in Concord, …
On the east bank of the Connecticut River, the town of South Hadley is best known as the home of the historic Mount Holyoke College. This prestigious women’s liberal arts college, dating back to 1837, has what may be the most beautiful campus in New England. It’s worth coming to savor the august brick architecture, …
Incorporated as an independent town in the 1850s, North Reading has a history of European settlement going back two centuries before. The venerable, 200-year-old meeting house in the historic center is the third on this site, and stands at the highest point of a dignified common edged by historic buildings. North Reading’s premier park is …
First settled by Europeans in the 17th century, the town of Northborough in Central Massachusetts is crossed by the old Boston Post Road (Route 20), which forms Main Street. There are several interesting markers along this historic artery, one pointing out the place where a young woman, Mary Goodnow was killed by Native Americans in …
In the shadow of the 1,202-foot Mount Tom, Easthampton is a progressive and creative community surrounded by famous college towns like Northampton, Amherst, and Hadley. From the 19th century until not long after World War II Easthampton was a center for the textiles industry, leaving the town with a unique townscape embroidered with historic mill …
On the western flank of the Blue Hills, Westwood is a leafy suburban town that broke away from its neighbor, Dedham, in the late 19th century. For a community of 16,000, Westwood is spread across a big area, with a lot of land set aside for conservation. One large reservation is managed by the private …
Throughout the United States of America there is a large amount of National Parks. These parks are operated by the National Park Service and can only be established by an act of the US Congress. Yellowstone was the first natural area to be designated a National park in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant; since …