Composed of an historic center and a collection of villages, Southborough is a residential town in the MetroWest region. Southborough was incorporated in 1727, and up to the late 19th century was a hive of manufacturing. That changed in the 1890s when a big swath of the town was suddenly underwater following the construction of the immense …
This inland town on the Shore has the nickname, Cranberry City. The Ocean Spray cooperative was founded in Hanson in 1930, and was headquartered here until 1977. Scores of cranberry bogs, many of which are now retired, make up a big slice of Hanson’s countryside. At the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area you can see …
In the 19th century, this town in North-central Massachusetts was known for manufacturing wooden products. The most successful enterprise to spring up at that time was the Converse Toy & Woodenware Company, making everything from hobby horses to doll furniture, and giving Winchendon the nickname Toy Town, which has stuck to this day. A rocking …
Sitting about 25 miles northwest of downtown Boston, Littleton is a town with a Colonial history reaching back to 1645. It was here that the Puritan missionary John Eliot established the sixth Praying Village, inhabited by Native American converts. Known as Nashoba, the village was located between Fort Pond and Lake Nagog, much of which is …
On the Assabet River in the MetroWest region, Maynard is an irresistible town, known for its lively downtown and percolating arts scene. Set close together, there’s a local movie theater, an innovative performing arts venue, and the massive ArtSpace studio complex, home to a community of more than 80 artists. Maynard was incorporated in 1871, …
At the head of the river of the same name, Acushnet is an endearing rural town to the north of New Bedford. This is a place of quaint countryside, orchards, old stone walls, cranberry bogs and stands of pine forest. In that spirit, the big annual event is the Apple-Peach Festival in September, held on the …
This historic coastal town is on the bay side of Cape Cod, and was a residence of choice for sea captains in the first half of the 19th century, before becoming a summer hotspot for the wealthy. The water on the bay side is warmer than the ocean side, and the surf is a lot …
This town of just over 11,300 is nestled in the Merrimack Valley, on the banks of the Nashua River, which is a haven for activities like canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding in summer. Groton was first settled by Europeans in 1655, not long after a trading post had been set up by one John Tinker doing …
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 …