Embedded in a valley below the eastern shoulder of the Middlesex Fells, Winchester is a wealthy suburban town with a gorgeous Victorian commercial district. Winchester Center is bounded by old millponds along the Aberjona River, and has a rich assortment of Historicist architecture. For outdoor recreation, all you have to do is walk east from …
From the early 1800s this town in Worcester County became a hub for the lumber and furniture industries. Gardner was known in particular for its chair making, gaining the nickname, The Chair City. The market leader here was the Heywood-Wakefield Company, which was integral to town life for 150 years until moving out in the …
On the north bank of the Chicopee River, Ludlow is a northeastern suburb of Springfield, incorporated in 1775 but developed at speed as a mill town after the Civil War. The largest of these was the Ludlow Company, producing jute yarns, twine, and webbing, before finally closing in the 1960s. That huge mill complex commands …
No more than 25 miles from downtown Boston, Walpole is an endearing slice of small-town New England. On a charming town common, the historic center is at once quaint and fresh, with outdoor dining, and a thriving farmers’ market in summer. The town has purchased large parcels of land for low-impact recreation. A vast trail …
Centered on a pretty town common, Burlington is a leafy suburb, 12 miles northwest of downtown Boston. This was a small community until after WWII when the completion of Route 128 led to a tenfold increase in the population. The meetinghouse, still standing on the town common, played a role in the escape of John …
Eight miles from downtown Boston, Belmont is a mostly residential suburb in the heart of the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area. One thing to love about Belmont is how many of the best bits you can see on foot. There’s a compact downtown area along Leonard Street, and then a block to the west is Pleasant …
With centuries of history, beautiful seascapes and seafood fresh from the ocean, Marshfield is a quintessential South Shore town. You have a choice of public beaches here, including two long, dune-lined barrier beaches that push out for miles. You can also visit the home of the Winslows, a family prominent in Colonial Massachusetts for most …
A low-key, mostly residential suburb, Reading is a North Shore town no more than 12 miles from downtown Boston. At the start of the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Lexington and Concord (1775) took place close by, and there are several locations in the town that are steeped in revolutionary history. One is the …
On the North Shore, Danvers is an intriguing old town, historically noted for its long defunct psychiatric hospital, shoe industry and connection to the notorious Salem witch trials in 1692. Known as Salem Village in the 17th century, Danvers was ground zero for the hysteria and accusations that led to the trials and executions. Touring …
About ten miles north of downtown Boston, Saugus is a town famous for being the site of the first integrated ironworks in North America. Dating back to 1646, the Saugus Iron Works produced more than a ton of iron a day at its height, and after being rediscovered in the 1940s is a compelling National …