History of Lincoln, Massachusetts, USA

1650 - Lincoln is settled

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1754 - Lincoln is incorporated

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1775 - On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere was headed to Concord, where a large cache of military arms and ammunition was stored, but was captured in Lincoln by a British patrol.
As the Redcoats marched along the battle road on the 19th, over 100 Lincoln minute men and militia rallied, the first companies from the surrounding towns to reach Concord. They participated in the fight at the North Bridge. With the “shot heard round the world”, the American Revolution began.
lincolnhistoricalsociety.org/ Pages/ town_history.htm

Read more about Paul REVERE

1839 - Lincoln
Lincoln, Massachusetts
Middlesex county. Lincoln is bounded W. by Sudbury river. It lies 16 miles N.W. by W. from Boston and 3 S. from Concord. Incorporated, 1754. Population, 1837, 694. It has some good farms and a large fish pond. The manufactures of the town consist of clothing, leather, straw bonnets, boots and shoes.
The New England Gazetteer containing descriptions of all the states, counties and towns in New England: also descriptions of the principal mountains, rivers lakes, capes, bays, harbors, islands and fashionable resorts within that territory. By John Hayward, author of the Columbian Traveller, Religious Creeds, &c. &c. Boston: John Hayward. Boyd & White, Concord, N.H. 1839

In 1844... the railroad connected Lincoln with Boston, resulting in a rise in the number of new residents from the city and an increase in land values. Remaining farmlands began to break up, to be divided into house lots.

lincolnhistoricalsociety.org/ Pages/ town_history.htm

1845 - LINCOLN. [Pop. 686. Inc. 1754.]
This town was chiefly taken from Concord, and it was named after a town in England, and not, as many suppose, in honor of General Lincoln, of the revolutionary army.

It is watered by Sudbury River, a source of the Concord, and by Sandy Pond, valuable for its fish.

One part of the town is very elevated, and the surface is rough and uneven, though in some places fertile.

Distance from Concord, 3 miles; from Boston, 16.
An Elementary Geography for Massachusetts Children by William Bentley Fowle and Asa Fitz, 1845
Get it HERE!

1848 - Lincoln
This town was incorporated as the second precinct of Concord in 1746. It was incorporated as a town in 1754, by the name of Lincoln, which name was given by Chambers Russell, Esq., whose ancestors were from Lincoinshire, England. The town averages about 5 miles in length and 3 in breadth. It has all the varieties of soil, from the richest to the poorest. Though rough and uneven, it contains some of the best farms in the county. The most celebrated is that known at different times as the Russell, Codman, and Percival farm. Flint’s or Sandy Pond, containing about 197 acres, derived its name from its being situated on the farm of Ephraim Flint, one of the original owners of Lincoln. It is a favorite resort for pickerel; and its fisheries have been considered of so much importance, that an act was passed by the legislature, in 1824, prohibiting any person, under the penalty of $2, from fishing with “more than one hook” between the 1st of December and April. Lincoln is three and a half... Read MORE...

1854 - Lincoln
Lincoln, a post-township of Middlesex co., Massachusetts, on the Fitchburg railroad and Sudbury river, 15 miles W. N. W. from Boston. Population, 719.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

Lincoln Massachusetts, 1890
Lincoln is an exclusively agricultural town occupying an elevated and central position in Middlesex County, 16 miles west by northwest of Boston, by the Fitchburg Railroad, which has a station one and a half miles south of the centre. Bedford lies on the north; Lexington and Waltham on the east; Weston and Wayland on the south; Sudbury extends from the west angle; and Concord bounds the full length of the town on its northwest.

The assessed area is 8,973 acres. Included in this are 3,581 acres of woodland, containing the New England trees and shrubs, in unusual thrift and variety. Slightly south of the village of Lincoln centre is an extensive elevation whose highest point is about 470 feet above the sea. In other parts are isolated hills, while the western border is generally elevated. Partly between these hills, northwest of the centre, is Sandy Pond (or Forest Lake), covering 152 acres, and some 200 feet above the tide. Stony Brook, its outlet, flowing southeast, forms Beaver... Read MORE...

1893 - Lincoln’s first fire department was formed in 1893 with two new hose carriages.

lincolnhistoricalsociety.org/ Pages/ town_history.htm

1895 - Lincoln
Lincoln, a post-village in Lincoln township, Middlesex co., Mass., on the Fitchburg Railroad, 17 miles W.N.W. of Boston, and 3 miles S.E, of Concord. It has a high school and 3 churches. The Sudbury River touches the W. border of the township. Pop. of the township, 834.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1898 - Telephone service arrives in Lincoln

1905 - COLLISION DUE TO THICK FOG
DIE IN BLAZING WRECK

Montreal Express, on Boston and Maine, Hits Local Train.

Of the Dead a Dozen Were Passengers in Two Rear Cars of the Local Train -- Heavy Weather Hid Lights of the Standing Train
Quick Rescue by Survivors -- Only Few of Dead Identified.

Lincoln, Mass. - Sixteen persons were killed, twenty-five were badly injured, and probably a score of others received minor hurts in a railroad wreck which occurred at 3:15 o'clock at night at Baker's Bridge Station, a mile and a half west of Lincoln, on the main line of the Fitchburg Division of the Boston and Main Railroad. The regular night express which left Boston at 7:45 o'clock for Montreal, by way of the Rutland system, crashed into the rear of an accommodation train bound for points on the Marlboro branch line, and which started from Boston at 7:15 o'clock.

Of the dead a dozen were passengers in the two rear cars of the Marlboro train. The other two were Engineer BARNARD, of the Montreal express, and his... Read MORE...

1916
Lincoln, a post-village in Lincoln township (town), Middlesex co., Mass., on the Boston and Maine R., 17 miles WNW. of Boston. The Sudbury River touches the W. border of the town. Pop. of the town in 1900, 1127.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher

Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Lincoln:
Minute Man National Historical Park: This park is a must-visit for history lovers. It commemorates the opening battle of the American Revolution and includes historic sites like the North Bridge and the Old Manse. Take a walk along the Battle Road Trail for a journey through history.

Walden Pond: Made famous by Henry David Thoreau's book "Walden," this picturesque pond is a great place to relax and enjoy nature. You can swim, hike around the pond, or simply sit by the water's edge and take in the tranquility.

DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum: This contemporary art museum features both indoor galleries and a sprawling outdoor sculpture park. It's a fantastic place to explore modern art and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the beautiful outdoor exhibits.

Hanscom Field: Aviation enthusiasts will appreciate a visit to Hanscom Field, a public use airport. You can watch planes take off and land from the observation area and even grab a meal at one of the nearby restaurants while ... Read MORE...