History of Framingham, Massachusetts, USA

1650 - Framingham is settled

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1700 - Framingham is incorporated

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1717 - THE GREAT SNOW OF 1717
Four successive snowstorms-two of them minor, two of them of major proportions-fell within a ten-day interval (February 27th through March 7th), and left a snowfall estimated to be somewhere between three and four feet across much of New England. On the Post Road leading to New Hampshire and Maine, five feet of snow, with drifts of up to fourteen feet, was reported. Wrote Cotton Mather: “As mighty a snow, as perhaps has been known in the memory of man, is at this time lying on the ground.” There were no Sabbath services for two weeks at Mather’s church in downtown Boston, and in Framingham, Massachusetts, no public meetings could be held until the end of March. Mather composed a detailed account of the great snow, which was then sent to London for reading before the Royal Society. Later, this account appeared in one of the first publications of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Top ELEVEN Most Memorable Weather Events
Farmers' Almanac
www.farmersalmanac.com/ weather/ 2007/ ... Read MORE...

1753 - July 18 - Lemuel Haynes, escapes from slave holder in Framingham Mass

historyorb.com

General Henry Knox and his troops passed through here in the winter of 1775-76 with a load of 59 cannons pulled by teams of oxen.
The cannons were captured from the British at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. They were transported from Lake Champlain to Dorchester Heights, Massachusetts and used by George Washington's army on March 17, 1776 (Evacuation Day) to free Boston from British control during the American Revolutionary War.

General Henry Knox Trail - Historic Marker reads:
"Through this place passed General Henry Knox in the winter of 1775-1776 to deliver to General George Washington at Cambridge the train of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga used to force the British army to evacuate Boston."

1839 - Framingham
Framingham, Massachusetts
Middlesex county. A large and flourishing manufacturing town, with a fine soil and pleasant ponds:—20 miles W.S.W. from Boston, and 13 S.S.W. from Concord. The ponds and Sudbury river give this town a good water power. The value of the manufactures, the year ending April 1, 1837, amounted to $421,111. The articles manufactured were 268,640 yards of woolen cloth, valued at $311,800; boots, shoes, leather, hats, paper, ($46,000) straw bonnets, chairs, tin and cabinet wares. Framingham is a delightful town, and approached by the rail-road with great ease. It has become an agreeable resort for fishing, fowling and other rural sports. Incorporated, 1700. Population, in 1830, 2,313; 1837, 2,881.
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

1845. FRAMINGHAM. [Pop. 3,030. Inc. 1700.]
Framingham, when only a plantation, had the same name it now bears, and it once included a part of Sudbury, northeast of it, called the Farms.

A branch of Concord River, called Sudbury River, runs through the town, and Saxonville, a thriving manufacturing village, is built upon it. The Ponds are large and pleasant.

The chief articles of manufacture, are woollen goods, slices, and straw bonnets.

Distance from Concord, 13 miles ; from Boston, 20.
An Elementary Geography for Massachusetts Children by William Bentley Fowle and Asa Fitz, 1845
Get it HERE!

1848 - Framingham
FRAMINGHAM was incorporated as a town in 1700. In this year it was by the general court “ordered that said plantation, called Framingham, be henceforth a township retaining the name of Framingham, and have and enjoy all the priviledges of a town according to law. Saving unto Sherbon all the rights of land granted by the general court to the first inhabitants, and those since purchased by exchange with the Indians of Natick, or otherwise, all the farms lying within said township according to the former grants of this general court.” On the same day this grant was made by the legislature, a petition, by mutual concert, was made for a large tract of land north east of said plantation, termed Sudbury Farms, to be annexed to the new township, which was readily granted. The first minister of the place was Rev. John Swift, who was ordained Oct., 1701, and died in 1745, aged 67. The church at the time of its organization consisted of the following members:
Henry Rice, Daniel Rice, Deac.... Read MORE...

1854 - Framingham
Framingham, a post-township of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, 20 miles W. by S. from Boston, has extensive manufactures of cloths, boots, &c. Population. 4252. It contains a village and a bank ; it is connected by a branch railroad with the Boston and Worcester railroad.
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.

1859
FRAMINGHAM, a township in Middlesex co., in the state of Massachusetts, U.S., 18 m. WSW of Boston. Pop. 3,030.
A Gazetteer of the World: Or, Dictionary of Geographical Knowledge, Publisher A. Fullarton, 1859

Framingham Massachusetts, 1890
Framingham, one of the most beautiful towns in the Commonwealth, lies in the southwestern part of Middlesex County, some 20 miles southwest of Boston, nearly the same distance east of Worcester, about 25 miles south of Fitchburg and Lowell, and 30 miles north of Taunton. It is bounded on the north by Sudbury, east by Wayland, Natick and Sherborn, south by Ashland, and west by Southborough and Marlborough. The assessed area is 14,543 acres, 2,544 of which are well covered with pine, oak and chestnut. The formative rock is upper gneissic, from which good stone is quarried for cellars and walls of buildings. The Sudbury River takes a general northeasterly course through the town, somewhat eastward of a medial line. Along its western side the land is quite level, the plain expanding westward from the centre. Other parts are hilly; Nobscot Hill at the north, rising to the height of 602 feet; and Ballard's and Merriam's hills along the southern border. The town has four beautiful ponds... Read MORE...

1895 - Framingham
Fra’mingham, a post-town of Middlesex co., Mass., on the Sudbury River, and on the Boston, Clinton & Fitchburg Railroad, 24 miles W. by S. of Boston. Another rail road extends northward to Lowell. It has 12 churches, 3 banks, 4 newspaper offices, manufactures of rubber, straw goods, boots and shoes, woollen goods, bricks, mattresses, leather-goods, chairs, paper boxes, hubs and wheels, brass goods, harness, &c. Framingham also contains a state normal school, grist-mills, saw-mills, cider-mills, lumber mills, &c. Total pop. in 1890, 9239.
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

1906 - TEN BODIES ARE RECOVERED. FOUR MORE SUPPOSED TO BE IN RUINED BUILDING AT SOUTH FRAMINGHAM, MASS.
South Framingham, Mass., July 24. - Under the light of electric lamps the work of exhuming the bodies of the victims of the collapsed Amsden building went on unceasingly through the night. At dawn there were ten bodies at the morgue, eight of the injured were at the hospital, two others were at their homes, while the list of missing numbered four, making a total of twenty-four, who, so far as could be learned, were about the building when the supports gave way and sent the tons of cement, iron columns and steel beams crashing in a tangled mass into the basement.

The cause of the accident has not been definitely learned. The town has no building laws and any proceedings against a contractor or other persons in connection with faulty construction will have to be on another charge and any action will have to be brought by state officials instead of the local authorities.
Eau Claire Leader
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
July 25, 1906

1910 - MOTHER LOSES LIFE SAVES LITTLE BOY
Boston Journal Special Wire.
South Framingham, March 25. - It cost Mrs. William Tucker, 25 years old, of State street, Framingham Center, her life to protect her 3-year-old boy from a bonfire this afternoon. Mrs. Tucker was raking leaves in her yard when the child got too close to the blaze. The mother in throwing the little one away from danger got too close herself and her clothing was burned from her body. She died in Framingham Hospital tonight.
The Boston Journal
Boston, Massachusetts
March 26, 1910

1916
Framingham, a post-village and township (town) of Middlesex co., Mass., on the Sudbury River and on the New York, New Haven and Hartford R., 24 miles W. by S. of Boston. The town has manufactories of boots and shoes, rubber- and straw-goods, cloth, yarns, etc. Pop. in 1900, 11,302 ; of the village, about 1350. A state normal school is located here. The banking point is South Framingham.
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

2023 - Whether you're a resident looking for new things to do or a visitor exploring the area, here's a list of places to go and things to do in Framingham:
Callahan State Park: This 820-acre park offers miles of scenic hiking trails, perfect for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. It's also great for picnics, birdwatching, and even cross-country skiing in the winter.

Garden in the Woods: Operated by the New England Wild Flower Society, this beautiful garden showcases native plants in their natural habitats. It's both educational and a peaceful place for a leisurely stroll.

Learn at the Danforth Art Museum: This museum features an impressive collection of American art, including paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts. It's a cultural gem in Framingham that art enthusiasts will appreciate.

Bowling at Boston Bowl: For a fun evening out with friends or family, head to Boston Bowl for some classic bowling. They also have an arcade and a sports bar for added entertainment.

Framingham Centre Common: This historic town common is a gathering place for community events and festivals. It's a great spot to relax on a sunny day or... Read MORE...