Framingham: A Rich and Storied History
The people of the Nipmuck tribe were the original inhabitants of Framingham and surrounding areas. This is still evident today, as Framingham sits on the Old Connecticut Path, an ancient Native American trail that led from the Massachusetts Bay to the Connecticut River Valley. Today parts of this route are still intact in
Massachusetts Route 9 and
Massachusetts Route 126.
Framingham was officially incorporated in 1700, but it was settled more than a half a century earlier by John Stone, a European settler who came to reside on the west bank of the Sudbury River. Two decades later Thomas Danforth (of Framlingham, Suffolk) received a land grant and eventually acquired 15,000 acres of land in what he called Framlingham (with an “l”). After Danforth’s death the “L” was dropped from the name, and in 1700 the town of “Framingham” was incorporated. The town grew slowly and steadily over time until it, like many other suburban areas, experienced a population boom after WWII.
AN IMPORTANT ABOLITIONIST GATHERING PLACE
From 1854 to 1865 Framingham was an annual gathering spot for activists in the abolitionist movement. Members of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society would gather in what is now downtown Framingham. Notable attendees at an 1850 rally included William Garrison, Sojourner Truth, and Henry David Thoreau.
FRAMINGHAM HAS HEART
Framingham is well-known for a heart study that bears its name (The Framingham Heart Study), a long-term cardiovascular study. The study began in 1948 and involved 5,209 adults; it continues today, now on its third generation of participants. The Framingham Heart Study has been instrumental in furthering medical science’s understanding of cardiovascular disease. Much of what we know today about the importance of diet and exercise, and the effect of aspirin on the heart, comes from this study.
Framingham has many points of interest, including:
Amazing Things Art Center
Framingham History Center
Danforth Museum
Performing Arts Center of Metrowest
Pike Haven Homestead—built in 1693
Framingham also features dozens of athletic fields and several designated conservation areas.
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