Acton, MA
Acton was incorporated in 1735, formed from portions of Concord, Sudbury, and Stow, and is remembered for its militia’s role at the North Bridge on April 19, 1775, at the start of the American Revolution. It carries that proud Revolutionary spirit within the quiet character of a classic New England town. Acton is also personally meaningful to me — it is where our first daughter was born.
Recent Posts
Calvin and Luther Blanchard Farm
Along Prospect Street in Acton stands this granite marker remembering two brothers, Calvin and Luther Blanchard. The stone marks the farm from which they left to serve their community and, ultimately, become part of the story of the American Revolution. The brothers were the sons of Simon Blanchard, whose own military service had ended tragically […]
Tribute to the Great War
Standing quietly on the Town Common, this granite memorial is one of the many places where Acton’s history is preserved in plain sight. Unlike the famous Revolutionary War landmarks that draw visitors from around the world, this monument speaks of another generation and another conflict. One that took the sons of this small Massachusetts town […]
Edward A. Filene Plague
Walking along the fence surrounding the Boston Common, I came across this bronze plaque honoring Edward A. Filene. While many people recognize the Filene name from the famous Boston department store, few realize the tremendous influence he had beyond retail. Filene believed that ordinary working families deserved access to affordable credit and financial opportunity. His […]
Acton
The town of Acton was incorporated in 1735, at a time when many Massachusetts communities were being formally established as they grew beyond their original settlements. Like many New England towns of that era, Acton was named after a place in England: Acton. This practice was common among colonial settlers, who often carried familiar names from […]
Acton Town Hall
While exploring the center of Acton, I noticed this cream-colored building with a brown trip standing near the town war memorial. This Acton Town Hall was built in 1844, and it served for many years as a center of the town’s civic life. Before this building was constructed, town meetings were held in churches and meeting houses. […]
Faulkner Homestead
Along a roadside in Acton stands a metal tercentenary marker with the dates 1630 – 1930 at the top. Those dates do not refer to the homestead itself, but to the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. In 1930, towns across Massachusetts participated in that statewide commemoration by placing […]
Birthplace of Captain Isaac Davis
Outside this colonial house in Acton stands a marker reading: Birthplace of Captain Isaac Davis. Isaac Davis was born here in 1745 into a typical 18th century New England farming family. His father was a farmer and craftsman, and young Isaac grew up in a household shaped by land, labor and local responsibility. Like many Acton families of the time, […]
Isaac Davis Monument
Our drive to Acton was to see the monument honoring Isaac Davis and I was genuinely struck by its size and prominence. Rising from the town common, the memorial makes a bold statement about how deeply Acton values its Revolutionary past. It is impossible to miss, and that alone speaks volumes about him, this community has chosen it remember one […]
