Natick, MA
Natick was incorporated as a town in 1781, though it began in 1651 as a Praying Indian settlement founded by missionary John Eliot. Its origins as one of New England’s first organized Native American Christian communities give the town a uniquely layered and complex history. Natick has been home to me since 1987, a place where I’ve watched history and community continue to unfold.
Recent Posts
The South Natick Dam
Historic places do not always disappear because they are forgotten. Sometimes they disappear because communities decide how to balance preserving the past with meeting the needs of the future. The South Natick Dam, which has stood on the Charles River for well over a century, is one of those places. Constructed during the nineteenth century, […]
The Henri Prunaret History Room
Living in Natick, I have passed through the Morse Institute Library many times, but there are details inside the building that connect directly to the history of the town. One of them is this beautiful entrance to the Henri Prunaret History Room, framed by old brickwork, Gothic arches, and colorful stained glass. The Morse Institute […]
Walnut Hill School for the Arts
For more than 130 years, Walnut Hill School has been one of Natick’s most distinctive institutions. Founded in 1893 by Wellesley College graduates Florence Bigelow and Charlotte Conant, the school began as a college preparatory boarding school for young women. At a time when opportunities for women in higher education were still expanding, Walnut Hill […]
“John Eliot Speaks to the Natick Indians.”
One of the most thought-provoking works of art in my hometown hangs in an unexpected place—the downtown Natick Post Office. Painted in 1937 by Natick artist Hollis Howard Holbrook as part of the New Deal’s federal post office mural program, John Eliot Speaks to the Natick Indians depicts one of the most significant and tragic moments in […]
The John Eliot Monument
Standing quietly on a hill overlooking South Natick is this monument honoring John Eliot, the Puritan missionary often known as the “Apostle to the Indians.” Eliot devoted much of his life to working with the Native peoples of Massachusetts and is remembered for his efforts to share Christianity and establish communities known as “Praying Indian” towns. Arriving in […]
Morse Institute
In the center of Natick stands a building that reflects generosity and vision: The Morse Institute Library, established in 1873. This library was not simply constructed as a civic project. It was created through the will of Mary Ann Morse, who chose to leave a lasting gift to her community. The building itself was erected on the very site […]
The Clark Block
In the center of Natick is this prominent commercial building labeled the Clark Block, 1874. Like many buildings constructed during that period, it reflects the growth of Natick as a busy manufacturing and commercial town in the later nineteenth century. During this time Natick was becoming well known for its boot and shoe industry, which helped transform what had once […]
Horatio Alger’s Gravesite
This gravesite marks the Alger family plot in Glenwood Cemetery in Natick, the final resting place of Horatio Alger, Jr, one of the most read American authors of the late 19th century. Alger was born in 1832 and grew up in Natick, where his father, Rev. Horatio Alger Sr. served as pastor of the First Congregational […]
Star of War of 1812
Walking through a local cemetery, I noticed something that made me pause: a five-pointed metal star planted beside a grave holding an American flag. Cast into its surface are the words: War of 1812 I have come to recognize the familiar markers for Revolutionary War patriots and Civil War soldiers. Those appear often in New England cemeteries. But […]
Hunnewell Playground
On my walks along Pleasant Street in South Natick, there is a large granite stone carved with these simple, bold words: “Hunnewell Playground – 1902” This stone holds a story of public generosity in Natick. The name Hunnewell carries deep roots in this region. The Hunnewell family, whose estate spread across Wellesley and into parts […]
Shaw Park
Shaw Park, located in South Natick, is not a grand park in the monumental sense. Yet, it is a space with a profound sense of intention as captured in the words that accompanied its gift to the town of Natick: “For the use of the Public Forever” These words were written by Isabella Hunnewell Shaw. […]
Parsonage House
I have walked by this house hundreds of times during my walks around Natick. Today, I stopped to take a photo of the plaque outside the front door. This modest plaque marks a house known as the Parsonage. It is easy to walk past without realizing how much history is held within its walls. Built around […]
