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
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 […]
Odd Fellow Building – 1887
In downtown Natick, there is this brick building marked “Odd Fellow Building – 1887”. This building was purposely built as the home of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, one of the most influential fraternal organizations in 19th century America. Completed in 1887, the building was designed from the outset to serve two […]
Moses Eames House
The Moses Eames House, built in 1839, is one of the most visually striking historic homes in South Natick. Finished in white clapboard and fronted by prominent classical pillars, the house is a refined example of Greek Revival architecture, a style that swept through New England in the early 19th century. The home was built […]
Glenwood Cemetery
Walking through the Glenwood Cemetery in Natick, there are many of these medallions and flags on the graves of veterans. All of these medallions are a bit different, but I had to look up what GAR stood for. It turns out GAR means the Grand Army of the Republic. This was a national fraternal organization […]
First Congregational Church in Natick
The church stands prominently in downtown Natick. This is the seventh meeting house of the Natick’s First Church, a congregation established in 1651 by John Eliot. Reverend Eliot was a Puritan missionary known as the “Apostle to the Indians” Worship in those earliest years was conducted largely in the Algonquian language, and the meetinghouse stood at the center […]
Casey’s Diner
Hometown stories would not be complete without sharing Casey’s Diner. Casey’s Diner is tucked along South Avenue in Natick and has been feeding generations for over a century and remains one of the town’s most enduring landmarks. The story of Casey’s begins in 1890, when Fred Casey purchased a horse-drawn lunch wagon and began serving […]
