The Peletiah Morse Tavern
Within less than a mile from my home lies the historic heart of South Natick. From the legacy of the Praying Indians to the colonial homes and 19th-century landmarks that still line the streets, this small village holds a deep well of history waiting to be shared
Today, I share one of these colonial treasures, the Peletiah Morse Tavern
The tavern was built in 1748 by Peletiah Morse, the son of early settler Samuel Morse, whose home once stood beside it. At that time, South Natick was a small settlement on the edge of the old Boston Post Road, the main route that connected Boston to New York. For travelers in the mid-1700s, Morse’s tavern was a welcome sight: a warm fire, a meal, a place to stable horses and share the latest news carried by the stagecoaches that rattled along the road.
Like so many gathering places in the years leading up to the American Revolution, it became a center of community and purpose. Here in South Natick, local men met to drill as minutemen, preparing for the uncertain future that loomed ahead.
As time moved forward, the tavern continued to serve travelers well into the early 1800s and today the building remains remarkably intact as part of a local school (The Riverbend School)
Read More From Nancy
The Harwood Baseball Factory
In 1858, Harrison Harwood, a Natick resident and local businessman, built what would become one of the most historically significant small factories in American sports: The Harwood Baseball Factory. This factory was more than a local industry, but the birthplace of professional baseball. Harwood’s factory was the first in the US devoted entirely to the manufacture of […]
Farewell to the South Natick Dam: Honoring the Place That Shaped My Years
For almost 40 years, I’ve called South Natick home. While it’s never been the place where I’ve felt deeply rooted, it’s where I raised my children, built our businesses, and lived a full chapter of life. Now, as I begin to explore the rich history that surrounds us, there’s no better place to start than […]
The Squares of Natick: Remembering the Names Behind Our Freedom
On a crisp fall day, walking through Natick is more than just enjoying the foliage — it’s also a journey through history. Scattered across town are memorial squares, quiet markers that carry the names of those who served, sacrificed, and shaped the story of our community. Three in particular stand out: Dennis J. Moran Square, […]
