Interior House Painter Weston MA

Weston, Massachusetts
Town
Town Hall
Seal
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°22′00″N 71°18′11″W / 42.36667°N 71.30306°W / 42.36667; -71.30306Coordinates: 42°22′00″N 71°18′11″W / 42.36667°N 71.30306°W / 42.36667; -71.30306
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Middlesex
Settled	1642
Incorporated	1713
Area
• Total	17.3 sq mi (44.9 km)
• Land	17.0 sq mi (44.1 km2)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.8 km)
Elevation	180 ft (55 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,851
• Density	690/sq mi (260/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code	02493
Area code	781 / 339
FIPS code	25-77255
GNIS feature ID	0618245
Website	www.weston.org

Weston is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, about 15 miles west of Boston. At the time of the 2020 United States Census, the population of Weston was 11,851.

Weston was incorporated in 1713, and protection of the town’s historic resources is driven by the Weston Historical Commission and Weston Historical Society. The town has one Local Historic District, 10 National Register Districts, 26 Historic Areas, and seven houses individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Weston’s predominance as a residential community is reflected in its population density, which is among the lowest of Boston’s suburbs near or within Route 128. More than 2,000 acres, or 18 percent of the town’s total acreage, have been preserved as parks, fields, wetlands, and forests, with 90 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. Thirty-seven scenic roads, as defined by Massachusetts law, maintain the town’s aesthetic value and historical significance, affording Weston a semi-rural ambiance. The town is an upper class suburb of Boston, and is among the most affluent in New England.

History

The description of Weston’s history here is pulled directly from the 2017 Weston Open Space and Recreation Plan.

Early years

Weston was originally part of the Watertown settlement of 1630, but until the end of the century, the land was used mainly for grazing cattle. In 1698, “The Farms” was set off as a separate precinct with its own meetinghouse; and in 1712–1713, the “Farmers’ Precinct” was incorporated as a separate town, Weston.

Early settlers discovered that the amount of useful agricultural land was limited, as was the potential for water-powered industries. Weston did have one advantage: it was situated along the main route west from Boston. By the 18th century, residents were providing services to travelers on the Boston Post Road. Two taverns of great historical and architectural importance remain today: the Josiah Smith Tavern and the Golden Ball Tavern, which is now a museum. North Avenue was an important route to the northwest and, like the Post Road, hosted shops, blacksmiths, and taverns serving travelers.

Grist and sawmills were established beginning in the 17th century on Stony Brook and in the Crescent Street area. Two important manufacturing enterprises were begun during the Colonial period: the Hews redware pottery on Boston Post Road and Hobbs Tannery on North Avenue. By 1776, Weston’s population of 1,027 was spread throughout the town on scattered farms along major roads, with some consolidation within the village center around the meetinghouse, along the length of the Post Road, and on North Avenue.

The opening of the Worcester Turnpike in 1810 (now Route 9) drew some commercial traffic from the Boston Post Road, but dry goods merchants continued to supply neighboring towns until about 1830–1840. The Boston and Worcester Railroad was built through the southeast corner of town in 1834, and the Fitchburg Railroad (later the Boston and Maine) was built along Stony Brook on the north side of town around 1844. Population continued to grow, supported in part by small industries such as the pottery, tannery and related boot and shoe making, school desk and chair factory, tool factories, and shops making machinery for cotton and woolen mills. The Hook & Hastings Company organ factory, Weston’s largest industry, moved to the North Avenue area in 1888 and was a major town employer until it closed during the Great Depression. The Mass Central Railroad, the third to serve Weston, commenced service in 1881. Its tracks ran east–west through the center of town.

The rural landscape of Weston and convenience to rail transportation also made it attractive as a summer resort area. The shingle-style Drabbington Lodge, once a popular summer resort, remains on North Avenue and is now a senior living community.

The estate era

Development of country estates in Weston began on a small scale in the 1860s and was widespread by 1900. Wealthy businessmen were attracted to Weston by its convenience to Boston, quiet country atmosphere, and low taxes, as well as the beauty of the area and that same rocky topography that in earlier years had proved unsuitable for farming. By the turn of the century, Weston was described as a “country town of residences of the first class.”