National Register of Historic Places

Bolton Center Historic District

Bolton, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
November 17, 1997
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
97001296

About this property

The Bolton Center Historic District is the historic center of the town of Bolton, Massachusetts. The district encompasses what is essentially a linear town center, strung out principally along Main Street (Massachusetts Route 117), with a well-preserved collection of residential and civic architecture spanning more than two centuries. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Although the town's first meetinghouse (built c. 1740 and no longer extant) lay outside the current center, by the early 19th century the town's focus had moved to the main east–west road through the town (now Route 117), where it developed as a major stagecoach stop, with several inns and taverns serving travelers and local business. By 1830, the center had achieved much of its present appearance, with most of the later development either replacing older buildings or infilling between others. The district includes a variety of houses from the 18th century onward, including the house of the first town minister (c. 1741, 752 Main Street). Institutional buildings in the district include the 1853 Town House, four historic school buildings (including an 1825 one room schoolhouse), and the 1928 Colonial Revival Federated Church of Bolton. Architecturally distinguished buildings include the Tudor Revival library, built in 1903 as a gift from the Whitney family, and the 1923 Elementary School, a fine example of Colonial Revival architecture. National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Location

Bolton, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.43327, -71.60584

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMERCECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTRELIGIONEDUCATIONTRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Bolton Center Historic District

This page lists Bolton Center Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Pan Burying Ground
Listed
0.9 mi
Whitcomb Inn and Farm
Colonial
1.6 mi
Lancaster Industrial School for Girls
Industrial
2.7 mi
Felton Street School
Industrial
3.4 mi
Atherton Bridge
Industrial
3.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Attack on Lancaster (Mary Rowlandson captivity)
1676Colonial
1.5 mi
Attack on Lancaster
1676Colonial
3.3 mi
First Lancaster Raid
1675Colonial
3.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bolton Center Historic District listed on the National Register?

Bolton Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 17, 1997.

What type of historic resource is Bolton Center Historic District?

Bolton Center Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bolton Center Historic District?

The period of significance for Bolton Center Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Bolton Center Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bolton Center Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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