National Register of Historic Places

Natick Center Historic District

Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
December 16, 1977
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
77000186

About this property

The Natick Center Historic District is a historic district on North Ave., Main, Central, and Summer Streets in Natick, Massachusetts, encompassing the 19th century civic and economic heart of the town. Natick's early colonial center, dating to 1651, was in South Natick, and the area that is now its center was a parcel of land set aside for the minister. It achieved significant prominence with the construction of a meeting house in 1799, and the land was sold off for development in 1812. The Boston and Worcester Railroad was extended through the town center in 1835, spurring economic growth. After a fire in 1874 destroyed most of the central business district, the present collection of brick Gothic and Romanesque buildings was constructed. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Location

Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.28488, -71.34749

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
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 Natick Center Historic District

This page lists Natick 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

Casey's Diner
Industrial
0.2 mi
Clark Houses
Industrial
0.5 mi
Bacon, Stephen, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Hunnewell Estates Historic District
Listed
1.4 mi
Wilson, Henry, Shoe Shop
Early Republic
1.7 mi

Questions about this property

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

Natick Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 16, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Natick Center Historic District?

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

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

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

Can I research the history near Natick 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 Natick Center Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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