Framingham Centre Common Historic District, historic district in Massachusetts, United States
The Framingham Centre Common Historic District is a neighborhood in the heart of Framingham with historic buildings, churches, and green spaces. The area includes the 1834 Village Hall, multiple churches, the Federal-style Wheeler House, the Maynard Building housing the Danforth Museum, the 1792 Old Academy, the Vernon House, and the Edgell Grove Cemetery spanning around 50 acres.
The Common has served as a gathering place since the early 1700s, with the first meeting house built in 1735. When the railroad arrived in 1834 and the Village Hall was completed that same year, commercial activity shifted to downtown Framingham, leaving the Common area to develop as a quieter residential neighborhood.
The Common has served as the community's gathering place since colonial times, with churches like First Parish Church and Plymouth Church continuing to anchor local life today. These religious buildings remain active centers where residents gather for worship and maintain shared traditions.
The district is located in the center of Framingham and is easily accessible on foot, with multiple historic buildings lining the streets. The Edgell Grove Cemetery and various church buildings are open to visitors, while the Village Hall can be visited for events, and the Danforth Museum in the Maynard Building displays art exhibitions.
Wallace Nutting, a photographer and furniture maker, purchased the property in 1912 and built his colonial-inspired home Nuttingholm, blending photography with furniture design. His influence on American design through photographs and prints of gardens and colonial interiors was significant, though the house was demolished in 1964.
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