Natick, Residential town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Natick is a residential community in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, located about ten miles west of Boston. The town consists of several neighborhoods with single-family homes, a busy commercial district along Route 9, and some green spaces near the Charles River.
John Eliot founded the settlement in 1651 as one of the first Praying Towns, where Christianized Massachusett people lived. In the 19th century, the town became a center for the shoe industry before transforming into a residential community in later decades.
The name comes from the Massachusett language and means Place of Hills, describing the gentle rises in the landscape. Today, street names and small memorials recall the original inhabitants who lived here before European settlers arrived.
Most shops and restaurants sit along Route 9, which runs through the center as the main commercial corridor. Parking is generally available, and the shopping district can get busy on weekends.
In 1663, the first Bible in an Algonquian language was printed here, a rare document of early colonial printing. A copy of this work, known as the Eliot Bible, is now held in several American libraries.
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