Boylston dates to 1705, and 11% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 73% of U.S. towns · #246 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them the John B. Gough House, a National Historic Landmark. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them the John B. Gough House, a National Historic Landmark. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1828.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Boylston’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Boylston is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #246 of 283 in Massachusetts. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Boylston’s overall grade.
Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Boylston’s 8.1 sits below most of its state (25% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.1 points). Two sources give 1705.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Boylston’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Boylston was first settled by Europeans around 1706 in the northern part of the present-day town, most notably by the Sawyer family after Nashaway sachems Sholan and George Tahanto deeded the land. In 1697, the residents petitioned to form a local town and government, but the British colonial Governor of Massachusetts denied their request since he wanted to keep the number of towns to a minimum and to restrict popular representation.
A meeting house was built in 1743, and the Reverend Ebenezer Morse, ordained in October 1743, was the first minister in charge of the church.
Passages that mention Boylston, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Boylston, Massachusetts, August 18, 18861887 · page 126Read the page →
Read the text
within the present limits of the town, and was frequently called to preside over petty trials, solemnize marriage, and transact other legal l)usiness incident to that office. He was chosen by the town of Boylston to oppose the incorporation of the Second Precinct of Boylston, Holden and Sterling, and again in 1807 to oppose the incori)oration of that Precinct as a separate town, and was one of the committee to divide the town i)ropci'(y l)ctween the towns of Boylston and West lioylstoii; aud was always deeply
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Boylston, Massachusetts, August 18, 18861887 · page 103Read the page →
Read the text
bring a separation as the most direct and certain means of destroying the Town. A petition was presented to the Legishiture for the Incorporation of a new Town to be composed of certain sections of the towns of Boylston, Sterling & Holdcn ; un this Petition the said towns were cited and their oi)position having proved successful, the next effort was to obtain an Incorporation of the present Precinct. Not satisfied with the accomi)lis]mient of this purpose, a petition was soon after preferred for an enlarge-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Boylston, decade by decade
2 decades in the archive, from the 1890s to the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1705, according to Wikidata. Boylston’s post office opened in 1828, and the first U.S. census counted 839 people here in 1790.
How does Boylston rank for history?
Boylston is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #246 of 283 in Massachusetts. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Boylston?
Two places: the John B. Gough House (listed 1974) and the Barlin Acres (1982).
How old are the homes in Boylston?
11% of Boylston’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.1 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1977.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (11), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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