Southborough Tricentennial Committee

10/06/2026

The Southborough History Makers Awards recognize individuals from our community who demonstrate(d) excellence, leadership, creativity, innovation, service, and meaningful impact.
We invite you to nominate a current or former Southborough resident whose extraordinary contributions, accomplishments, or service have earned a place in Southborough’s history.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The nominee must meet the following criteria:
• Current or Former Southborough Resident
• Must be living
• Currently working in their field or has demonstrated past achievement

SELECTION CRITERIA & PROGRAM INFORMATION
• All entries must be received by Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
• Nominees will be selected by the Southborough Tricentennial Committee History Makers Working Group.
• No monetary awards are associated with this program.
• Up to one (1) award per category may be presented.
• Nominees may self-nominate.
• Nominees may only be awarded in one (1) category.

Please take a few moments to tell us about your nominee and why you believe they deserve to be recognized as a History Maker. Complete your nomination form online at https://www.southboroughma.gov/FormCenter/Tricentennial-Committee-20/Southborough-History-Makers-Awards-Nomin-68

Thank you for helping us shine a light on the remarkable people who make a difference every day.

08/22/2026

08/22/2026

If you are headed to Southborough Summer Nights, stop by the Tricentennial Table, say hi to Michele and learn about the line up of events planned to celebrate Southborough's 300th birthday.

07/07/2026

Are YOU or do you have, a High School student looking for a fun opportunity for volunteer hours?
In coordination with the office of the Southborough Town Administrator, the Tricentennial Committee is looking for students to volunteer a few hours over the next couple of weeks. The project is to photograph (via cellphone) specific telephone poles in Southborough (list/map provided) in order to seek permission from the pole owners (National Grid/Verizon) to hang banners to celebrate the Southborough Tricentennial.
The banners will be similar in size to the Hometown Heroes banners often seen in other towns. All volunteer time will be signed off by the Town Administrator's office.
Grab a couple of friends, spend a few hours walking the neighborhoods of Southborough and help contribute to the promotion of Southborough's Tricentennial.
Please DM for more information, or contact the Town Administrator's office, if you are available or know of a high school student who would be interested. TIA!!

06/11/2026

The Southborough Tricentennial Committee is seeking two additional committee members to support celebration events and activities.
Interested candidates should contact contact Assistant Town Administrator, Vanessa Hale at [email protected]

05/27/2026

🛤️🐎 Did You Know? Southborough Was Once a Hub of Early Travel and Trade

Long before highways and cars, Southborough’s transportation network was already taking shape — built on colonial roads that remained vital even after the Revolution.

The Boston Road (today’s Main/East Main Street) served as the town’s primary east–west route, carrying stagecoaches, travelers, and even the postal service through the heart of Southborough. Other key roads — like Fisher and Ward Roads — connected neighboring towns such as Marlborough and Westborough, forming an early regional network.

By the late 1700s, Southborough was well-connected:
🌉 In 1795, the town maintained nine bridges over Stony Brook
🛣️ Roads like Oregon, Richards, and Gilmore linked Southborough to Framingham and beyond
🌾 Smaller local roads extended outward to serve the town’s many farms

But the biggest transformation came in the early 1800s.

🚧 The Boston & Worcester Turnpike (now Route 9)
Constructed between 1808–1809, this new toll road cut a straight path through the southern part of town, dramatically changing travel and commerce.

With the turnpike came new activity:
📬 A tollgate was relocated near Central Street
🏪 Dexter Fay operated a store and post office nearby
🍻 The Woodbury Tavern became a major stagecoach stop, welcoming travelers along the route

This new roadway didn’t just make travel faster — it shifted the center of economic activity and connected Southborough more directly to the growing region.

From winding colonial roads to one of Massachusetts’ earliest major turnpikes, Southborough’s transportation history reflects a town on the move.

📜 Source: Southborough Town Clerk’s Office Municipal Archive

The Tricentennial Committee will be running a “Did You Know” series through 2027. We are gathering information from various sources and strive to be as accurate as possible. Additional information is always welcome! If you are interested in providing trivia or writing a blurb, please message us!

05/13/2026

🏡🪵 Did You Know? Southborough’s Architecture Tells a Story of Hidden History

While no buildings in Southborough are definitively dated to before the town’s incorporation in 1727, many homes may be older than they appear — with layers of history built right into their frames.

Take the Artemas Ward House, once thought to date back to 1702. Though later believed to have been built in the 1770s, its massive stone chimney hints that parts of it may trace back to the early 1700s. This pattern appears throughout town, where homes were often expanded, modified, or rebuilt over time.

🏠 A common architectural style in 18th-century Southborough was the center-chimney, double-pile house — typically two-and-a-half stories with symmetrical layouts and Georgian details like:
• Denticulated cornices
• Pilastered, pedimented entrances
• Rear “lean-tos” extending the home’s footprint

Some of these homes, like the Fay family house on Framingham Road, may even incorporate structures dating back to the 1680s — though confirming this would require detailed structural analysis.

Not all homes followed the same pattern. A rare and well-preserved example at 14 Oregon Road, believed to date to around 1727, still features **First Period construction elements**, including an exposed timber frame with decorative chamfers — a glimpse into early colonial craftsmanship.

⛪ Beyond residences, Southborough’s early architecture also included community structures:
• The first meetinghouse (1727–28), built with local white pine timber
• A fieldstone town pound (c. 1750), used to contain stray livestock
• The Old Burial Ground, where slate gravestones from the 1740s still stand today

From hidden early structures to evolving colonial designs, Southborough’s buildings are more than just homes — they are living records of the town’s growth and transformation.

📜 Source: Southborough Town Clerk’s Office Municipal Archive

05/12/2026

Share Your Southborough Story - Be Part of Our Oral History Project!
The Tricentennial Committee and Historical Commission invites all Southborough residents—both past and present—to help capture the heart and soul of our community and share their unique stories of growing up in Southborough, Massachusetts.

What moments shaped your Southborough experience?

Did you attend Southborough schools, play in the fields or neighborhoods, work a first job in town, or experience moments that shaped who you are today? This local oral history project aims to preserve personal stories about childhood, family, community life, and change in Southborough over the years. All voices and generations are welcome.

Who can participate:
Anyone who grew up in Southborough, from any decade
Longtime residents, even if you’ve moved away
All backgrounds and experiences encouraged

What participation involves:
Relaxed, guided interviews—just a conversation, no performance needed
Sessions last about 30–60 minutes
Held at the Southborough Access Media Studio at Trottier School

We’re interested in stories about:
Childhood and teenage adventures in Southborough
School days, sports, clubs, and community events
Changes you’ve seen in town over the years
Family traditions, favorite landmarks, or local hangouts
What made Southborough feel like home to you
Why share your story?

By participating, you’ll help preserve Southborough’s memories and contribute to a community archive that will inspire and inform future generations.

Reach out to Tricentennial Committee member Michele Hokinson at [email protected].

Please share this invitation with family, friends, and neighbors—everyone’s story is important. Your memories matter, and we can’t wait to hear them!

04/18/2026

Headed to the Transfer Station? Stop and say Hi! to Michele and learn about Southborough's upcoming Tricentennial and all the events being planned. Make sure to sign up to receive our newsletter and email updates.

04/14/2026

Did you know Southborough had Potash Works (and what were they?)
🌾⚙️ Grinding Toward Growth: Southborough’s Early Economy
Around 1699, David Fay — eldest son of John Fay — built a gristmill, bringing the total number of mills in Southborough to four by 1700.
Expansion didn’t stop there:
• In 1712, William Johnson added another gristmill west of the Bent mill privilege.
• Around 1731, David Fay, Jr., and Robert Horn built a gristmill on Stony Brook in the southeast part of town.
By the mid-1700s, a thriving local economy had taken root — overwhelmingly agricultural and typical of colonial New England. Farms produced corn, hay, apples, c***r, flax, and h**p, while livestock dotted the landscape:
🐄 Most farmers owned at least one horse and cow.
🐖 The town counted 30 pigs.
🐑 Sheep-raising was widespread, with 430 grazing in town pastures.
Nathan Brigham, one of the most prosperous farmers, had the largest herds — ten cattle and thirty-one sheep.
In 1749 alone, local farms produced:
• 400 tons of hay
• 3,000 bushels of corn and grain
• 300+ barrels of c***r
• Nearly 600 pounds of flax and h**p
By 1771, the town’s economy had diversified even further, with eight mills (including saw and grist mills), eight artisan shops, two tanhouses, and two potash works — small often stone or brick buildings used to produce potash (potassium carbonate) by leaching wood ashes with water and boiling the solution in large cauldrons. These structures were vital for producing soap, glass, and fertilizer.
Source: Southborough Town Clerk’s Office Municipal Archive
The Tricentennial Committee will be running a “Did You Know” series through 2027. We are gathering information from various sources and strive to be as accurate as possible. Additional information is always welcome! If you are interested in providing trivia or writing a blurb, please message us!