MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report
HOLLISTON
Report Date: 1980
Reconnaissance Survey Town Reports, produced for MHC’s Statewide Reconnaissance Survey between 1979 and 1987, introduce the historical development of each of the Commonwealth’s municipalities. Each report begins with an historic overview, a description of topography, and political boundaries. For the purposes of the survey, the historic period has been subdivided into seven periods: Contact (1500–1620), Plantation (1620–1675), Colonial (1675–
1775), Federal (1775–1830), Early Industrial (1830-1870), Late Industrial (1870–1915), and
Early Modern (1915–1940/55). Each report concludes with survey observations that evaluate
the town’s existing historic properties inventory and highlight significant historic buildings, settlement patterns, and present threats to these resources. A bibliography lists key secondary resources.
Town reports are designed for use together with a series of town maps that demarcate settlement patterns, transportation corridors and industrial sites for each historic period. These maps
are in the form of color-coded, polyester overlays to the USGS topographic base map for each
town on file and available for consultation at MHC. For further information on the organization and preparation of town reports, readers should contact MHC.
Users should keep in mind that these reports are now two decades or more old. The information they contain, including assessments of existing knowledge, planning recommendations, understanding of local development, and bibliographic references all date to the time they were
written. In some cases, information on certain topics was not completed. No attempt has been
made to update this information.
Electronic text was not available for digital capture, and as a result most of the reports have
been scanned as PDF files. While all have been processed with optical character recognition,
there will inevitably be some character recognition errors.
The activity that is the subject of the MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park
Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the
Interior. This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights
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MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth
Chair, Massachusetts Historical Commission
220 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc
[email protected] / 617-727-8470
WC RECONNAISSAYE SURVEY REPORT
Date:
Februaw 1980
Community:
Holliston
TOPOGRAPHY
Located on r o l l i n g , occasionally rugged upland t e r r a i n . Several areas
of exposed bedrock. Strong evidence of g l a c i a l reworking - - a d e f i n i t e
N/S grain t o landscape, many g l a c i a l outwash features. A rocky, gravelly
s o i l . Several streams cut through uplands, basically i n a southerly
direction, i n t o Charles. Some ponds, notably Lake Winthrop. Large
areas of upland cedar bog and swamp between elevations.
POL1TICAL BOUNDARIES
Area i n i t i a l l y composed of individual land grants, 1659-1670. Part
of Town of Sherborn, 1674. Incorporated as Town of Holliston, 1724.
HISTORIC OVERVIJ
3
Outlying suburban town of metropolitan Boston located on intermediate
highlands between Charles and Sudbury Rivers. Set on main axis of
native t r a i l s t o southwest i n t e r i o r with village s i t e s reported a t
Lake Winthrop f o r Contact period. Zone of early English settlement
during 17th century with agricultural economy and formation of town
center by mid-18th century. Development of local c r a f t industries
of shoes and straw bonnets with railroad connection during mid-19th
century creates pre-urban v i l l a g e with variety of suburban housing
forms and well-preserved examples of high-style brick and stone period
houses. Restricted economic growth by early 20th century o f f s e t by
increasing development of suburban landscape along main highways.
IV .
CONTACT PERIOD (1500-1620)
A.
Transportation Routes :
Intermediate highland between Charles and Sudbury Rivers. Principal
t r a i l s follow SW direction t o i n t e r i o r with documented t r a i l from Sherborn around Bogastow Brook t o Lake Winthrop (native s i t e ) around BullardCentral S t r e e t s and Strawberry H i l l portions apparently s t i l l i n t a c t
Alternate route from Sherborn presumed t o follow
Plorse, p. 273)
Whitney-Washington S t r e e t s t o base of M t . Hollis (Route 16) with loop
t o Lake Winthrop and continue as Washington S t r e e t t o Braggville (route
16). Conjectured branch around M t . Hollis and Chicken Brook followed
axis of Hollis-Prentice S t r e e t s . I t is also l i k e l y t h a t a N/S t r a i l
linked with Sudbury River along J a r Brook, but location is uncertain.
.
B.
Settlement Pattern:
Some s i t e s with probable period occupation. A major multi-component
s i t e (called Mucksquit) on SW sided Lake Winthrop (Wennakeening) , both
Woodland and contact material reported. Other s i t e s also noted around
lake. Area between Fiske and Central S t r e e t s along Dopping Brook also
reported t o contain period s i t e s (called chabboquasett)
.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Holliston
C.
Subsistence Pattern:
Variety of resources available - - fresh water fishing i n Lake Winthrop,
anadramus f i s h i n Charles, upland and marshland hunting/gathering,
adequate agricultural land. Cleared f i e l d s reported along Dopping
Brook by e a r l y s e t t l e r s .
D. Observations:
Though evidence i s patchy, an apparent area of semi-permanent native
settlement, possibly the 'core area' f o r a Wipmuck group which ranged
through the area between the upper Charles and upper Sudbury.
FIRST SETTLEMENT PERIOD (1620-1675)
A.
T r a n s ~ o r t a t i o nRoutes :
Native t r a i l s extended as highways by mid-17th century, notably
route t o Mendon around Bogastow Brook t o Lake Winthrop used by E l i o t
f o r praying towns i n 1650s, and t r a i l around M t . Hollis (Route 16).
New Grant roads from Medway (1660) s e t around Lake Winthrop.
Very small, perhaps two o r three inhabitants.
C.
Settlement:
After 1660 single dwellings on M t . Hollis (Jasper Adams) and o f f
Central S t r e e t above Dipping Brook (William Heffield?) .
Economic Base:
Limited agriculture and grazing (sheep) .
E.
Observations:
More wilderness than f r o n t i e r , some inroads from Sherborn and Medf i e l d . Too exposed f o r much development t o occur.
COLONIAL PERIOD (16 75 - 17 75
A.
Transportation Routes :
Trails remain from mid-17th century with s h i f t of main highway
along Washington S t r e e t (Route 16) through Holliston center by 1680s.
Location of meetinghouse by e a r l y 18th century prompts radial roads
from Holliston center as Concord-Ashland-Highland and Winter Streets
t o north and Norfolk and Fisk S t r e e t s t o south. Western roads around
Cedar Swamp by mid-18th century include Gorwin Drive over Miller H i l l
(portions abandoned) and Adams -Marshal 1 Streets
.
Steady growth a f t e r f i r s t decade of 18th century.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Holliston
By 1728 estimate
of 150 inhabitants and 30 farms. By 1753, approximately 400 inhabitants (53 dead i n Great Sickness) . Census of 1765 l i s t e d 705 inhabitants i n 115 families and 103 houses.
C
.
Settlement :
After King P h i l i p ' s War, gradual settlement throughout eastern p a r t
of town, especially along Washington S t r e e t and J a r Brook. Village
center emerged on Washington S t r e e t between M t . Hollis and Bogastow
Brook. Meetinghouse b u i l t and cemetary l a i d out, 1725-31. F i r s t schools
b u i l t , 1738 -- one i n v i l l a g e center, another f o r western p a r t of town
(South and Washington S t r e e t s ) . A t l e a s t two taverns i n village center
by mid-18th century. Small farms throughout town by end of period.
D.
Economic Base:
Agriculture and grazing, p a r t i c u l a r l y sheep. Processing of wool a
cottage industry. Some lumbering, especially f o r cedar. Considerable
milling: g r i s t and sawmill a t J a r Brook/Bogastow Brook, a f t e r 1680;
a t l e a s t two additional mills on J a r Brook a f t e r 1720; sawmill on Chicken
Brook, 1724; an ironworks, 1747 on Beaver Brook(?). Several taverns
on Washington S t r e e t by mid-18th century, both i n village and outside.
E.
Architecture:
Residential: High-style houses ( i f any were b u i l t ) would be l i k e l y
t o e x i s t i n the v i c i n i t y of Washington S t r e e t , although none a r e apparent;
vernacular building appears t o have been dominated by the use of the twostory, twin ( i n t e r i o r ) chimney house-plan followed by a s l i g h t l y smaller
number of central chimney, two-storey houses; a small number of central
chimney Cape Cod cottages may also have been b u i l t although few are
evident.
I n s t i t u t i o n a l : Meetinghouse b u i l t 1724-25; three schoolhouses
b u i l t 1738 f o r three school d i s t r i c t s ; no other i n s t i t u t i o n a l buildings
recorded.
Commercial: No specialized commercial structures l i k e l y t o have
been b u i l t with possible exception of taverns along Washington S t r e e t .
Industrial:
F.
Grist and saw mills only.
Observations:
Gradual transformation from a routh, outlying f r o n t i e r community
t o a prosperous r u r a l town. Combination of good resources and access
(Washington Street) allowed community to develop.
VII
.
FEDERAL PERIOD (1775-1830)
A.
Transportation Routes :
Highways remain i n place from 18th century with main road through
town center t o Boston as Washington S t r e e t (Route 16).
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Holliston
Population declined 1775-1800; rose a f t e r 1800, rapid r i s e began
a f t e r 1820; no new religious s o c i e t i e s formed.
C.
Settlement Location:
Primarily l i n e a r development along Washington S t r e e t with small
c l u s t e r s a t Braggville, Metcalf, Hollis ton Center and East Holliston.
D.
Economic Base:
Boot and shoe manufacture as cottage industry by 1793 - - i n i t i a t e d
by Ariel Bragg a t Braggville; elsewhere soon a f t e r . Cottage industry
i n straw braid and bonnets i n i t i a t e d by Leland i n 1815. Small thread
mill on Winthrop Brook (Linden S t r e e t ) .
E.
Architecture:
Residential: Vernacular forms of preceding period probably continued t o be b u i l t t o 1800-1810; wide variety of Federalist s t y l e
two-storey house plans employed, including end-wall chimney and rearwall chimney plans w i t h and without hip roofs; also present a r e a moderate
number of high-style examples, generally with four room plans and end
wall chimneys. A moderate number of central chimney cottages also
e x i s t . A l l levels of house building contain pattern-book decorative
d e t a i l s , especially e n t r i e s with semi-circular transoms and ornately
leaded glass.
I n s t i t u t i o n a l : New Federalist s t y l e meetinghouse b u i l t 1823;
eight school d i s t r i c t s established 1801; f i r s t town h a l l b u i l t 1825.
Commercial: No construction recorded, although small scale building
of stores (possibly as p a r t s of houses) and taverns/inns l i k e l y .
Industrial: Shoe-maker's workshops b u i l t a f t e r 1793; f i r s t m u facturing m i l l b u i l t 1814 (thread mill) - - appearance uncertain.
VIII.
EARLY INDUSTRIAL PERIOD (1830-18701
A.
Transportation Routes :
Highways remain from early 19th century. Branch r a i l r o a d from
Framingham to Milford (1848) around Holliston center t o Braggville with
stone viaduct over Bogastow Brook a t East Holliston.
B.
Population:
Rapid growth t o 1860, a f t e r which population declined s l i g h t l y ;
moderately large foreign-born population (primarily I r i s h ) present by
ca. 1845-55; new religious s o c i e t i e s formed including Methodist (1831),
Universalist (1836) , Baptist (1860) , Episcopal (1864) and Catholic
(pre-1870) .
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Holliston
C.
Settlement Location:
Continued l i n e a r development along Washington S t r e e t , particularly
between Metcalf and East Holliston; side s t r e e t s developed a t Holliston
Center marked by s l i g h t social segregation with cottage d i s t r i c t s e a s t
of Washington S t r e e t ( i n the v i c i n i t y of railroad bed) and wealthier
d i s t r i c t s along Washington S t r e e t and, t o a l e s s e r extent, on h i l l s i d e
s i t e s northwest of Washington S t r e e t .
D.
Economic Base:
East Holliston developed rapidly as small industrial center including
sawmill, forge and auger factory, small cotton m i l l , and i n 1837,
Houghton 6 Joslyn, manufacturer of copper pumps. I t s successor ( a f t e r
1851), South Wilder 6 Co. shipped hand pumps a l l over the world, surviving u n t i l a f t e r World War 11. Value of straw and leather goods
produced continued t o r i s e . ?he town's single straw factory, erected
i n 1862, by 1865 produced $100,000 worth of straw goods manufactured
now from imported Chinese braid. The f i r s t large shoe factory is not
believed t o have been erected u n t i l 1879 ( ~ e e s ) .
E.
Architecture:
Residential: Wide variety present both i n the scale and s t y l e s of
houses b u i l t during this period. Greek Revival s t y l e represented by
temple f r o n t houses and cottages as well as by side h a l l houses, a l though the l a r g e s t number of examples of the s t y l e a r e side-hall cottages;
a small number of carpenter Gothic cottages and houses (ca. 1840-60)
e x i s t s ; exceptional examples of I t a l i a n a t e v i l l a s e x i s t of which the
mst high-style have "L" plans and low hip roofs, other examples include
a small number of center-entrance and side-hall houses; the l a r g e s t
number of I t a l i a n a t e s t y l e houses a r e simple side-hall cottages. L i t t l e
Second Empire architecture e x i s t s . An unusually large number of houses
r e t a i n o r i g i n a l fences (iron and wood) , granite retaining walls and
granite gate posts .
I n s t i t u t i o n a l : Three new churches b u i l t (Methodist, 1833; Univers a l i s t , 1838-39; Baptist, 1866) , two remdelled (Universalist, 1854; Congregational, 1845, 1850, 1859), one begun but not completed (Episcopal,
ca. 1870) ; churches of 1830s retained Federalis t/Greek Revival designs,
while those a f t e r the mid-1840s were e i t h e r of Gothic o r I t a l i a n a t e design. Eight school d i s t r i c t s i n use throughout period; private high
school(s) present a f t e r 1831, public high school i n s t i t u t e d 1850-51.
I t a l i a n a t e s t y l e (architect-designed) Town Hall b u i l t 1851; possible
firehouse a t Metcalf (ca. 1865-75) .
Commercial: Probably limited t o one and two-storey wood-frame
blocks a t current town center and a t East Holliston; a t l e a s t one twostorey temple front block b u i l t (ca. 1845) although much of commercial
center was destroyed i n f i r e of 1875; t r a i n depots b u i l t by 1847-50.
Industrial: Gradual passing of one-storey shops i n favor of two
t o five-s torey wood- frame factories (straw and shoe making) located
along r a i l r o a d bed, factories bore elements of I t a l i a n a t e s t y l e but
were mostly a s t y l i s t i c .
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Holliston
IX.
LATE INDUSTRIAL PERIOD (1870 - 1915)
A.
Transportation Routes:
Rail and road system i n t a c t from mid-19th century with s t r e e t
railway route from Ashland-Framingham t o Milford through Town center
over Concord-Washington S t r e e t s .
Population :
Peak reached i n 1875 a f t e r which population declined continuously
u n t i l 1900; foreign-born population remained s t a b l e in number although
I r i s h declined i n numbers, p a r t i c u l a r l y by the early twentieth century
when Russians became the town's second l a r g e s t foreign-born group. No
new religious congregations known.
C.
Settlement Location:
No s i g n i f i c a n t expansion of built-up area; f i r e destroyed much of
commercial center i n 1875.
D.
Economic Base:
In addition t o straw and leather goods, the manufacture of woolens
was added with the establishment i n 1881 of the Holliston Mills on the
former cotton factory s i t e i n East Holliston. Also i n East Holliston
was the Shawmut Waxed Paper Co. on Woodland S t r e e t , held t o be the
f i r s t factory i n the country t o produce t h i s product (Rees) . (The company survived i n t o the 1960s when the increased use of aluminum f o i l
and p l a s t i c films closed the business). In 1875 there were ten boot
and shoe factories i n town. A t the very end of the period the l a r g e s t
shoe factory i n town was erected, the landmark Goodwill Shoe Co. of
Arthur Ashley W i l l i a m s .
E.
Architecture:
Residential: Nearly no new building during period; it i s unlikely
t h a t contemporary s t y l e s a r e represented by more than one o r two modest
examples.
I n s t i t u t i o n a l : New church building and remodelling were primarily
i n Gothic Revival s t y l e (Catholic Church, 1873; Methodist Church r e modelled, 1874); grading introduced t o center school by 1890 when town
had f i v e grammar, nine lower, one intermediate and one high school
(some of these schools may have shared the same buildings); public
l i b r a r y b u i l t 1903 (with Carnegie donation?).
Commercial: Center r e - b u i l t with wood-frame, two-storey blocks
(ca. 1875-95) , primarily of Second Empire and Queen Anne s t y l e s ; one
brick bank block (Second Empire s t y l e ) b u i l t 1872; four railroad depots
i n operation during period.
Industrial: L i t t l e new construction seems t o have occurred a f t e r
1880s, e s s e n t i a l l y of same scale and materials a s i n d u s t r i a l construetion of preceding period.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Holliston
-7-
W
Y MODERN PERIOD (1915-1940)
A.
Transportation Routes :
Rail and highway network remains i n t a c t with abandonment of t r o l l e y
route i n 1920s. Regional auto highways through Holliston center by
1930s, E/W as Route 16 (Washington Street) and N/S as Route 126 (Concord-Washington-Summer S t r e e t s ) .
B.
Population:
Small, steady increase i n population throughout period.
C.
Settlement Location:
No basic change from preceding period.
D.
Economic Base:
Though the town's manufactured output appears t o have peaked i n
the 1870s o r early '80s, many of the town's established firms (with
the exception of straw manufacture) continued well i n t o the Early
Modern period.
E.
Architecture:
Residential: New construction probably r e s t r i c t e d t o m d e s t
Bungalows, l i t t l e evidence of Colonial Revival s t y l e .
I n s t i t u t i o n a l : L i t t l e new building except f o r brick schoolhouses
(Colonial Revival s t y l e ) probably following changeover t o a f u l l y
graded school system (ca. 1915-25?)
.
Commercial : Some one-s torey frame structures (as t y l i s t i c ) and
brick automobile service s t a t i o n s b u i l t along Fiske S t r e e t near town
center and a t East Holliston.
Indus t r i a l : No apparent new construction .
XI.
SOURCES
Morse, Abner , A H i s tory of Sherborn and Hollis ton (1856)
.
Rees, Dorothy, Holliston, Massachusetts 1724-1974 (1974) .
Bragg, Ernest A., The Origin and Growth of the Boot and Shoe Industry
i n Holliston Where I t Began i n 1793 (1951).
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Holliston