In 1808, Framingham was over a century old, but its bustling Centre Common was relatively new. The Common was established around Framingham’s second meeting house, which was moved from present-day Buckminster Square in the 1730s. The area around the meeting house remained largely undeveloped until after the Revolutionary War. Still, most New England town commons remained wooded and unkempt until the mid-19th century, putting Framingham Centre ahead of its time. This was because of its critical location halfway between Boston and Worcester on the new Worcester Turnpike, which turned the wooded outpost into a bustling boom town just as the new century began.
It is this version of the Centre Common that was captured in watercolor by Captain Daniel Bell in 1808. The incredible level of detail in this painting gives us a unique window into the Common of the past, including many buildings which no longer stand. It is one of the most copied images in the FHC collection, with over ten replications in various mediums.
Framingham’s Pick
This piece of folk art is to me the quintessential image of Framingham history.