Decorative drawing: a small American settlement seen from a low hill. Not a photograph of this place.

Framingham, Massachusetts

40 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1886 and the latest in 1989. It stands in Framingham City. It lies in ZIP code area 01702. It stands on Clark Hill. The Survey maps it on the Framingham quadrangle.

Framingham within Middlesex County

Then and now

1886 to 1989

The same ground, surveyed 103 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Framingham, surveyed 1989

Topographic sheet of Framingham, surveyed 1886

Topographic sheets covering this place

40 sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

30,115 words on this township

History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, published 1890 names this settlement in its chapter on Framingham City. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

May 22, 1701. The town "voted to give a call to Mr. John Swift to abide and settle with us, the inhabitants of Framingham, as our legal minister." Chose Abial l^amb, David Rice, Benjamin Bridges, John Town, John Haven, Peter Cloyce, Sen., Samuel Winch and Thomas Drury to give the call in behalf of the inhabitants.

Passage source: History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, published 1890.

As a result of the contest about the ministerial land, growing out of the claim and seizure of said lands by the lessee of Mr. Danforth, a divided sentiment had obtained in the church, aggravated by difficulties with the first pastor. The settlement of a new minister was the occasion of the culmination of the alienated feeling. The majority was uncompromising, and the minority seceded and took steps which led to the organization of a .second Congregational Church in October, 174G. A small meeting-house was built, and Mr. Solomon Reed was ordained pastor of the new church in January, 1747. The new organization numbered over eighty members, and maintained a separate existence about ten years, when a part returned to the old church and a part united in forming the Fir.st Baptist Society in Framingham.

Passage source: History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, published 1890.

Emigrations. - Framingham contributed largely of her enterprising inhabitants towards the planting of colonies at several new centres. A considerable number of our citizens became grantees of Oxford in 1713. Among them were Town, Barton, Elliott, Lamed, Gleason, Lamb and Stone. Some Mellen, How and Haven families removed to Hopkinton between 1715 and 1720. The Bents, Steveuses, Stones and Howes were among the early settlers of Rutland. Others become incorporated with Holliston in 1724, with Shrewsbury in 1727, with Grafton near the same date and with Templeton a few years later.

Passage source: History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, published 1890.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Framingham City - it names this place 97 more 97 times.

Fires near this place

136 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 136 fires within 5 miles of Framingham between 2006 and 2020, burning about 58 acres in total. 3 started naturally. 6 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause	Fires
Debris and open burning	54
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	42
Recreation and ceremony	11
Power generation/transmission/distribution	7
Arson/incendiarism	6
Misuse of fire by a minor	4
Natural	3
Railroad operations and maintenance	3
Smoking	3
Other causes	1
Fireworks	1
Equipment and vehicle use	1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
8 September 2020	Recreation and ceremony	under an acre	Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control	not named
6 September 2019	Recreation and ceremony	under an acre	Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control	not named
5 September 2018	Recreation and ceremony	under an acre	Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control	not named
4 September 2018	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	under an acre	Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control	not named
3 September 2018	Smoking	under an acre	Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control	not named
3 September 2018	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	under an acre	Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control	not named
26 September 2020	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control	not named
23 September 2020	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	under an acre	Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control	not named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Middlesex County

Specimens collected near this place

12 of 1,086 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 1,086 specimens collected within 10 miles of Framingham between 1898 and 1975: 845 Animalia, 167 Plantae, 70 Fungi, 4 Chromista. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. B. Seymour, A. F. Newton, A. L. Bosworth and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Species	Year	Collected by	Where, as recorded
Corvus brachyrhynchos brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822	1900	not recorded	Wayland
Actaea pachypoda Elliott	1898	Ernest Charles Smith
Antennaria howellii subsp. canadensis (Greene) R.J.Bayer	1898	Williams, E.F.
Antennaria parlinii subsp. fallax (Greene) R.J.Bayer & Stebbins	1898	not recorded
Antennaria plantaginifolia (L.) Hook.	1898	not recorded
Aquilegia canadensis L.	1898	M. I. Gunn	Natick
Agonopterix atrodorsella Clemens, 1863	1900	E. J. Smith	Sherborn
Apantesis Walker, 1855	1900	E. J. Smith	Sherborn
Apatelodes torrefacta J.E.Smith, 1797	1900	E. J. Smith	Sherborn
Araiospora pulchra Thaxt.	1900	Thaxter, Roland	Stony Brook, Mass. [Massachusetts]
Archips cerasivorana (Fitch, 1856)	1900	E. J. Smith	Sherborn
Bleptina caradrinalis Guenée, 1854	1900	E. J. Smith	Sherborn

All 1,086 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 16 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 16 workings within 5 miles of Framingham: 10 past producers, 3 producers, 2 plants, 1 unknown. 5 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Granite, Iron, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
Ashland Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Hawkridge Bros--Ashland, Ma.	Iron	Plant
Panlini Loam Co	Peat	Past Producer	Peat
Trimount Bituminous Prod	Granite	Past Producer	Granite
Arthur Scofield Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Ashland Plant	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Plant
Ashland Plant	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Ashland Sand and Gravel Co	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer	Sedimentary
Framington Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Hi-Way Pit and Mill	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer

Every working recorded in Middlesex County

Storms near this place

30 since 1993

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Framingham in 30 storm reports between 1993 and 2024: 10 thunderstorm wind, 9 flood, 6 hail, 2 lightning. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	1 hurt, $25,000	Numerous trees and limbs were downed by thunderstorm winds on the south side of Framingham. A tree fell on a person on Beaver Street. The person sustained minor injuries.
August 2015	Flood	Framingham	$75,000	Pearl, Sanger, Waverly, Beech, Henry and Thompson Streets and Union Avenue were all flooded and impassable. Cars were stuck in flood waters on Union Avenue. Waverly Street was closed near Marble Street where several cars were stuck. Cars were stuck in flood waters on Route 9, Union Avenue, Beech Street, and Henry Street. The intersection of Bishop Street and Lawrence Street was closed. Several cars were stuck in flood waters. Parts of Route 9 were flooded with four to five feet of water.
September 2013	Flash Flood	Framingham	$30,000	Another round of heavy rain resulted in renewed flooding across Wellesley and Natick. Information on flooding in Wellesley can be found in a similar report for Norfolk County. In Natick, a car became stuck in flood waters on South Main Street. Flooding occurred under the Willow Bridge. Route 9 near the Natick Police Department, Pearl Street, and Plain Streets were all flooded and impassable.
May 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	$15,000	A tree and wires on Hollis Street were downed by thunderstorm winds.
September 2013	Flood	Framingham	$10,000	Route 9 was flooded in both directions at Route 126, making Route 9 impassable. Speen Street at Cochituate Road was also flooded with a car stuck in the flood waters there.
July 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	$10,000	no account filed
July 2005	Lightning	Framingham	$10,000	no account filed
July 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	$5,000	In Natick, a tree was down on a house at 88 Kendall Lane.
November 2021	Flood	Framingham	$5,000	In Framingham, there was a public report (via MPING)- location unspecified - of a river/creek overflowing with cropland/yard/basement flooding.
August 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	$5,000	A large tree was downed onto Winthrop Street at Bethany Road.
January 2014	Lightning	Framingham	$3,000	An isolated lightning strike blew the chimney off a house on Cherry Street.
June 2024	Flash Flood	Framingham	-	In Framingham, a section of Rt 9 near Natick was flooded with 1 foot of water.
August 2023	Flood	Framingham	-	In Framingham, parts of Henry St were flooded.
July 2021	Flood	Framingham	-	In Framingham, Rt 9 (Worcester Rd) at Rt 126, as well as the ramps on Rt 126 were closed due to flooding. A car was stuck at this intersection. Also, Gates St at Parker Rd was impassable.
November 2018	Flood	Framingham	-	In Framingham, Route 9 was closed at Oakcrest Drive due to flooding.
August 2015	Flood	Framingham	-	Route 135 near Bishop Street was flooded with water up to the bottoms of car doors.
September 2015	Flood	Framingham	-	Route 9 was closed due to flooding at Route 126.
February 2008	Flood	Framingham	-	Route 30 near Cochituate Road was flooded.
July 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	-	Thunderstorms produced weak wet microbursts across the Southern portion of Middlesex County on the afternoon on the 29th. Trees were downed in Framingham where a tree split a car in half. Trees were also downed in Sherborn and Ashland which resulted in power outages.
July 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	-	Large limbs down blocking Leeland Street.
August 1993	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	-	Numerous wires and trees down in Framingham...especially the south side of town. Lightning caused a fire resulting in extensive damage to a home. Additionally, there were unconfirmed funnel cloud sightings this evening in Arlington Heights, Concord and Stoneham and in all of Boston's north and northwest suburbs. There were numerous reports of pea- to marble-size hail from southeast Middlesex and southern Essex Counties between 1744 EST and approximately 1945 EST, mainly from the northwest to northeast of Boston. Lightning caused numerous power outages and fires but were unable to be detailed due to unknown times and lack of detailed data. Torrential rains fell in parts of Boston's northern suburbs near Route 128.
August 2015	Hail	Framingham	-	no account filed
May 2006	Hail	Framingham	-	no account filed
May 2006	Hail	Framingham	-	no account filed
July 2006	Hail	Framingham	-	no account filed
July 2006	Hail	Framingham	-	no account filed
May 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	-	no account filed
June 2000	Hail	Framingham	-	no account filed
June 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Framingham	-	no account filed
January 1999	Heavy Rain	Framingham	-	no account filed

Every storm recorded in Middlesex County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Place	Distance	Sheets
Coburnville	1.1 miles	40
Lokerville	1.2 miles	40
Framingham Center	1.7 miles	40
West Natick	2.0 miles	40
Workmans Circle Camp	2.3 miles	41
Whitneys	2.7 miles	41
Ashland	2.8 miles	40
Felchville	3.3 miles	46

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 611641. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.