2023 Community 

(15-DEC-23) On Sunday, December 17, a parade of Boxborough Fire and Police Department vehicles will escort Santa Claus through the streets of Boxborough. The parade will kick off at 9 a.m. at the Kendall Road cul-de-sac, and will proceed as detailed below. It will stop at the Liberty Fields Parking Lot at approximately 9:50 a.m. and will end at Flerra Field at approximately 11 a.m.

Along the route, Fire and Police personnel will be collecting donations for the Acton Food Pantry. Please direct any questions in advance of the event to Captain Jason Malinowski at jmalinowski@boxborough-ma.gov. Please note that all arrival times are approximate. 

9:00 Kendall Rd (cul-de-sac)

9:10 Applewood Dr

9:25 Reed Farm Rd (cul-de-sac)

9:40 Joseph Rd @ Emanuel Dr

9:50 Liberty Fields Parking Lot

10:00 Leonard Rd/Meenmore Condos

10:05 Schoolhouse Ln (cul-de-sac)

10:15 Paddock Ln

10:25 Brook Village Apartments

10:35 Codman Hill Apartments

10:40 Robinson Rd @ Morse Ln

10:45 Mayfair Dr (cul-de-sac)

10:50 Pierce Ln @ Coolidge Farm Rd

10:55 Meadow Ln @ Tamarack Ln (second entrance)

11:00 Flerra Field

(15-DEC-23) Are you searching for a Storytime? Sargent Memorial Library has you covered! Storytimes are free to attend, don't require registration, and are open to residents and non-residents alike. 

Songs and Stories sessions are on Monday and Tuesday from 11 - 11:30 a.m. and recommended for ages 2-5, but all ages are welcome. 

For infants to 2-year-olds, there's Baby Lapsit Storytime on Tuesdays from 3 - 3:30 p.m. Babies and their grownups will sing, dance, bounce, and be silly at this storytime just for them. 

For more information, check the Library Event Calendar at boxlib.org or feel free to call the library directly at 978-263-4680.

(8-DEC-23) On the evening of Saturday, December 2, neighbors gathered at the corner of Middle and Hill Roads for the annual Boxborough Tree Lighting, a town tradition that goes back about three decades.

As kids ran around with cookies and glowsticks, Public Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee Chair Jennette Kollmann welcomed the crowd and introduced this year’s honored guests, Heather Fleming and the FreeBee Market team. Fleming said a few words about the history and accomplishments of the FreeBee Market project before everyone counted down to flip the switch and turn on multicolored lights decorating the large evergreen tree. 

Once the tree was lit, students in the Blanchard BrassWind Ensemble and the Blanchard Chorus performed several festive songs before attention turned to the approaching lights and sirens of the Boxborough Fire Department, escorting the man of the hour. A cheery Santa Claus greeted kids and handed out candy canes. 

The festive lights will remain on through the holiday season. 

Boxborough Tree Lighting December 2

(1-DEC-23) The annual Boxborough Tree Lighting ceremony will be held, rain or shine, on Saturday, December 2 at 4:30 p.m. at the corner of Middle and Hill Roads. 

Hosted by the Public Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee, the event will feature live music by the Blanchard Brass and Wind Ensemble and the Blanchard Chorus, as well as the introduction of a local honoree to flip the switch and light the large evergreen tree. The PCCC will provide hot chocolate and cookies outside the Boxborough Museum just down the hill. Once the songs have been sung and the tree has been lit, the big moment will arrive: a visit from Santa Claus, escorted by the Boxborough Fire Department. 

Mark your calendar to gather with friends and neighbors on December 2 to welcome another holiday season!

The Madrigals are Coming

(1-DEC-23) The Acton-Boxborough High School Madrigal Choir will perform at Boxborough’s Sargent Memorial Library on December 21 at 7 p.m. It is anticipated that this holiday concert will be well attended, so arrive  early to get the best seats. 

The Madrigals are a mixed-voice choral ensemble for students in grades 9-12 singing advanced, unaccompanied music. Singers in this ensemble demonstrate a highly-developed vocal ability and must sing in Bella Voce or the Chamber Choir, or play an instrument in the band or orchestra. They perform in all school concerts as well as many outside performances. 

Charlotte Duhamel (left) and Katie Dallimore (right)

Katie Dallimore to Become Boxborough’s First Female Eagle Scout 

(1-DEC-23) Katie Dallimore, an Acton-Boxborough Regional School District senior and Boxborough resident, is set to become Boxborough’s first female Eagle Scout.  Dallimore recently came before the Boxborough Recreation Commission to finalize her Eagle Scout service project: building and putting up kestrel nesting boxes and informational signs on Boxborough Conservation Land. She has now met all requirements and will officially become an Eagle Scout at an upcoming Court of Honor date. 

Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America. Only about 6 percent of Scouts achieve Eagle Scout status. Dallimore joined Scouts BSA in February 2019 along with her friend Charlotte Duhamel, an ABRSD Junior and Boxborough resident who serves as Senior Patrol Leader of their Scouts BSA troop. Both girls had previously been girl scouts. Duhamel also aims to become an Eagle Scout and is just starting to think about what her service project will be. 

The Boy Scouts officially transitioned to Scouts BSA in 2019, opening the door to girls between the ages of 11 and 17. The organization's first female Eagle Scouts followed soon after, with the first class recognized in 2020. The first girl in Massachusetts to become an Eagle Scout achieved this rank in February 2021. 

Dallimore and Duhamel are members of Acton Troop 12 (all girls), which has more than 25 members from Boxborough, Acton, Maynard, Concord and Carlisle. The troop was founded on February 1, 2019 and shares space in Acton with Acton Troop 23 (all boys).

Duhamel, as the Senior Patrol Leader, is responsible for the troop's overall operation. With guidance from the scoutmaster, she takes charge of troop meetings, of the patrol leaders' council, and of all troop activities.

Troop 12 is an entirely youth-led organization. The girls, under the leadership of Duhamel, plan what to do as a troop. They have weekly scout meetings and monthly camping activities like backpacking, Iron Chef, Scouting skills, canoeing, and capture the flag. Over the summer they have longer trips (High Adventure Trips) such as orienteering and hiking in Arizona deserts or a week of canoeing and camping on the Allagash River in Maine. They also have a yearly fundraising activity, selling wreaths. Dallimore and Duhamel said that when they go door to door selling wreaths people often don’t realize that there are girls in the Boy Scouts and wonder if they are also selling cookies. 

Dallimore and Duhamel say that scouting has taught them leadership and organizational skills, given them the opportunity to interact with girls of different ages, and helped them develop the ability to present themselves with confidence to groups of adults. They both enjoy the outdoors and all the camping adventures, and both are interested in continuing their studies in environmental science when they graduate from high school. 

Learn more about Troop 12 here: https://actonscouts.org/troops/troop-12/. 

Boxborough Cane Presented to Frank Coolidge 

(1-DEC-23) On Sunday November 18 the Boxborough Historical Society presented the Boxborough Cane to Francis P. Coolidge, age 95. The Boxborough Cane honors the town’s oldest living inhabitant. Coolidge is the 11th recipient of the Cane. 

A life-long Massachusetts resident, Coolidge received his degree from Harvard and spent a successful career in the investment and financial services industry. He and his wife Emilie, who have been married for more than 70 years, lived in Harvard for many years before moving to Boxborough 31 years ago. They have three children, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

While living in Boxborough, Frank has been active in a number of organizations. He was instrumental in the formation of the Boxborough Conservation Trust which has played a major role in preserving open space in the town.

In 1909, The Boston Post newspaper sent out canes to selectmen of 700 New England towns to recognize the oldest man living in the town. The Historical Society discovered in 1997 that Boxborough had never received a cane, most likely because the town was too small. The Society had the Boxborough Cane made by a local woodworker out of wood grown in town and started the tradition of awarding it to the oldest living inhabitant regardless of gender.

UCCB’s Annual Bluegrass Christmas Concert is back

(1-DEC-23) Many people consider the annual Christmas In New England (CINE) concert in the UCCB Sanctuary to be an important part of their holiday season. We’re thrilled to have the CINE performers back! Join us in the Sanctuary on Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m. for a fabulous Christmas tradition at the UCCB! Doors open at 7:00 pm. To learn more, visit www.christmasinnewengland.net. There will be baked goods and other snacks during intermission. Concert held at United Church of Christ, Congregational in Boxborough at 723 Mass. Ave. (Route 111). 

(10-NOV-23) The Boxborough Company of Minutemen will hold a Company meeting on Sunday, November 19 at the Boxborough Community Center at 30 Middle Road starting at 8 p.m. For information, please contact Captain Bob Lucas at captain@boxboroughminutemen.org or (978) 263-1540.

The Boxborough Minutemen Company is open to anyone of least 18 years of age, regardless of gender or town of residence, who is interested in service to the town and/or perpetuating the memory of the Minutemen of 1775. You do not need to be a marcher or Revolutionary War reenactor to join the Company.

Our members may participate in any number of the Company's activities including marching in parades, organizing the annual Fifer's Day town festival, performing seasonal clean-ups on Route 111, sponsoring the Boy and Cub Scouts, providing volunteers to the Blanchard School and other service organizations, and participating in our various social functions. The Company also provides financial support to a variety of service organizations and sponsors a number of annual scholarships to Boxborough students who are continuing their education after high school.

All are welcome to come and make new connections with others. For more information visit www.boxboroughminutemen.org.

(10-NOV-23) Acton-based Danny's Place has partnered with In Control Crash Prevention, a non-profit organization that offers hands-on driving education designed for commercial businesses and everyday drivers of all ages, to provide the first Parent Info Night of the year. Parents of junior and senior high school students, and anyone else curious about how to model safe driving to children and teens, are invited on Tuesday, November 14, 7 p.m., at 543 Mass. Ave. in West Acton to hear an engaging presentation by In Control executive director Dan Strollo.

Attendees will hear an update on the state of driving in the U.S. and receive resources and tips to stay safer, starting with your ride home. A gift certificate for Crash Prevention 101 Training, qualifying grads for auto insurance discounts for a parent/guardian and their teen, will be awarded to one lucky attendee.

Danny's Place was founded to honor the memory of Danny McCarthy, an Acton-Boxborough High School student who died tragically in 2003 after a car crash on a local road. “This is a topic close to our hearts. We are committed to offering opportunities for the community to educate and prevent auto injuries and fatalities,” wrote Anne Halligan, a board member of Danny’s Place Youth Services.

There is no cost to attend, but space is limited. Please RSVP at dannys-place.org/parents.

(10-NOV-23) October 21 was a drizzly Saturday, but the wet weather did not dampen the spirits of the final Free Bee Market of the 2023 season. 

The morning started with volunteers gleaning foods from surrounding markets and farms and sorting in the UCC Boxborough church lobby. At 10:30 a.m., market founder Heather Fleming welcomed market guests to fill their bags with produce and bread. 

Apples, donated by Old Frog Pond Farm, were pressed into cider as visitors listened to the AB Proscenium Circus singers serenade. The Community Center was filled with free Halloween costumes, Fifer’s Day t-shirts, and crafts. Laura Welch shared the final bounty of her craft-collecting season from the corner, as UCC member Kellie Senghas shared pollinator seeds from the Boxborough church. The sound of laughter was mixed with the melodies from the Proscenium Circus singers as the market wound down to empty tables by noon.  

Boxborough resident Karen Johnson, Free Bee Market’s “welcomer,” sums up the market this way: “I immediately noticed the wonderful diversity of the people gathered with welcoming countenance, very willing to interact with me. I also particularly love the variety of ages of the people: little children that were coming with their parents and all the wonderful teenagers that were volunteering. If it ‘takes a village,’ this is certainly a wonderful way of providing support for our local communities.”

For more photos, see here.

(10-NOV-23) The Friends of the Boxborough Library held their fall book sale on November 3, 4, and 5 at the Sargent Memorial Library. “The Friends of the Boxborough Library would like to thank everyone who helped to make our recent book sale such a success” said Anne McNeece, the Friends’ President. “We are very thankful for those who donated such a wonderful selection of books, those who came to the library to buy books, and especially to those who helped to sort and arrange all of the books. It’s always nice to see children going home clutching their new treasures.”

“The book sale is a win-win” said John Fallon, the Friends’ Treasurer. “Because of the wonderful support of the library community, over 2,000 books found new homes, and the Friends will continue to be able to provide the community with museum passes and exciting programs for both children and adults.”

Community Holiday Support Needed

(10-NOV-23) Boxborough Community Services is collecting gift cards for Boxborough families who need help with groceries and gifts for the holidays. Gift card donations for Market Basket, Roche Brothers, Target, Walmart, and other stores can be dropped off at Town Hall in an envelope addressed to Wendy Trinks, Community Services Coordinator by December 8, 2023. Questions? Contact Trinks at wtrinks@boxborough-ma.gov or (978) 264-1735.

(27-OCT-23) On Sunday, October 15, approximately 50 people gathered in the Morse Hilberg Room at Boxborough Town Hall to hear Alan Rohwer of the Boxborough Historical Society speak about the construction of Interstate Route 495. A lively audience discussion followed the formal presentation.

The plan for Interstate Route 495 came about in the 1940s, after the Massachusetts Department of Public Works conducted transportation studies and planned for “circumferential highways” to link towns outside of Boston. Construction on Route 495 began in 1959 and the roadway opened in stages throughout the 1960s. The Boxborough section opened in 1964.

To build the road, the Commonwealth took property from Boxborough landowners by eminent domain. Rohwer estimated that roughly a half dozen landowners were impacted, including the Cann family, whose home was directly in the path of the planned roadway.

The completion of Route I-495 facilitated the transition of Boxborough from a rural farming community to a commuter town. In 1960, Boxborough had only 744 residents. By 1970, the population would double.

Rohwer shared maps and photos of the roadway construction and the building of the Route 111 interchange. He also shared a number of anecdotes from Boxborough residents who lived through the construction. After a 20-minute presentation, audience members discussed the impact of Route I-495 on the development of Boxborough, asked questions, and shared their own memories.

After the presentation, the Boxborough Historical Society held its annual meeting to elect officers and make changes to its bylaws. 

Grief and Healing Support Group

(27-OCT-23) Nashoba Associated Boards of Health welcomes all adults who are experiencing grief to participate in the monthly drop-in Grief and Healing Support Group. Facilitated by grief counselor Karen Campbell, the support group offers a safe space to share experiences of the grief journey. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the grief process and strategies for managing grief. Confidentiality is respected and honored. The support group honors all types of grief, including grief due to loss, change, and transitions. In recognition that grief is an evolving process, occasional check-ins with a grief support group may be beneficial. No one is required to commit to consistent attendance. The group meets at the Sargent Memorial Library from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.

(27-OCT-23) Beginning on Monday, October 30, the Friends of the Boxborough Library will be accepting books for their bi-annual book sale. 

Please support this sale by donating your gently used hard covers, paperbacks, and audiovisual items and attending this sale. Books will be accepted from October 30 to November 2 in the library meeting room during regular library hours. VCR tapes or magazines or any material in very poor condition cannot be accepted.

The sale weekend will start with a preview sale for Friends of the Boxborough Library members on Friday, November 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Memberships will be available at the door. The main sale will take place on Saturday, November 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. An “Everything Must Go” sale will be held on Sunday, November 5 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., when you pay only $3 to fill a bag.

The sale will take place in the meeting room of the Sargent Memorial Library, 427 Massachusetts Avenue. Proceeds from the sale of books will go toward additional library programs and museum passes.  

(27-OCT-23) A message from the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Community Health Equity Survey is an online anonymous survey that, on average, takes around 20 minutes to complete. Anyone age 14 and over who lives in Massachusetts for some or all of the year can take this survey. 

Results will help the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and communities across the state change conditions that get in the way of health. The survey will be open through the month of October. You can take the survey online with a computer, phone, or tablet. The survey is available in 11 languages. All survey responses are anonymous and cannot be traced back to you. Take the survey at Mass.gov/Healthsurvey.

(20-OCT-23) The Boxborough Police Facebook page of September 30 sends "Congratulations to Boxborough’s own Benny Morse for coming in fourth place at the Topsfield Fair pumpkin contest.” 

In only his second year of growing giant pumpkins, Morse jokingly says his 1,204-pound pumpkin grew large, “because you talk very nice to it.” He learned from others how to combine good soil and a combination of water and fertilizer to make a giant pumpkin gain 40 to 60 pounds a day. He added, “You can almost watch it grow - over two pounds an hour.”

(12-OCT-23) The Boxborough Fire and Police Departments welcome the community to join them for their annual “Truck or Treat” on Sunday, October 29 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Boxborough Fire Station. Kids are welcome to wear their costumes. (No toy weapons please.)  Each of the town's fire trucks and some police cruisers will serve as a spot for candy distribution. Other public safety agencies that the Boxborough Fire and Police Departments regularly partner with may also join if they are not tied up with other emergencies. The community will be allowed to explore each of the vehicles and take pictures along the way. Any questions can be directed to Capt. Jason Malinowski at jmalinowski@boxborough-ma.gov. 

(12-OCT-23) John Joseph Lyons, loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle, died peacefully on September 29, 2023, at his home in Littleton, NH, surrounded by family, after being diagnosed with glioblastoma last April.  He was born April 8, 1940, to Rita Elizabeth (Goulet) Lyons and Francis Gerald Lyons.  John is survived by his loving wife, Joyce Ruth (Taylor) Lyons, with whom he shared twenty-four years (marrying in 2005) together.  They enjoyed an active lifestyle from Boxborough, MA to Marco Island, FL and eventually Littleton, NH that included hiking, kayaking, walks, and travel. 

In addition to his wife, John leaves behind five children, Keith Lyons of Boxborough, Kristin Guenard of Ashburnham, Erik Lyons of Boxborough, Erin Letsky of Maynard, and Brigit Vercruysse of the Netherlands and their spouses; eight, soon to be nine, grandchildren; three sisters, two brothers and two former wives; the mothers to his five children.  He was predeceased by his parents.

John grew up in North Cambridge, MA until his family moved west to Boxborough in 1951.  He was a member of the first class to graduate from Boxborough’s first K-6 elementary school, Blanchard Memorial, and then from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in 1958.  John attended Norwich University on a full academic scholarship, but two problematic knees prevented him from military service. He graduated from Wentworth Institute in Boston, MA in 1963 with a degree in Nuclear Physics.

John loved the town of Boxborough.  He invested his early career earnings wisely in local real estate buying several parcels of land and buildings found in the town center district.  He began a lifelong ambition of developing a mixed-use Historic Village type town center, seeing part of that vision become reality [in] restoring historic buildings, opening a marketplace in 1989 which included a French café, and seeing three 55+ communities established.  His vision is still an incomplete story, but a happy ending is still possible.

John was active in town, first as a multiple-term member of the Boxborough Planning Board and later a multiple-term Board of Selectmen and volunteer firefighter.  Among his accomplishments was selecting the town’s first full time Police Chief and Police department and overseeing the town’s acquisition of Flerra Field and Meadows in 1979 which is still popular today, hosting soccer and baseball games, Summer Playground, and the town’s annual Fifer’s Day celebration.

Read the full obituary at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bostonglobe/name/john-lyons-obituary?id=53273645 

(12-OCT-23) Gertrude Ann Doughty of Boxborough, formerly of Sudbury, passed away on September 28, 2023. 

Born on August 8, 1938 in Concord, MA to William and Laura Davison (Dahlroth), she grew up in Sudbury and attended the Sudbury schools. She was valedictorian of the last class to graduate from Sudbury High School (class of 1956). She attended UMass Amherst, graduated in 1960 with honors and received her Masters in Zoology in 1962. That same year she married her husband Robert Doughty and they were married for 61 years. 

When her daughters were in elementary school, she worked at the Boxborough Library and later at Automotive Information Center in Acton. She enjoyed working and remembered her work and colleagues fondly.

After she retired in 2006, she was an avid reader, continued to volunteer at the library and was a devoted Celtics fan. She also enjoyed baking and cooking, and her family received many Christmas and birthday gifts that included yummy treats. She found unexpected pleasure in being a grandmother and loved spending time with her grandchildren and spoiling them.

She is survived by her beloved husband Bob, her daughter Lauren and her husband Teo, her daughter Robin and her partner Shona, and two grandchildren Yisak and Hirut. She is also survived by her brother William Davison, his wife Kathy and their children and grandchildren.

One of her favorite spots was a family camp in Maine where she and her husband would fish and sit on the porch and read. She will be greatly missed by her family and all who knew her.

A Funeral Service for Gertrude will be at the Sudbury Methodist Church, 251 Old Sudbury Rd, Sudbury, MA on Friday, October 6, 2023 at 11 a.m. Interment will be at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the American Heart Association or the Albert J. Sargent Memorial Library.

(5-OCT-23) The Boxborough Recreation Commission has released scheduling information for the new pickleball courts at Liberty Field.

Scheduled group play on all pickleball courts will take place during the following times: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.; Tuesday 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To sign up, download the TeamReach app from the App Store or Google Play and use group code 01719PB.

On Wednesdays from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., all pickleball courts are reserved for youth (suggested ages 8 and up) free play. The Recreation Commission reminds caregivers that “this is not an organized or drop-off event. Caregivers must be present and are welcome to play if there are open courts.”

During all other times, Courts #2 and #3 can be reserved. Courts #1 and #4 will be open for first-come-first-serve play. Reservations for Courts #2 and #3 can be made here: https://bit.ly/3PZf1SZ . 

Mushrooming Walk

Thursday, October 5, 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Rain date, October 12)

Registration required as space is limited. For adults and teens ages 14+.

Rachel Goclawski, a MA Certified Educator and State-Certified in Mushrooming, will lead a walk in the woods to identify wild mushrooms. Learn safety guidelines, identification techniques, and possible uses for the mushrooms found. Bring a way to take notes/pictures, a basket or a bag (cloth or paper, not plastic), comfortable walking shoes or boots as the terrain may be uneven or muddy. Insect spray and sunscreen are recommended.

DiwaliFest Returns

Sunday, October 8 (Rain date, October 14), noon. - 4 p.m.

Check out the displays and performances, try out different foods, visit vendors, meet up with neighbors, explore a new thing or two, and have fun together. Parking will be available at the library, Blanchard Memorial School, the Boardwalk School parking lot (with shuttle service), and the Boxborough Regency Hotel parking lot (with shuttle service).

Spooky Story Walk

Tuesday, October 17 - Saturday, October 28 during Library operating hours.

Walk through a life-size Halloween story, and meet all the characters up close. This year, our book is Not Very Scary by Carol Brendler, and our teen volunteers have worked hard to bring the story of Melly the Monster to life. Come see the not (very) scary results!

(24-AUG-23) Most Americans spend 86 percent of their time indoors. How do you stand up for nature when you don’t feel comfortable in it? Shut your phone off one day a week and get outside.
Learn more in a four-session course called “Where Climate Meets Community.” Choose from two meeting options, either in Boxborough’s Sargent Memorial Library on Mondays, Sept. 18 – Oct. 9, 10:30-11:50 a.m., or via Zoom on Tuesdays, Sept. 12 – Oct. 3, 6:30-7:50 p.m.  

To sign up, email Boxborough resident Marjorie Kamp at marjoriek@comcast.net, placing “2040” in the subject line and indicating choice of sessions. The course, sponsored by Boxborough’s Sustainability Committee, discusses Gameau’s 2019 book “2040: a Handbook for the Regeneration Based on the Documentary 2040.”

(3-AUG-23) The 2023 Fifer’s Day will take place on Saturday September 2 at Flerra Meadows on Stow Road in Boxborough, with a rain date of September 3. Fifer's Day is jointly sponsored by the Boxborough District Minutemen Company and the Town of Boxborough's Public Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee. The Day commences at 9:30 a.m. with the Fifer’s Four Mile Road Race. This is followed by the presentation of the Golden Fife Award around noon. The Fair will then commence and include food and barbecue, including a vegetarian option, children’s games and activities, volleyball tournament, booths representing Town organizations, and a craft fair. There will be live music throughout the afternoon.

For more information, or to sign up for a nonprofit booth, craft booth, road race, or volleyball, please go to www.fifersday.org.. If you would like to get involved by helping with planning of Fifer’s Day, or helping on the day, please contact the Boxborough Minutemen Company web site at boxboroughminutemen.org/contact-us.

(27-JUL-23) This year marks the 240th anniversary of Boxborough’s incorporation. Boxborough began when a group of founding families, greatly inconvenienced by the long distance to church services or perhaps just seeking their own political identity, acquired Harvard’s old meeting house and transported it to the hilltop intersection of Hill and Middle Roads. In 1775, they started petitioning the State legislature to become a separate entity, and in 1783 Boxborough was finally incorporated as a district of about ten square miles, made up of parts of Stow, Harvard, and Littleton.  

By 1800, a small center village had grown up around the meetinghouse at the top of Middle Road. However, with the exception of small local industries, Boxborough’s economy remained almost entirely agricultural through the 19th century. 

In 1806, the Union Turnpike was extended west from Concord (today’s Massachusetts Avenue/Route 111), passing through Boxborough, thereby easing the local farmers’ access to regional and Boston markets. The building of the Evangelical Congregational Society meeting house on the Union Turnpike in the 1830s began the shift of the town’s center of activity from the old Hill Road town center. In 1845, the Fitchburg Railroad came through the northeast corner of town with a flag stop at the Littleton border, further speeding the shipment of farm products.

Growing of hops was a specialty on many Boxborough farms in the early 19th century, when the town had the reputation as the largest hop-growing town of its size in New England. Dairying became increasingly important in the second half of the 19th century, and after the Civil War, many Boxborough farms also included large orchards of apples, pears, and peaches; some farmers were doing a brisk business in grapes and berries. By 1900, poultry raising was another important specialty.

While orcharding, poultry farming, and some dairying continued into the 1970s, farming of all types declined throughout Boxborough after World War II. Commuting to jobs outside of Boxborough increased, spurred by regional highway construction, including Interstate 495, which came through the west part of town in the early 1960s. Residential growth skyrocketed, dramatically changing the character of the community as the population of the town doubled in the 1960s and then doubled again in the 1970s. Beginning in the 1960s, a number of multi-family buildings, first as apartments and later as condos, were built, particularly to the west of I-495. The 1990s saw an increase in office park construction, also mostly on the west side of I-495. 

Boxborough Schoolhouse Welcomes Visitors

(15-JUN-23) Boxborough’s School House #2 was open to the public on Sunday, June 11 from 2-4 p.m. In addition to the 1857 building itself, the tour featured an array of pictures from Boxborough’s history. About 50 people attended the event, which was hosted by Nancy (Robinson) Morrison, who co-owns the property with her sister Jane Sawisch, assisted by members of the Boxborough Historical Society. “We were quite pleased to open the School House to the public,” said Nancy. “We know there are always people walking by looking in through the windows, and it was nice to let them come inside.”

Photo Caption: Jane Sawisch and Nancy (Robinson) Morrison, co-owners of the school house with Nancy’s grandson Jameson

(29-JUN-23) The Boxborough Council on Aging (COA), United Church of Christ Boxborough (UCCB) and Friends of Indian Senior Citizens Organization (FISCO) joined together to host a community luncheon on June 20, connecting neighbors from Burlington to Boxborough and beyond. UCCB pastor Cindy Worthington-Berry reached out to the FISCO team after hearing about an event it hosted for seniors in Acton. “I was excited about the opportunity to offer something to Indian elders in Boxborough, whether full-time residents or relatives here for a visit. I was hoping for a lunch – I never expected the warmth and welcome of the team from FISCO.”

FISCO is a non-profit social work agency based in Burlington that supports Asian Indian senior citizens residing in the northwest Boston MetroWest area. Led by volunteers who are themselves Indian senior citizens, its mission is to provide companionship, connection, and compassion to senior Asian immigrants. Mary Rohwer of Boxborough appreciated the dedication of the volunteers, “I was very impressed by how committed the leaders of this group are to improving the quality of life for seniors involved. I hope we can have them back again.”

The afternoon began with chair yoga and meditation followed by a delicious vegetarian meal. Long time COA board member and Boxborough resident Barbara Birt said, “I enjoyed the chair yoga presentation which showed us such simple ways to improve health.”

Lively conversation filled the room of more than 40 attendees as new connections were made and delightful food was shared. Nicolette Wellington, a volunteer from Acton who came to help said,  “It was such a memorable experience. It felt hard to tell who was welcoming who. Members and friends alike were a most congenial group.”

“We are so grateful for the gracious hospitality of FISCO members who came today to share with us,” said Rev. Worthington-Berry. Added Boxborough resident Mary Pavlik, “You know an event is a great success when neighbors and friends are still standing around chatting when the room is all cleared up and the event is over.”

The FISCO team is interested in coming back next year – we can’t wait.