Framingham, MA

Located twenty miles west of Boston, the town of Framingham has a population of roughly 67,000 residents. The town is bordered by Southborough and Marlborough to the west, Sherborn and Ashland to the south, Natick to the east, and the city of Sudbury to the north. The Sudbury River runs through Framingham. The town is part of MetroWest region of Massachusetts, which runs west of Boston and east of Worcester. The region is primarily composed of towns in Middlesex County.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Framingham provides housing for much of the MetroWest area, and offers more rental units than do surrounding towns. Housing in the area is predominantly made up of single-family homes on small lots, multi-family homes, apartments, large Victorian houses, split-level and ranch-style houses, and condominiums.

Some of Framingham's notable areas include:

• Downtown Framingham includes a combination of government agencies, cultural organizations, civic institutions, and numerous ethnic food and specialty retail shops. Downtown comprises the Concord Square Historic District.
• Saxonville, located in north Framingham, is noted for bringing the first industry to the region: a grist mill started by John Stone in the 1650s.
• Nobscot, another north side neighborhood, has a large number of slab and raised ranch-style houses constructed by the Campanelli Company. These are classic cookie-cutter homes that come in a handful of formulaic shapes and layouts.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Over the years, the town has developed a wide variety of industries and business opportunities, including health care, education, retail, and information technology. It is the location of the Bose Corporation, Staples, and JTX company headquarters. In recent year, the town has ranked sixth in availability of employment opportunities among Greater Boston communities.

There are three major business districts in Framingham: the "Golden Triangle" on the east side of Framingham, the central Downtown/South Framingham, and West Framingham.

The key focus of the Division of Community and Economic Development of Framingham is to revitalize the town's downtown. Assistance and workshops are offered to help business owners contend with a variety of issues, such as navigating the intricate processes involved with acquiring permits.

The Dennison Manufacturing Company, which revolutionized the business approach to cost analysis during the beginning of the 20th century, was founded in Framingham. It is now a subsidiary of Avery-Dennison, and maintains its Framingham location.

The Framingham Heart Study is a major study on cardiovascular disease that includes thousands of participants. It is under the direction of the National Heart Institute, and is a joint project with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and Boston University.

FOR VISITORS

Four hundred acres of land in Framingham have been placed in public conservation trusts, including the Wittenborg Woods and the Morency Woods. Other important outdoor spaces include:

• Garden in the Woods: The headquarters of the New England Wild Flower Society, the roughly 45-acre botanical garden is located in a woodland area. It is open to the public between April and October.
• Callahan State Park: Comprised of approximately 820 acres, the state park is filled with hiking trails, while offering horseback riding and cross-country skiing routes. Camping is also available.
• Bowditch Field: Housing the main athletic facilities in the town, Bowditch Field contains a football stadium, a baseball field, a soccer field, and track and field practice area.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Amazing Things Arts Center: Hosting the arts in all their forms, including dance, comedy, musicals, theater, and visual arts, the center is the major artistic draw of Framingham and the surrounding area. National and local music groups perform regularly in a wide variety of genres, from jazz to classical.
• Danforth Museum of Art: Providing visual art exhibits from both local and international artists, the museum is open year-round.
• The Performing Arts Center of MetroWest: Located above the Danforth Museum, the center performs a number of musicals a year, offers programs aimed toward instilling the arts in children, and offers advanced programs in the fields of music and dance.
• Framingham Historical Society and Museum: Spanning three floors of diverse artifacts from the 17th to the 20th century, the museum has everything from a cannon from the Revolutionary War to a NASA space suit worn by a Framingham native who traveled to outer space.
• Framingham Community Theater: Offering plays, musicals, and concerts, the theater is designed to showcase local playwrights and composers.

EDUCATION

• Framingham State College: A public, four-year college, Framingham State College offers a number of undergraduate degrees and masters programs.
• Blaine Beauty Career School: A small, private, two-year college, Blaine helps its students pass the licensing examination presented by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Cosmetology.

LOCAL MEDIA

Newspapers:

• The MetroWest Daily News
• The Framingham Tab
• The Boston Globe (MetroWest regional edition)
• Jornal da Semana (Brazilian Newspaper)
• Framingham Online News

Television:

• The Framingham Channel: Residents use the channel to create and produce community-related television programs.
• Framingham High School-TV: Produced by high school students, its morning news program, Flying News, has won 11 National High School Emmy Awards.

FM Radio

• WDJM-91.3, Framingham State College Broadcasting
• WSRO-650, Portuguese-language Programming
• WBIX-1060, Business Talk

AM Radio:

• WSRO-650, Portuguese-language Programming
• WBIX-1060, Business Talk