Waltham, MA

Founded in 1636 and incorporated in 1738, Waltham, Massachusetts, is a town located just three miles outside Boston's city limits. Famous for being home to the pioneering Industrial Revolution-era Waltham Watch Co., the city is still referred to as "Watch City."

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

• Downtown Waltham's main drag is Moody Street, often referred to as "Restaurant Row." The street was once anchored by major department stores and was considered one of the best shopping areas outside of downtown Boston. However, retail businesses fled for indoor shopping malls and vacancies were filled by a diverse number of local eateries. Downtown Waltham is undergoing revitalization and is still popular among Waltham residents.
• The Island: The southwest Waltham neighborhood is located off of the Charles River was once Morse Meadow Island, but over the years has developed into a peninsula and popular community. Large Victorian homes to cottage-style houses to small bungalows line the Charles River and The Island's two coves. Logan Park is the major park in The Island situated in the center of the neighborhood. On Forest Grove and Woerd Avenue there are boat launches open to the public.
• Piety Corner: The oldest neighborhood in Waltham, the part of town north of downtown got its name because three ministers of different churches all lived there in the town's early history. Piety Corner has developed into one of the more upscale parts of the city. Bentley College is just east of the neighborhood.
• Lakeview: The area surrounding Hardy's Pond was originally a vacation resort, but has developed into a thriving neighborhood on the north end of Waltham. Hardy Pond is a sought-after spot for birdwatchers with its more than 70 different species of birds.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Once famous for its manufacturing, Waltham has transitioned into a service-based economy. In the 1990s, Waltham emerged as a regional center for two of the area's leading industries: information technology and education and professional services. More than one third of the manufacturing jobs that remain in Waltham produce computer and electronic products, including precision instruments and defense items.

The largest single employing industry in Waltham is professional and technical services, comprising consulting services, computer system design, and scientific research and development. Other major industries include software publishing, telecommunications, and data processing services.

Several technology companies have opened offices in Waltham, including 3Com, Oracle, IKOS Systems, Lycos Inc., netGuru, and Verizon.

The city is also the headquarters for Fortune 500 companies such as weapons manufacturer Raytheon and science leader Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Waltham is home to two institutions of higher education, Bentley College and Brandeis University, which are among the largest employers in the city.

BEST BETS

• Gore Place: The historic mansion was built in 1806 for Massachusetts politician Christopher Gore who served the country as an ambassador to England for a period of time. The mansion was constructed to reflect an influence of European style and mimicry of the United States' own White House. The grounds are open to the public free of charge, but admission is required for tours of the home.
• Robert Treat Paine Estate: A collaboration of two of the most prominent architects of their time, Henry Hobson Richardson and Fredrick Law Olmsted, the Robert Treat Paine Estate is also known as "Stonehurst" for its rocky exterior. The architects utilized natural materials and glacial boulders to give the estate its unique appearance. The famous home is adorned with ivy, a curved terrace, saw-tooth and fish scale shingles, a stone tower, and one of the trademarks of Richardson's work: a Romanesque Arch. The exterior gives the appearance that the home is earthbound and part of natural beauty that surrounds the estate. The open planned interior is full of hand crafted woodwork with horizontal banks of windows that influenced many future architects' works. Guided tours are offered at a small price and the public are welcome to tour the surrounding grounds.
• Veteran's Memorial Rink: The ice rink is run by the Waltham Recreational Department and is available for ice skating and hockey. They have twice a week event called "Stick and Puck" for hockey enthusiasts looking for a lunchtime pickup game. The Waltham Youth Hockey league uses the facilities for teams ranging in age from 8 to 17.
• Waltham Common: The village green is located in the center of the city in Banks Square on Main Street and Weston Road. In the summer weekly concerts are held on the Waltham Common free of charge to the public. A statue to civil war leader Nathanial P. Banks was erected on the Waltham Common as the Union General and one-time Governor of Massachusetts was born in Waltham.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• The Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation, located on the banks of the Charles River in a former textile mill registered as the country's first factory, features exhibits about the country and region's industrial history, much of which concerns the Watch Factory.
• The Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra draws musicians from across the greater Boston area and plays regular concerts at locales throughout Waltham.

EDUCATION

• Brandeis University is a major research university located in Waltham. This Jewish-sponsored institution is consistently ranked among the top 35 universities in the country by U.S. News and World Reports. Brandeis is a major city employer.
• Bentley College is a business school that strives to lead in educating those entering fields that combine a need for liberal arts, business, and information technology knowledge.

SPORTS TEAMS

The Boston Celtics utilize The Sports Authority Training Center as a practice facility and business offices.

LOCAL MEDIA

Waltham's daily newspaper is the Daily News Tribune.