Some of the most incredible stories of the founding of the United States come from Massachusetts, and there are few towns that don’t own a significant piece of pre-Revolutionary history.
This pivotal New England state saw the first subway built in the United States, the first college established in North America (Harvard), and sent its expert sailors to ferry George Washington across the Delaware River.
It’s gained a reputation for its strong people and love for civil servants like firefighters and local police, as well as the home of dynasties like the Kennedy clan. Here are some of the most incredible and historic small towns of The Bay State.
1. Westford
Like most Massachusetts small towns, Westford has an extremely long history. The village featured quite prominently during the Revolutionary War. According to the town’s official website, it was incorporated in 1729, and there’s a bell that hangs in Westford Academy that was made by Paul Revere.
The quaint town is considered one of the earliest examples of a suburb in early America and has remained a popular site in Massachusetts. CNN Money featured the city in a list of the best places to live in America in 2013 and Westford came in at number 11, beating out tens of thousands of cities around the country for the honor.
According to CNN’s information, the city has a population of 22,407, so it’s a nicely sized small town, but it’s not a roaring metropolis. Located on the eastern side of Massachusetts, Westford is home to some of the best schools in the region as USA statistics website gave the locale’s school district a rank of number 1.
As is to be expected in a town with such accolades, the real estate market features houses that sell in a median price range of around $250,000; however, prices of homes aren’t out of line with the rest of the state, according to real estate website Trulia.
In the first quarter of 2014, real estate sold in Westford often breached the half million mark when they were put up for sale, and they often sold for close to their asking price, which is a rarity unless the market is a hot one.
Like most Massachusetts cities, Westford does have a cold winter, and the summers can get quite warm also. The Weather Channel records averages for Westford of the low 30s during the winter for highs and the mid 80s for average summer highs, which means snowsuits in the winter and bathing suits in the summer.
