FRAMINGHAM - MILE 5.0
The "Bay Path" trail then moves into the Cobornville section of Framingham and then into the main sections of Framingham. Framingham was settled in 1660, when it was charted as "Mr. Danforth's Farms". Mr.Thomas Danforth changed the name to Framingham after the English Town of Framlingham where he was born. The "L" in Framlingham was dropped when the Massachusetts town was formally chartered in 1700.
Framingham's industrial past is far more evident than that of Hopkinton or Ashland. The town harnessed the water from the Sudbury River for this industrial development until the river was deflected in 1872 as a source of water supply for the City of Boston. This is evident as the course proceeds on Waverly Street past the Dennison Paper Manufacturing building complex on the left beyond the railroad lines. This is followed at mile 6.2 (10 kilometers) by the prominent Henry Hobbs Richardson designed train station (1885) in the Romanesque architectural style. Richardson received his greatest acclaim for his design of the Trinity Church in Boston's Copley Square. Although the historic train station is now used as a restaurant, an adjacent smaller modern station is still a stop on the train route from Boston to Worcester. From the train station to just past the Natick line, the course takes a destinctive automobile appearance. During this stretch, there are several auto dealers, used auto lots, gasoline stations and automobile parts stores.
The Town's commercial preeminence is also demonstrated by several outstanding 19th-early 20th century buildings along Route 135. These buildings include those in the Irving Square Historic District such as the Bullard Building (1906) at 410 Waverly Street and the adjacent 390-398 Waverly Street buildings (1910). The entire district which stretches southward from Rt. 135 is listed in the National Register of Historic Places due to its importance to the development of Framingham after the railroad arrived in 1834. A toll road, known as the Central Turnpike, passed through Framingham from 1830-1836 on the current Rt. 135 all the way through to Hopkinton. This private road failed after only six years in business when the Boston and Worcester Railroad Company started its operations. The businesses in the area preferred this new railroad, which was better positioned to serve their business needs than the toll road.
