MetroWest facts for kids
MetroWest is a group of cities and towns located west of Boston and east of Worcester. They are all in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. A local newspaper first used the name "MetroWest" in the 1980s.
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What is MetroWest?
The exact area called MetroWest can change depending on who you ask. Different groups define it in slightly different ways.
Main Towns of MetroWest
The MetroWest Economic Research Center at Framingham State University says MetroWest includes nine communities. These are Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Natick, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, and Wayland. About 209,682 people live in these towns. Most of these towns are in Middlesex County, except for Southborough, which is in Worcester County.
The MetroWest Chamber of Commerce also serves these nine towns, plus Westborough.
The "Arc of Innovation"
The 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership calls the region the "Arc of Innovation." This is because many large and fast-growing companies have been located here since the 1970s. This group includes the nine towns mentioned above, plus 26 other towns in Middlesex, Norfolk, and Worcester counties. These towns are part of the larger 495/MetroWest area.
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Other Definitions
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) has a group called the MetroWest Regional Collaborative. This group works with nine cities and towns: Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Marlborough, Natick, Southborough, Wayland, Wellesley, and Weston. This list is similar to, but not exactly the same as, the others.
The MetroWest Daily News newspaper serves 14 communities. These include Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Natick, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, Westborough, and Weston.
The Yellow Book's MetroWest edition has its own definition. It includes all cities and towns that are fully or partly inside a specific area. This area is bordered by Interstate 93 to the northeast, Interstate 495 to the north and west, and Interstate 95 to the east and south. It stretches as far north as Westford and Chelmsford, and as far northeast as Wilmington.
How the Name "MetroWest" Started
The name "MetroWest" was created in 1983 by a local newspaper.
The Newspaper Contest
The MetroWest Daily News is based in Framingham, which is the largest town in MetroWest. The newspaper used to have different names, like the Middlesex News. In 1983, it held a contest to find a new name for the area it covered. A reporter named Greg Supernovich suggested "MetroWest." His idea won over other names like "Databelt," which referred to the area's high-tech industry. In 1999, the newspaper changed its own name to include "MetroWest."
Why "MetroWest"?
Greg Supernovich chose the name "MetroWest" for several reasons. First, he looked at the geography. Areas like the North Shore and South Shore of Boston already had lasting names. Since these towns were west of Boston, he knew the name needed to include "West."
Second, he was a health and environment reporter. He thought of the American West as wild and natural. He hoped the area west of Boston would keep some of its natural beauty, like open spaces, conservation areas, and clean air and water. He wanted it to be a healthy place for people to live. He understood that businesses were important for jobs, but he hoped they would also protect people's health and the environment.
Third, he saw that the towns west of Boston were growing and becoming part of the larger Boston metropolitan area. So, "Metro" made sense. Finally, he just liked how "MetroWest" sounded. He thought it looked modern, combining two words to create a new idea.
Becoming a Popular Name
At first, "MetroWest" was just a quick way for newspapers and real estate agents to talk about the "Framingham-Natick area." But in 1998, an article in The Boston Globe showed how quickly the name became popular. It looked at the local phonebook:
In the 1998 edition, there are 88 [listings], from Metro West Christian Academy in Ashland to Metrowest Urology in Natick, including such big names as Metrowest Bank, MetroWest Medical Center and the Metrowest Economic Research Center at Framingham State College. On Beacon Hill, there is a Metrowest Legislative Caucus.
By 2006, the name was very well known in Massachusetts. It was even linked to successful businesses. The airport in Worcester, which is about a half-hour drive west of Framingham, even suggested changing its name from Worcester Regional Airport to "Worcester-MetroWest-Boston Airport."
The MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, which helps people get around, was also created in 2006.
Other Uses of the Name
In Western Massachusetts, The Republican newspaper in Springfield uses "Metro West" to describe the western suburbs of that city. They also use "Metro East" for the other side of the city.
The name "MetroWest" is also used in other states, like New Jersey, for areas west of big cities. However, it is not as widely used in those places as it is in Massachusetts.
