Newton Upper Falls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Newton Upper Falls Historic District
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the center of Newton Upper Falls
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 Newton Upper Falls
Location in Greater Boston area
Newton Upper Falls
Location in Massachusetts
Newton Upper Falls
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Boylston, Elliot, and Oak Sts., and the Charles River, Newton, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 70 acres (28 ha) |
| Architect | Fteley, Alphonse; Zettler, F.X., Raggi, Gonippo, et al |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Late Victorian, Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Newton MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001750 |
| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1986 |
Newton Upper Falls is a cool village in the city of Newton, Massachusetts. It is one of thirteen villages that make up Newton. This area is so special that it is officially known as the Newton Upper Falls Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it has many important old buildings and places!
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Exploring Newton Upper Falls
Newton Upper Falls is surrounded by several towns and neighborhoods. It borders Needham, Massachusetts and Wellesley, Massachusetts to the west. To the east, it is next to West Roxbury, a part of Boston. Other nearby Newton villages include Newton Highlands, Waban, and Oak Hill.
Getting Around
Getting around Newton Upper Falls is easy. The village has its own "T" station called Eliot. This station is part of the Green Line D branch of the MBTA. You can take the train from here right into downtown Boston. You can also go the other way to Riverside.
Two big roads, Route 128 and Route 9 (Boylston Street), also serve the village. Route 9 offers a direct, six-mile drive into downtown Boston.
Natural Wonders and Old Roads
Newton Upper Falls is home to the beautiful Hemlock Gorge. It also features Echo Bridge, which was once an aqueduct. An aqueduct is like a bridge that carries water. Now, Echo Bridge is a fun walkway for people to enjoy. It crosses over the Charles River.
People say that Newton Upper Falls is the only village in Newton that still has its original name. This name dates back to when the area was first settled in the 1600s. More than 150 homes in the village are listed on the historic register. This means they are very old and important.
Sullivan Avenue is a unique, unpaved road in Newton Upper Falls. It is the last part of an ancient highway from the 1600s. This old road used to connect Boston and Cambridge with Newton.
On Sullivan Avenue, you can find a famous "pothole." This is not a regular hole in the road! It is a special geological spot. A large boulder was once pushed down a cliff by a waterfall that no longer exists. The boulder got stuck and spun around for thousands of years. This spinning carved a deep shaft into the cliff. Today, you can see half of this cool cylindrical shaft at the corner of Sullivan and Elliot Streets.
Historic Landmarks to See
Newton Upper Falls has several important historic landmarks:
- Echo Bridge, located between Ellis Street and Reservoir Street.
- Saco–Pettee Machine Shops, found at 156 Oak Street.
- Saco–Lowell Shops Housing Historic District.
A Look at History
The very first mill in Newton was built in Upper Falls in 1688. It was built on the Charles River. For the next 150 years, the village grew steadily. This was because the powerful water from the river helped many more mills to be built. By 1850, about 1300 people lived in Upper Falls. This was a quarter of Newton's entire population!
In 1909, a Roman Catholic church called Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church (Newton, Massachusetts) opened in Upper Falls.
In 1986, a large area of about 60 acres was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This area includes much of the land between Route 9 and Elliot Street. It also stretches east from the Charles River to Cottage Street and Hickory Cliff Road.
Famous People from Upper Falls
Newton Upper Falls was the teenage home of Joe Rogan. He is a well-known comedian and podcaster. He graduated from Newton South High School in 1985.
