Saxonville, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saxonville
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| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex |
| City | Framingham |
Saxonville is a small village found in the northern part of Framingham, a town in Massachusetts, USA. It's located in Middlesex County. A person named John Stone first settled here way back in 1647. The village got its name from a company called the Saxon Factory Company.
Contents
Where is Saxonville?
Saxonville is located right by the Sudbury River. You can find it at these coordinates: 42.3203°N, 71.4404°W.
Saxonville's Past
Early Days and Native Americans
For many centuries, Native American people lived and fished around the Sudbury River falls. They were here long before European settlers arrived.
The First Mill
The very first industry in Framingham was a grist mill. A grist mill grinds grain into flour. John Stone built this mill at the falls on the river. He received permission from the Great and General Court of Massachusetts to do so. In 1656, John Stone bought land from the Native Americans. He also received more land from the General Court. This land was all near the Sudbury River falls. The Stone family owned the rights to this mill for almost 200 years. Later, it became known as Saxonville Mills.
Building the Dam
In 1865, a dam was built across the Sudbury River. You can still see parts of the old dam's control gates and gears today. They are near the falls at Central Street. This dam helped control the water. An underground channel brought water from above the falls to the factory. This water powered the machines inside the mill. It made the water wheels or turbines turn. The lower part of the mill, where used water flowed back into the river, is now behind flood control walls.
Twin Maple Farms Dairy
Even into the 1960s, Saxonville had its own working dairy farm. It was called Twin Maple Farms. This dairy was located on Danforth Street. They had a small group of dairy cows in fields nearby. Until 1966, the dairy used trucks to deliver fresh milk and other dairy products. They delivered to homes all around the area. Around 1967, the dairy stopped working. The milking machines and bottling equipment were left unused. The area where the dairy once stood is now filled with homes.
Saxonville Elementary School
The town also had the Saxonville Elementary School. It was on Elm Street, on a hill above the village. The first school building was made of wood. It had four large classrooms. Later, during the New Deal era, a new building was constructed. The old wooden building was then called the "annex." It was still used into the 1960s. In the 1970s, the old building was taken down. A new gym and cafeteria were added to the school. Today, the school is called the Mary E. Stapleton school. It is named after a local teacher and principal.
