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Wellesley summer camp listings 2020 — find the experience of a lifetime

December 8, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

LINX Camps, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report’s Summer Camps page is now updated with over 75 camps in Wellesley and beyond. It’s time to sign your child up for the summer camp experience of a lifetime. Whether they’re into coding, arts and crafts, sports, drama, or nature, the perfect camp is out there for them.

Swellesley’s camps page is sponsored by LINX Camps. Over 40 Premier Camps. Perfect for your family.

Contact Deborah for more info on inclusion of your camp located in Wellesley or elsewhere, or for advertising on Swellesley. Camp parents and guardians: Please let camps know that you found them here, if you did…thanks.

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Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Entertainment, Kids

Linden Square

City living in Boston’s Back Bay, presented by Compass Real Estate

November 22, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

303 Berkeley Street, Unit 5, Boston

SPONSORED POST: Live in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood in this stellar 8-unit, 100% owner-occupied concierge building at 303 Berkeley St., Unit 5, presented by Compass Real Estate. Direct elevator access leads you into the stunning 2,000+/- single-floor residence.

This impeccable 2+ bedroom, 2.5 bath home comes with a full parking space in the heated garage and features extraordinary high ceilings and an open, spacious kitchen with a gleaming stainless steel gas range and a rectangular island. Enjoy meals in the separate dining room that overlooks the heart of the neighborhood. The living room’s beautiful gas fireplace, gleaming hardwood floors and abundant light highlight this lovely property.

Compass, Back Bay
Enjoy Boston with the convenience of living in a professionally managed building with concierge service, direct elevator access and heated garage parking.

Well-proportioned ensuite bedrooms offer generous, custom closets. Abundant natural light through oversized windows showcases elegant finishes and fixtures throughout this spectacular home. Additional amenities include Monday – Friday concierge and professional management in a pet-friendly, non-smoking corner building. $3,399,000

303 Berkeley St. is represented by Jeannemarie Conley of Compass. Jeannemarie is one of the foremost real estate brokers in the Boston area with public and private sales totaling nearly $500 million. Ms. Conley spent over ten years in the financial services industry in New York and Boston. She is a Certified Public Accountant, previously with Ernst & Young, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Providence College.

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Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Houses, Real estate

Beyond Wellesley: Tuning into Nashville

November 8, 2019 by bbrown Leave a Comment

broadway nashville

You won’t find 2 more different places than Wellesley and Nashville. And that, of course, is the beauty of what people from either place will find visiting the other.

Nashville has so much to offer that you just don’t come across in Wellesley:

  • Vehicles driven by sober people lined on each side by drinkers peddling from their barstools while singing at the tops of their lungs.
  • Broadway, a non-stop party strip with country and other singers belting out tunes from open-air bars bearing the names of Kid Rock, Jason Aldean and others.
  • Pedestrians who more or less obey traffic signals.
  • A colorful pedestrian bridge linking the NFL’s Tennessee Titans football stadium to the central bar and restaurant area.
nashville at night
Nashville at night

 

peddlers nashville
A little rain didn’t stop the party bikes from cruising Broadway

On and under the surface, Nashville is more suited to grown-up visitors than families, though granted, we didn’t seek out activities such as the acclaimed zoo. We also traveled without renting a car, so confined our excursions to those within a reasonable walk, run or ride-share. 

I should mention that neither Mr. nor Mrs. Swellesley is much of a country music fan. We recognized some names and songs, but weren’t bowing at Music City’s altars like some visitors. We descended upon Nashville to attend a late-October journalism conference called the LION Publishers Summit, and take in the sights while there.

Nashville sights and sounds

 

We started off strong, taking a quick look at daytime Broadway after checking in to our hotel, which had a guitar-shaped pool we regrettably never used. Guitars are everywhere in Nashville, and southern charm and manners were alive and well, too. We made a concentrated effort to be friendly, and more or less succeeded.

We grabbed lunch at Acme Feed & Seed, which boasts a steady stream of customers and juicy brisket sandwiches. We ate on the rooftop bar, which

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Churches, Gardens, Music, Sports, Travel

Wellesley Schools roundup, explore Tenacre; WMS rows the Charles; Dana Hall welcomes author

October 25, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Our weekly roundup of Wellesley schools and education news is sponsored by Tenacre School. Visit Tenacre at Open House, Curriculum Night, or during a Tuesday tour.

 

Wellesley Middle School students row, row, row their boat

Wellesley Middle School’s (WMS) newest class of 6th graders participated in team-building exercises at the Community Rowing boathouse in Brighton, MA. The children rotated between rowing on the Charles River in barges, fitness training on ergs in the fitness room, and team-building games with their classmates.  The idea behind the field trip was to help to foster bonds and friendships between students who have come together as one large middle school class from Wellelsey’s seven elementary schools. Faculty, staff, and parents have noticed that bonds are sometimes slow to form as students leave their smaller elementary schools and come together at the 1,200-student middle school, which educates grades 6 – 8.  The WMS Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) funded a portion of the trip as a way to promote the development of social and emotional skills during the transition to the new school environment.  The WMS PTO is fully funded through charitable donations by WMS families.  Their generosity ultimately provides students with these exceptional opportunities for learning.

PTO-funded field trips at other schools

Fiske Grade 2 students visited the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston; Bates Grade 3 students will visit Plimoth Plantation later this month to learn about the Wampanoag People and the Colonial English community in the 1600s; Hardy 5th graders will go to the Mass Audubon Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick; and Sprague 3rd graders are looking forward to a field trip to Boston’s Museum of Science.

Dana Hall welcomes disability rights advocate, author, poet to campus

On Oct. 21, Dana Hall welcomed LeDerick Horne, a disability rights advocate, author and poet, to speak to the entire community about his struggle with an early learning disability diagnosis. Horne continued the conversation at lunch with a group of students who wanted to know more about how his disability and the ways in which being a person of color influenced him.
Dana Hall, Wellesley
Horne with the two students who introduced him, Isabelle Varsa ’20 (left) and Ashleigh Chiwaya ’23

 


Here’s how to get your school’s news into Swellesley’s weekly Schools Roundup post:

Send in a short blurb and/or picture about news and events going on at your school. Email: [email protected]

Stuff that’s newsworthy:

Upcoming events such as bake sales, book sales, fairs, etc.
Dates such as for Back to School Night, meetings, etc.

Pictures of events that may not have been open to the public but that give people an idea of great things that are happening in your school, such as author’s visits.

Congratulations to faculty/staff who are retiring, or who are new hires.

The weekly deadline is Wednesdays at noon. The post will appear each Thursday.

Interested in underwriting our Wellesley Schools roundup? Here’s how to Advertise and/or Donate to support our independent journalism venture


School News Beyond Wellesley  — Riverbend in South Natick

Riverbend School, located at 39 Eliot Street, South Natick, held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, October 16th to celebrate the construction of a new classroom building that will contain three purpose-built Lower Elementary classrooms and a Design and Art room space. A stand-alone, full-size gymnasium will also be built. The project is expected to be completed by Fall 2020.

Riverbend School, Natick
Riverbend School students get in on the act at the groundbreaking ceremony.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Education, Fundraising

Public invited to Natick Artists Open Studios on October 19 & 20

October 19, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Natick Artists Open StudiosMore than 65 artists who live, work or show in Natick, and guest artists, will throw open their doors to the public during Natick Artists Open Studios on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, 11am – 5pm on both days. The area’s creatives have committed to bringing art to the local community for the 20th year by welcoming visitors into their workspaces. It’s the perfect opportunity to see art, learn about how art is made, and buy local art directly from the artists.

Participants include painters, photographers, designers and creators of jewelry, ceramicists, sculptors, woodworkers as well as paper, fabric, and glass artists. There are 9 group and 12 individual studios to visit as well as a bake sale at the Annunciation Orthodox Church, a new venue this year.

Event runs for two days, Saturday, October 19th & October 20th, 11 am – 5 pm. Click HERE for more details.

Visitors to Natick Artist Open Studios can pick up a Passport at any location, have it stamped at each place they visit and then leave it at their last location. The Passport enters them (no minimum) into a drawing for a $50 Natick Artists Open Studio gift certificate, good at any participating artist. There will be a new card and drawing each day.

DATES: Saturday, October 19 & Sunday, October 20
TIME: 11am – 5pm, both days
PRICE: Free to the public
LOCATION: Natick Center and surrounding locations
ORGANIZATION: ArtNatick.org, https://www.artnatick.org/

Natick Artists Open Studios
“For Your Own Sake” by Suzanne Stumpf, ceramic artist (photo by John Polak Photography)

Natick Open Studios 2019 locations

Morse Institute Library
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Annunciation Orthodox Church
First Congregational Church
The Studios @ 3 Adams
20 Main St.
43 Main St. Studios
Winchell Building
The Barn @ 3 Malden
Neighborhood Studios

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Filed Under: Art, Beyond Wellesley, Uncategorized

Arts round-up in Wellesley and beyond

September 27, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Here’s a round-up of recent and upcoming Wellesley, Mass., art-themed news and activities:

Overbrook Drive deer sculpture — finished product

When it was time for a diseased tree to be removed over the summer at a residence on Overbrook Drive, the homeowners decided to take the opportunity to give the tree a new lease on life. Thanks to the talents of  woodcarver Michael Legassey of Wood Wizard Carvings out of Athol, Massachusetts, an impressive stag now stands watch where a shade tree once did duty.

We posted about the work-in-progress in July. Here’s a look at the finished product:

Wood carving, Overbrook Dr., Wellesley

“Windswept — Impressions of the Cape & Islands” through Sept. 28

Page Waterman, Wellesley
Beached, by Peggy Ellis

An artist event featuring Peggy Ellis is taking place through September 28th at Page Waterman, Gallery & Framing in Wellesley Square at 592A Washington St. “Windswept — Impressions of the Cape & Islands” will showcase works in oil and watercolor that showcase the artist’s colorful, beautiful, and expressive paintings.

The Davis Museum at Wellesley College

Davis Museum, WellesleyThe Davis Museum has five special installations on display for Fall 2019 that bring spectacular energy and creative artistic innovation to the Wellesley College campus. The major exhibition is, Fatimah Tuggar: Home’s Horizons. Also on display are:

Kanishka Raja: I and I

Recent Acquisitions: New Photographs (Haley Morris-Cafiero and Habiba Nowrose)

Hidden Histories: Revealing the Life of a Painting

Alexandria Smith: Seed to Harvest, the third “Windows Invitational” commission

In the museum’s Permanent Collection Galleries, look for a combination of old favorites as well as works that have been taken out of storage as the curators encourage visitors to look at the art with renewed perspectives.

Wellesley Art Tour, October 5

The Wellesley Women Artisans invite the community to the Wellesley Art Tour on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 11am to 5pm.

More than 30 artists from Wellesley and surrounding towns will exhibit work at 9 locations throughout Wellesley. Many artists will open their studios.

This event is free and open to the public. Maps for a self-guided tour as well as a list of exhibiting artists are available at www.WellesleyWomenArt.com/Tour.

Wellesley Art Tour

 

Natick Artist’s Open Studios, October 19 & 20

Natick Artists Open StudiosMore than 65 artists who live, work or show in Natick, and guest artists, will throw open their doors to the public during Natick Artists Open Studios on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, 11am – 5pm on both days. The area’s creatives have committed to bringing art to the local community for the 20th year by welcoming visitors into their workspaces. It’s the perfect opportunity to see art, learn about how art is made, and buy local art directly from the artists.

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Filed Under: Art, Beyond Wellesley

Beyond Wellesley: The Downton Abbey exhibit at The Castle in Boston

September 6, 2019 by Deborah Brown 4 Comments

I recently had the opportunity to step back in time to post-Edwardian England at “Downton Abbey: The Exhibition,” appropriately venued at The Castle at Park Plaza in Boston. If you were a fan of the upstairs-downstairs British historical period drama which won 15 Emmys and three Golden Globes, you simply must go, darling. It’s been absolutely ages (ok, since 2016) since the PBS show wrapped up after six seasons of family drama, social commentary, and absolutely fabulous costumes. You need a Lady Mary fix, admit it.

Downton Abbey exhibit
Executive Chef and Natick resident Joe Lewi laid out quite a spread on media night. The former Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey marketing executive served up bits that would have appeared at the Downton Abbey table: cold stuffed tomatoes; cucumber gazpacho; artichoke and asparagus salad; Beef Wellington; and French macarons.

For the uninitiated, Downton Abbey followed the divine and dramatic lives of the Crowley family, who were to the manor born and lived “upstairs.” Meanwhile “downstairs”, their servants lived a somewhat parallel existence of good times and bad, but without all the money and fabulous bespoke clothing. Downton Abbey was a place where everybody knew their place, and deviance from social standards was not permitted. But Mrs. Patmore cooked so beautifully, and the parties were jolly, so to be a spoilsport about it all would be really quite bad form.

Downton Abbey exhibit, Boston
Gotta love Lady Mary, played by Michelle Dockery. Privileged, demanding, determined, and always impeccably turned out.

You’ve got until September 29th to see all the sets, costumes, and historical exhibits. No RSVP required, but you can get your tickets ahead of time here. It’s always an open house situation at an inherited cozy little 300-room place in the English countryside. The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 6pm, with the last ticket sold at 4:30pm. Expect to spend between 60 and 90 minutes exploring Downton Abbey. Guests are welcome to stay for as long or as little as they would like during hours of operation. The exhibition is fully accessible for the mobility impaired.

Downton Abbey exhibit, Boston
Head butler Carson’s office. Played by Jim Carter, he and Head Housekeeper Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan), would meet here to commiserate at the end of the day.

 

Downton Abbey, Boston
Hands down, this was my favorite of the over 50 costumes on display at the exhibit. Just a little Summer ensemble worn by Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern). Also on display: wedding gowns, ball gowns, riding clothes, military uniforms, and more.
Downton Abbey, Boston
Of course there were jewels on display. If you had a great-aunt somebody in your family tree, you’ll likely feel a kinship with some of the clothing and jewelry on display. I had a Great Aunt Agnes who kept me fully stocked with white gloves. They were perfect for my First Holy Communion, at which the bishop presided. On the New York City subway, where apparently I was supposed to wear them, not so much.
Downton Abbey exhibit, Boston
Here’s where so much of the Downton Abbey drama happened. Seems there was always someone ready to spoil a perfectly nice dinner. Even (or especially) aristocrats have the need to create a scene.

If you can’t make it to Boston by the exhibit’s September 29th closing date, you can always catch the exhibit at Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina, where the Downton denizens will spend the holiday season. You can also catch up with the family later this month on the big screen. The Downton Abbey movie is set for release on September 20.

Viking Cruise line was the presenting sponsor of Downton Abbey: The Exhibition. Now there’s an outfit that knows how to explore the world in comfort.

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Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Entertainment, Fashion, Food, Travel

Beyond Wellesley: the Woods Hole Film Festival on Cape Cod, Massachusetts

July 30, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The 28th Woods Hole Film Festival, running through Saturday, August 3, presents 170 independent films from around the world in the fun village of Woods Hole, and Falmouth. The festival came to our attention because of a Wellesley connection, of course. The feature-length film Path of the Daff, a documentary about the unshakeable Boston spirit after the 2013 Marathon bombing, made its world premier in the historic Woods Hole Firehouse. We were told that Wellesley had a cameo appearance in the movie. Were we interested in catching the film about hope and inspiration after the devastation of the 2013 events? asked organizers. Of course we were.

Harbor, Woods Hole
Just another hard day covering the Woods Hole Film Festival. Woods Hole harbor. Photo credit: Bob Brown

Path of the Daff, Boston MarathonPath of the Daff in part covers the events that occurred on April 15, 2013. On that day, the Boylston Street finish line of the Boston Marathon was transformed by two bombs from a place of joy to a place of terror. Two homemade pressure cooker bombs detonated 12 seconds and 210 yards apart at 2:49pm, near the finish line of the race, killing three people and injuring several hundred others, including 16 who lost limbs.

After tragedy, there are always certain people who look around and figure out how to bring positivity. Charlestown resident and urban horticulturalist Diane Valle is one of those people. She had a vision of hope and rebirth for the Boston, and that vision included daffodils. Her goal: to line the Boston Marathon route with a sea of daffodils that would bloom for Marathon Day and symbolize that idea of hope. I spoke to her at the festival and Valle said, “This movie and the daffodils are all about hope and looking forward. I think the world is a better place with flowers in it.”

In under six months, Valle found a way to source tens of thousands of daffodil bulbs in time to get them in the ground in Fall 2013 so that they would be in bloom for the Spring 2014 Marathon. When I heard about the project, I got in touch with Valle and asked if she needed a couple of garden clubs in Wellesley to help with the efforts. That fall, between the efforts of the Town of Wellesley, the Wellesley Gardeners’ Guild, the Hills Garden Club of Wellesley, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and many others, thousands of bulbs were planted in Wellesley.

These are some of the daffodils that were planted in Wellesley along the Boston Marathon route, Fall 2013, Wellesley Hills Library. Thanks to Wellesley Gardeners’ Guild for their efforts in planting so many daffs along the route. Also thanks to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society for storing the bulbs at their 800 Washington St. headquarters.

Valle got in touch with other garden clubs in the towns along the Marathon route to plant daffodils, and all answered the call to send a message of resilience and strength. The film focuses on the efforts in Boston, where volunteers place thousands of the cheerful yellow flowers in pots labeled “Boston Strong” all over the Copley Square area. The movie traces the path of the bulbs from Holland to Boston, and all the teamwork it takes to make the simple message of hope happen. The movie was created and financed as a labor of love by executive producer Matthew Piscitelli and his brother and director Michael Piscitelli. They own Olson’s Greenhouses in Raynam, MA, where the daffs are delivered and are processed after their trip from the Netherlands.

Wellesley Hills Clock Tower, daffodils
Some of the Boston Marathon daffodils in bloom at the Wellesley Hills Clock Tower, Spring 2014. Thanks to the Town of Wellesley and the Hills Garden Club of Wellesley for their efforts in planting the bulbs.

Matthew was on hand at the Woods Hole premier. “We do it not for any money. We don’t get money for this. Any donations go to charities such as A Leg Forever. We do it because we love Boston and the Boston Marathon.”

Shout-out to Noelle Kaelblein, whose running progress in the film, including through Wellesley (our cameo appearance!) , was charted during her first marathon ever. Her efforts raised major funds for A Leg Forever, a charity established by Elizabeth Norden in honor of her two sons JP and Paul Norden, who each lost a leg in the Boston Marathon bombings. The foundation’s mission is to pay it forward and assist other amputees in their time of need just as JP and Paul were helped with overwhelming support following the marathon bombings.

whff posters woods hole
Woods Hole Film Festival posters. Photo: Bob Brown

There’s still time to attend the Woods Hole Film Festival

My co-editor Bob Brown and I had a great time in the busy village well known for its ferry service to Martha’s Vineyard and as the ending point of the Shining Sea Bike Path. As a sandwich board in front of one of the restaurants says, “Woods Hole is ferry, ferry fun.” While in the village, we caught six full-length films, five shorts, and wandered in and out of shops and restaurants. It was a great way to spend a summer weekend.

drawbridge woods hole
The drawbridge at Woods Hole is a big attraction for kids. We loved it, too.

We had dinner our first night at Landfall Restaurant (2 Luscombe Ave.), where we downed oysters at a waterfront table. Attached to the back of the restaurant was a small deck where boaters backed up, tied up their crafts, and piled out to relax on wooden benches with a drink or two. It was a fun summer party atmosphere from stem to stern at Landfall.

Landfall, Woods Hole
Landfall Restaurant, Woods Hole

The next night we tried out Shuckers (91A Water St.) which was still going strong at 9pm when we showed up for dinner. Once again, we scored a waterfront table, this time on Eel’s Pond. A band had the crowd singing along, and everyone was loud and cheerful. The fish sandwich and the Caesar Salad with shrimp were big hits with us. Also on the menu: raw bar, crab cakes, fried whole belly clams, steamed lobster, and more.

Shuckers restaurant, Woods Hole

Thanks to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

Most of the films are shown in Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution lecture halls, and it was cool to have the opportunity to go into those buildings. Best of all we enjoyed the films in air conditioned comfort, and the lecture hall style seating meant no obstructed views and cushy seating.

We saw six movies and multiple shorts at the festival. Here are reviews of some of our favorites — Pizza, A Love Story (New Haven pizza finally gets its due); Nose to Tail (a really hard day in the life of a high-end chef); and Float (F1D flying machines, competition).

The fun is far from over. Also below, an update on encore screenings on films that sold out and info about the awards ceremony at Captain Kidd
Restaurant featuring music by singer-songwriter Sam Woolf, who finished in American Idol’s top five in 2014.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Entertainment, Theatre

Fire devastates downtown Natick

July 22, 2019 by Deborah Brown 7 Comments

Wellesley firefighters were among first responders from more than a dozen neighboring communities that headed to downtown Natick overnight to battle an 8-alarm fire that left a firefighter injured and wrecked a handful of businesses, according to news crews on the scene.

IMG_4580

I’ve been in Natick Center all morning taking pictures and videos, and talking with business owners and residents. about the fire that has destroyed at least eight businesses. Among the ruined storefronts are King Wok Chinese restaurant, which has been a fixture on that block since at least 1997. The basement of that restaurant apparently is where the fire began. One firefighter has been taken to the hospital with reported minor injuries.

Natick fire, near Wellesley
Wellesley Fire Rescue team sprays the roof of Natick Center Graphics, located at the corner of Main and West Central Streets.

That block, which dates from 1900, also has seen the loss of the much-loved Iron Horse, a yarn and fiber arts supply shop that also offered classes and workshops. Owner Deborah Lynne Smith in a Facebook post said, “This morning at 1:22 Natick Fire was notified of smoke coming out of the front side of the building (Rt 27) our store was in (the side) building. By 4:26 the fire went to 7 alarm. Our life dream has been destroyed. Thankfully none of our wonderful staff or customers were in there!”

The Christian Science Reading Room is also ruined, its plate-glass windows smashed in by firefighters, all its literature a total loss.

Nancy Kelley Dance Studio also suffered heavy damages, as has Clip and Dip Dog Grooming. Natick Center Graphics, located on the same side of the complex as King Wok, also is wrecked. At least four other businesses are seriously affected. Just across the street, Common Kitchen & Cafe was closed, as it always is on Mondays, and unscathed. Crowds gathered at the edge of the Natick Commons to watch as smoke, at times acrid and black, poured out of the flat-roofed, one-story building affected by the disaster.

The owner of the 9,479 square foot building on 0.29 acres of land is One South Main St. LLC in Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the Natick Assessor’s records, the company bought the property in August 2018 for $2 million.

Natick fire, near Wellesley
The Wellesley fire rescue rig is parked on West Central Street, in front of Buttercup restaurant.

One spot that escaped damage: Robjets d’ Art, which earlier this month moved from its spot adjacent to King Wok to nearby Natick Center location at 5 S. Main Street. Luckiest move ever for the funky shop that carries a collection of cool vintage jewelry, books, music, curios and art.

Some of the towns who sent emergency crews: Wellesley, Hudson, Leicester, Wayland, Sudbury, Acton, Marlborough, Southborough, Milford, Sherborn and Hopkinton. The Salvation Army was on hand, as were Eversource, Boston Sparks Association support services, Massachusetts Department of Fire Services Special Operations, and more.

Natick fire, near Wellesley
The Framingham responders are dousing the roof of King Wok. The truck is parked on Pond Street, in front of Common Kitchen & Cafe.

Cosmos Chiropractic Care at 12 West Central Street for 24 years, owned by Doc Cosmos, also lucked out. The 12 West Central Street building did not suffer damage. Cosmos, the self-described “mayor of Natick and proud townie,” said, “I’m from Natick, grew up here, and this is kind of a lot. But we are townies here, and we stick together. I’m glad business owners and customers weren’t hurt. This is bad, but the town will rally and come together.”

Natick fire, near Wellesley
All the big dawg news crews were here, parked in the First Congregational Church on the corner of East Central and Main Streets. I took this shot from the second floor of the Morse Institute Library, on East Central Street.Natick fire, near Wellesley

Another shot from the second floor of the Morse Institute.

The flames seem to be relentless and are still shooting up, from a strip of businesses along South Main in #Natick. We’re told AT LEAST 8 businesses are being impacted by this fire, that started overnight inside King Wok chinese restaurant. I’m live on @wbz, with the latest. pic.twitter.com/3NrhLGDkOV

— MichelleReneeFisher (@Michelle_WBZ) July 22, 2019

A little Natick fire history

This isn’t the first time Natick center has been ravaged by fire. Back on January 13, 1874 the town hub saw an inferno reduce 35 buildings to rubble, in which a Natick firefighter was killed. The town’s newspaper, The Natick Bulletin, lost its headquarters to the fire, as did the Congregational Church, a concert hall, the fire station, a grocers, a dry goods store, clothing stores, and more.

Natick Fire, 1874
Natick Fire, 1874. Photo credit: Morse Institute Library Special Collections.

Despite the loss of its offices in 1874, The Natick Bulletin continued to publish. Under a sub-headline “Natick Will Rise Again” the town’s news source reported, “The business portion of our beautiful town lies in ashes. The fire demon has laid its withering hand upon the home of nearly our whole mercantile, religious, and professional interests, and it is vanished from sight. It is almost too terrible to realize. But though we have suffered fearfully…there is no despondency. The enterprise of our people will overcome the difficulties of the present situation…The burnt district will be rebuilt.”

In a 2009 Boston Globe story that looked back at the fire, Megan McKee wrote that fire “got its start at about 3am, when it was discovered on the second floor of a building at Summer and Main Streets.”

McKee’s story goes on to say that wind helped the fire jump across Summer Street to J.P. Wolcott’s one-year old, three-story shoe factory and into the rest of the commercial district.

Natick Fire, 1874
Natick Fire, 1874. Photo credit: Morse Institute Library, Special Collections.

The Morse Institute Library at 14 East Central Street, from where I wrote this post, survived the 1874 fire, and now the 2019 fire, despite its close proximity to both. The library, which opened on January 1, 1874, just under two weeks before the devastating fire, escaped with only a slightly damaged roof. Today it never even ceased service, despite the nearby scene of destruction.

Thanks to Natick librarian Karol Bartlett for supplying me with historical documents and pictures from the 1874 fire.

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Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Fire

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Events Calendar

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Sat 14

Davis Museum holiday frame and print sale

December 3 @ 11:00 am - December 15 @ 5:00 pm
Sat 14

Breakfast with Santa at The Cottage

December 14 @ 8:00 am
Sat 14

Breakfast with Santa at The Cottage

December 14 @ 9:45 am - 10:45 am
Sat 14

Brunch with Santa, Wellesley College Club

December 14 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Sat 14

Disney’s Frozen, Jr.

December 14 @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

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Recent Comments

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