Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Newton Upper Falls is a village
situated on the east bank of the Charles River
in the city of Newton, Massachusetts
, in the United States
.
The area borders Needham, Massachusetts
to the south/southwest, Wellesley, Massachusetts
to the west, the West Roxbury
neighborhood of Boston to the extreme southeast, and the Newton villages of Waban
, Newton Highlands
and Newton Center
to the north and east.
The village is served partially by Eliot
"T" station, part of the Green Line "D" Branch of the MBTA
, with rapid light rail service inbound into downtown Boston and outbound to Riverside
. Major roads that serve the village are Route 128, and Route 9 (Boylston Street), which provides a direct, 6 mile commute into downtown Boston.
Newton's first mill on the Charles River was built in 1688 in Upper Falls. Over the next 150 years, the water power available at Upper Falls led to the village's steady growth as many more mills were built along that stretch of the river. By 1850 the village had 1300 inhabitants which was 25% of the entire population of Newton.
Newton Upper Falls is home to the Hemlock Gorge
and Echo Bridge
, a large aqueduct turned pedestrian walkway over the Charles River
. It is said to be the only village that has retained its original name from when the area was founded in the 17th century. It has over 150 homes on the historic register despite its small area.
Sullivan Avenue, an unpaved private road in Newton Upper Falls is the last remaining portion of the ancient highway connecting Boston
and Cambridge with Newton and points west in the 17th century (back then it was called Cambridge Village). Also on Sullivan Avenue is a famous pothole; not the kind you avoid with your car, but a geological anomaly where a boulder that was originally pushed down the cliff by a now extinct waterfall got caught and became round. The boulder spun around in its place carving a shaft over thousands of years. Since then half the shaft collapsed and now all that can be seen is half of a cylindrical shaft through the cliff at the corner of Sullivan and Elliot Streets.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
situated on the east bank of the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
in the city of Newton, Massachusetts
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The area borders Needham, Massachusetts
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
to the south/southwest, Wellesley, Massachusetts
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Wellesley is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of Greater Boston. The population was 27,982 at the time of the 2010 census.It is best known as the home of Wellesley College and Babson College...
to the west, the West Roxbury
West Roxbury, Massachusetts
West Roxbury is a neighborhood in Boston bordered by Roslindale to the north, the Town of Dedham to the east and south, the Town of Brookline and the City of Newton to the west. Many people mistakenly confuse West Roxbury with Roxbury, but the two are not connected. West Roxbury is separated from...
neighborhood of Boston to the extreme southeast, and the Newton villages of Waban
Waban, Massachusetts
Waban is one of the thirteen villages of Newton, Massachusetts, an affluent suburban city approximately seven miles from downtown Boston.-Origin of name:Waban was named for Waban, the first Massachusett Indian converted to Christianity, in 1646...
, Newton Highlands
Newton Highlands, Massachusetts
Newton Highlands is a village of Newton, Massachusetts. Newton Highlands is largely suburban outside of the village and the commercial district running along Winchester and Needham Streets....
and Newton Center
Newton Centre, Massachusetts
Newton Centre is a borough of Newton, Massachusetts. The main commercial center of Newton Centre is a triangular area surrounding the intersections of Beacon Street, Centre Street and Langley Road. It is the largest downtown area among all the villages of Newton, and serves as a large upscale...
to the north and east.
The village is served partially by Eliot
Eliot (MBTA station)
Eliot is a surface-level rapid transit station located in Newton, Massachusetts on the Green Line "D" Branch of the MBTA. Like the other surface level stations on the "D" Branch, it opened on July 4, 1959. Transit time from Eliot to Park Street is 37 minutes....
"T" station, part of the Green Line "D" Branch of the MBTA
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
, with rapid light rail service inbound into downtown Boston and outbound to Riverside
Riverside (MBTA station)
Riverside is the western terminus of the MBTA Green Line "D" Branch light rail line. It is located at 333 Grove Street, off Exit 22 on Interstate 95 , in Auburndale, a village of Newton, Massachusetts. Scheduled travel time to Park Street is 46 minutes. Riverside includes a parking...
. Major roads that serve the village are Route 128, and Route 9 (Boylston Street), which provides a direct, 6 mile commute into downtown Boston.
Newton's first mill on the Charles River was built in 1688 in Upper Falls. Over the next 150 years, the water power available at Upper Falls led to the village's steady growth as many more mills were built along that stretch of the river. By 1850 the village had 1300 inhabitants which was 25% of the entire population of Newton.
Newton Upper Falls is home to the Hemlock Gorge
Hemlock Gorge Reservation
Hemlock Gorge Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in Newton and Needham. The park is managed by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation .-Description:...
and Echo Bridge
Echo Bridge
Echo Bridge was built to carry the Sudbury Aqueduct over the Charles River from Newton Upper Falls to Needham, Massachusetts. The aqueduct was constructed to carry water from the Sudbury River to Boston. Construction of Echo Bridge began in 1875 and was completed in 1877 by Boston Water Works ,...
, a large aqueduct turned pedestrian walkway over the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
. It is said to be the only village that has retained its original name from when the area was founded in the 17th century. It has over 150 homes on the historic register despite its small area.
Sullivan Avenue, an unpaved private road in Newton Upper Falls is the last remaining portion of the ancient highway connecting Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and Cambridge with Newton and points west in the 17th century (back then it was called Cambridge Village). Also on Sullivan Avenue is a famous pothole; not the kind you avoid with your car, but a geological anomaly where a boulder that was originally pushed down the cliff by a now extinct waterfall got caught and became round. The boulder spun around in its place carving a shaft over thousands of years. Since then half the shaft collapsed and now all that can be seen is half of a cylindrical shaft through the cliff at the corner of Sullivan and Elliot Streets.