Framingham Considers Changing 'Indian Head' Street Name

FRAMINGHAM, MA—Officials are asking if it's time to change some of Framingham's street signs names because they reflect a violent past that might be offensive to Native Americans, according to reports.

On Tuesday, Framingham's City Council discussed the idea of renaming Indian Head Road and Indian Head Heights after a student from McAuliffe Charter School presented the council with result some research, reports MetroWest Daily News. She is suggesting replacing the word "Indian Head" with "Algonquin."

The name Indian Head as written in “The Hills of Framingham” by John M. Merriam, and is on record as early as 1696, indicates early evidence of Indian occupation, according to Ruthann Tomassini from the Framingham History Center research department.

She told Patch that the the hill is associated with the Upanbohqueen, commonly known as “old Jacob." Old Jacob was one of John Elliot’s first converts and was associated with the praying Indians from 1646 until his death in his '90s.

"The assumption is that a developer of the area recognized the associated information and chose the name," said Tomassini. "Head is also a geological definition of a raised or flat elevated prominence."

Feedback? Send comments to City Council members at selectmen@framinghamma.gov.

Photo via Google Maps