ICYMI: Framingham Historical Commission Resets Historic Mile Marker

FRAMINGHAM, MA— On Friday, Sept. 29, the Historical Commission reset a historic 1,768-mile marker at Buckminster Square, the town announced.

For nearly 250 years this stood on Main Street in Buckminster Square marking the distance of 23 miles between Framingham and Boston. The rough-cut granite marker reads “23 miles from Boston 1768” and is one of a series of markers found in Framingham noting the distance to Boston.

The market was struck several years ago by a snowplow when it sat on the sidewalk in front of a home on Main Street.

This past spring, the Historical Commission contracted with Fannin Lehner Preservation Consultants of Concord to repair the broken marker and reset it at Buckminster Square. During the work, a historic image was found that showed the mile marker had been broken previously, knocking it down to its current, shorter height, according to the announcement.

The contractors cleaned the stone and joined the pieces to bring it up to its historic height. It was then set on the island in Buckminster square with the minuteman statue, a safer location for the marker further away from the road, say officials.

According to the town's announcement, during the 1980s, Framingham’s five granite mile markers were documented. The 20 and 21-mile markers are located on Old Connecticut Path, in the front yards of residences. The 22-mile marker that originally stood on Cochituate Road went missing about 20 years ago. The 24-mile marker still stands on Pleasant Street. All of the granite markers bear the same inscription as the 23-mile marker at Buckminster Square.

Because Benjamin Franklin was once the postmaster general, sometimes the markers are referred to as "Franklin mile markers." But officials say there is no evidence that he placed those himself or even ordered the markers.

Photo via Town of Framingham