1930’s aerial view of Hebron Center. Notice how Route 66 was located more southerly than it is now

Hebron Town Green

In the early 1700’s few people who lived in Hebron center. Most people lived on individual farms scattered throughout Hebron. However, families got together for Congregational Church services on Sunday, elections, town meeting day and militia training which gave rise to our term “Field Day”. In the 1700’s, farmers living nearby would let their livestock use the Green to fatten them up for markets as far away as Boston, New York and the West Indies. Usually, the town militia made up of men 16-60 trained on the town green. However, Hebron’s town green was so rough that at times militia practice held on Chestnut Hill near the town pound on Route 66 heading toward Marlborough. By the mid 1800’s a movement began to fill in the muddy spots, remove manure and trash heaps and make the Green look more like a park for people to stroll and relax in. In the mid 20th century, as part of the Eisenhower highway system, it was decided to run Route 66 through the middle of the Green to attract more businesses to town. . Route 66 and 85 did not attract substantially more businesses, but did fuel Hebron’s first suburban building boom resulting in subdivisions of old farms such as London Park close to the Bolton border.

Thinking about it

Hebron has a very small Green due to the highways passing through the town and the need for parking lots. If you had a chance to redesign the Green what would your new Hebron Green look like? Why did you make those choices?

Where to go next

Walk and take a closer look at the Old Town Hall

Meet Your Neighbors QR Tours funded by the Hebron Greater Together Community Fund in conjunction with the Hebron Historical Society