Arlington Massachusetts

Arlington is an unassuming city that sits about six miles northwest of the city of Boston. It doesn’t get much attention on the national scale and it’s not a huge tourist destination, but the truth of the matter is that this town is packed with history and is most certainly worth a stop if you’re in the area and at all interested in American Revolutionary history.

Most of the history in this town actually predates the revolution – be sure to check out Old Schwab Mill to see the oldest operating mill in the country. This mill has been in operation since 1650!

Paul Revere’s now-famous midnight ride took him through Menotomy, which is now known as Arlington. In addition, more blood was spilled in Arlington as compared to both Lexington and Concord combined on the first day of the revolution. Minutemen surrounded the city on all times in order to take the British by surprise as they retreated from Lexington and Concord. During the ensuing battle, 25 colonists and 40 British soldiers were killed in the skirmish. Today, the men killed in this battle are immortalized by the Jason Russell House, which stands as a monument to those slain in the early days of the revolution. If you enter the house, you can see bullet holes in the walls that are a leftover from this battle.

If the revolutionary history that dominates the area isn’t enough, in 1979, Arlington became home to the world’s first spreadsheet software, which was developed in an apartment by Bob Franston and Dan Bricklin. While its more modern computer counterparts have definitely eclipsed VisiCalc -the name of the program -, much of the innovation that has resulted in today’s Excel-like programs owes its roots to VisiCalc.

If you’re looking for something a little more natural to pass the time with, be sure to check out Menotomy Rocks Park, which encompasses the land surrounding Hills Pond. There is plenty of light hiking in the area and it’s so quiet you likely won’t remember you’re still close to the city!

There is plenty to see and do in this quiet town northwest of Boston. Be sure not to pass it by on your next visit to New England!