From Framingham to Fitchburg

Since leaving the state and staying overnight at hotels is pretty much off-limits, currently one of my favorite pastimes has become car rides. Sure, when my younger son needs a nap, I often tool around my town for a while to keep him sleeping. What I’m talking about though is a few hour road trip, even if it means not even leaving the car. With long car rides, it means that the kids have to be with a set of grandparents. This also dictates where the trips will take us. For our latest trip, my wife and I drove from Framingham to Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

Similar to an earlier ride down Route 32, I was excited to get out and go for a ride through areas of Massachusetts that I typically do not frequent. En route to Framingham from Millis, the first leg of the trip was through beautiful countryside. Although in close proximity to Boston, towns including Sherborn and Millis, still retain some of their rural feel. 

Framingham was once the largest town in the country but lost its title since earning city status.  Years ago, Framingham had a typical hard-luck downtown, like many smaller urban centers, but it is now on the upswing. Taking this trip a few days after Christmas, we saw large toy soldier statues scattered throughout the city. An example is this one here in front of the town offices. 

These soldiers once were on duty at the outside shopping mall Shopper’s World which was razed in the 1990s. Since the late 90s, the army of toy soldiers has guarded certain Framingham landmarks during the holiday season. There’s actually a scavenger hunt put out by the city to find them all. 

Continuing North

From Framingham, we hopped on Route 9 with a quick foray onto Route 495. Exiting onto Route 117 in Bolton, we continued on this road to the town of Leominster. Before kids, Route 117 from Weston to Bolton was an annually traveled autumn route. Past farms and seasonal stores, this road fosters recollections of autumns gone by. 

This time though, heading west on Route 117, the only portion of the annual fall trip was through the town of Bolton. Bolton is a super-quaint classic New England town right out of a Norman Rockwell painting. I had never ventured farther on the route than Bolton. Heading into Lancaster and then Leominster, the scenery is drastically different from the picturesque countryside farther east.

Leominster, built on a hillside, is capped by the awe-inspiring spire of St. Cecilia’s Parish. It’s almost as if this steeple is a beacon throughout the town. I wasn’t able to catch a photo of it, but I’m including a classic postcard and a current picture from the web here. Granted the photo truly does not do it justice.

Fitchburg

I had been to Fitchburg once many years ago to apple pick. Granted, Fitchburg has a reputation as a post-industrial downtrodden city in which apple orchards sound seemingly out of place. This trip to Fitchburg was fascinating. Another hill town, we descended into the city. Main Street was a wide affair but unfortunately, many of the storefronts lie vacant. As the city of Boston expands and towns and cities, including Hudson and Lowell, have seen recent rejuvenation, one can only wonder if cities like Fitchburg will be next. There is much potential here. 

The downtown is a mix of mid-20th century drab urban structures with earlier 19th century architectural masterpieces, including the armory and the old and new courthouses. We drove by the Fitchburg Art Museum which I have heard good things about. Like many museums, this one is currently closed. 

Academy Street in Fitchburg

Across from the museum, there are a few impressive and haunting buildings that stood out to me. On Academy Street, former school buildings lay vacant, windows covered with boards painted red and some with murals adorning their facade. We drove around the block a few times to take in the full effect, the mix of majesty and decay. 

On Main Street I noticed a spire-topped impressive building on a parallel street. On close inspection, it is the Longsjo Middle School. This large, expansive school building is perched on a hill, creating an imposing look. What gives it a further air of dignity is the grand staircase that climbs from Prichard Street to the school’s entrance. The wide staircase seems like it could be in Rome, leading to an important government building. 

What is neat about Fitchburg is what a mixed bag the city is. Impressive architecture is strewn randomly about,  juxtaposed with other structures that are mundane and ugly. I’m sure urban renewal took its toll on this city, as it did with many others. Unlike many industrial cities though, with a grand boulevard or a neighborhood full of gems, Fitchburg seems to have them placed willy nilly through its streetscapes which can only be uncovered by exploring.

River Styx Brewing

While I was there I had to check out River Styx Brewing. River Styx is located in downtown Fitchburg on Boulder Drive in a former factory building. We only picked up the beer but were able to venture inside. It was reminiscent of other breweries with darker imagery such as TRVE Brewing in Denver or Hoax in East Haven. River Styx’s beers are named after mythological figures, beasts, and creatures (not Styx songs). 

I took home a Typhon, Father of All Monsters double IPA. Even with a scary label with a monster-like creature of Typhon and quite the name, this was an easy-drinking, juicy New England style IPA. The other was Cronus, Lord of Time, a stout with vanilla, coffee, and cinnamon. I was pleased with this stout and the IPA, making River Styx a journey to the dark side that I would take again. 

After Fitchburg, the rest of our route took us to towns that included Ashby, Phillipston, and New Salem before heading back. These though, were just to drive through. Most of our trip was spent from Framingham to Fitchburg to enjoy exploration right in my home state.