Historic District Commission

Background & Purpose

Local historic districts in Massachusetts have three main purposes:

  1. To preserve and protect the distinctive characteristics of buildings and places significant to the history of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns.
  2. To maintain and improve the settings of those buildings and places.
  3. To encourage compatibility with existing buildings when new buildings are planned in the districts.

The purpose of a local Historic District Commission (HDC) is not to halt growth, but to allow for thoughtful consideration of change. When properly established and administered, a local historic district is not unduly burdensome to property owners and, indeed, can enhance the value of their property. 

Framingham voted at its 1978 Annual Town Meeting to protect the Framingham Centre Common area and establish a local historic district for the area pursuant to MGL Chapter 40C. The Centre Common Historic District has been expanded since then, most recently in 2015. The Jonathan Maynard Historic District was established at 1994 Annual Town Meeting’ the single-property Sarah Clayes House Historic District at 2008 Annual Town Meeting; and two single-property districts were established at 2016 Fall Special Town Meeting, the Pike-Haven-Foster House Historic District and the H.H. Richardson Depot Historic District.

Check out the HDC Brochure (PDF) for information about how a local historic district works.

  1. 2020 Meeting & Due Dates
  2. Members
  3. Monthly Meetings
Meeting Date
Applications Due
Notes
January 7
December 17, 2019
 N/A
February 4
January 14
 N/A
March 3
 February 11 N/A
April 7
March 17
 N/A
May 5
April 14
 N/A
June 2
May 12
 N/A
July 7
June 16
 N/A
August 4
July 14
 N/A
September 1
August 11
 Day after Labor Day
October 6
September 15
 N/A
November 10
 October 20
 Moved from 11/3, Election Day
December 1
 November 10 N/A

Certificate of Appropriateness

Property owners who are contemplating modifications to a building in a local historic district may need to apply for Certificate of Appropriateness from the HDC. If the work is regular maintenance, a certificate is not necessary. However if the work involves a change to the exterior of a building visible from a public way, then a Certificate is needed before beginning work.

Please contact the Community and Economic Development Division for advice regarding your specific project and before submitting an application (PDF) since agendas for specific meetings close several weeks in advance.

Local Historic Districts

Historic Districts Map 2020-01
  1. Centre Common
  2. Jonathan Maynard
  3. Single Property Districts
Property Address Date
Framingham Centre Common

 N/A 1735
The Brandolini House 2 Auburn Street 1955
The Stone Gardner's Cottage 4 Auburn Street 1850
Office Building 5 Auburn Street 1970
The Whitney-Wiggins House 10 Auburn Street 1826
The General George Henry Gordon House 936 Central Street 1850
Office/Bank Building 35 Edgell Road 1969
The Framingham Bank 39 Edgell Road 1833
The Grossman House 61 Edgell Road 1960
The O'Brien House 63 Edgell Road 1961
The Jason Hall House 65 Edgell Road 1850
The Otis Boynton House 85 Edgell Road 1825
Plymouth Church 87 Edgell Road 1968
The E. Cloyes House 121 Edgell Road 1836
The George A. Weeks House 122 Edgell Road 1865
The Charles Train House (Plymouth Parsonage) 125 Edgell Road 1836
The Daniel Hemenway House 151 Edgell Road 1800
The Rinaldo House 31 Grove Street 1970
The Mrs. Gordon House 33 Grove Street 1810
Lothrop Wight House 8 Library Street 1860
John and Sarah Clark House 12 Library Street 1860
Village Hall 2 Oak Street 1834
Edgell Memorial Library 3 Oak Street 1872
Civil War Monument 3 Oak Street 1872
Tilton-Wheeler Store 1 Vernon Street 1830
Harriet Carter House 3 Vernon Street 1853
Julia Wight House 5 Vernon Street 1860
The Edgar Wheeler House 6 Vernon Street 1850
The Clark Builders Trust House 8 Vernon Street 1969
Caroline B. Clark House 9 Vernon Street 1852-1853
The Jonathan Maynard Building 12 Vernon Street 1916
Framingham Academy 14 Vernon Street 1837
The Capt. Eliphalet Wheeler House 18 Vernon Street 1818
The Train-Vernon House 20 Vernon Street 1848
First Parish Church 24 Vernon Street 1926
First Parish House 24 Vernon Street 1959
The J. J. Marshall House 3 Warren Place 1800
The Tarbox House 4 Warren Place 1836
The Stalker House 8 Warren Place 1768
The John Mann House 11 Warren Place 1867
Wight-Esty Block 931-937 Worcester Road 1832-1850
Van Duzer Hardware Company Block 939 Worcester Road 1935

For more detailed information on individual properties, you can search the Massachusetts Historic Commission's MACRIS database of cultural resources.