Going Green: Finding The Best Town Commons in New England

Article and Photo by Eric H.
Some New England traditions never grow old. Take, for instance, the village green, or town common, that dates back to the Colonial days. Traditionally located in the center of a community, the town common has often been used as a meeting place for community events and public ceremonies. Fortunately, these wide-open parcels have stood the test of time -- remarkable in this day of age where commercial, industrial and residential developers have their eyes set upon any remaining unused land.

Besides serving as a community meeting place, the typical New England town common offers classic New England aesthetic beauty with its wide-open, green spaces. In a typical New England town, the village green is often framed by white churches with tall steeples, and well-maintained older homes -- perhaps the prototype of what you'd expect a New England community to look like.

All village greens in New England look great. Some look even better. My personal favorite is the West Brookfield, MA, town common (pictured in this blog). Located in central Massachusetts, this expansive, picturesque village green has nice walking paths, benches, old trees with plenty of shade, a beautiful bandstand, the stately Rice Memorial Fountain built in 1886 and restored in 1986, and is surrounded by old homes and churches that are part of the entire center's placement on the National Register of Historic Places. The West Brookfield town common truly follows the tradition of being a community meeting place with its flea markets, little league games, concerts, fall festivals and holiday tree lighting ceremony. You really can't get more "New England" than the West Brookfield town common!

Do you have a favorite New England town common. Please let us know by posting a response.

Read more about the beautiful New England town

Find hotels in the West Brookfield area (Sturbridge)