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Braintree is a South Shore town of about 39,000 people, around 12 miles south of downtown Boston. Incorporated in 1640, the original town also covered what are now Quincy, Randolph and Holbrook, so the birthplaces of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams lay in old Braintree before Quincy split off in 1792. Despite adopting a mayor and council, it still calls itself the Town of Braintree.
The town's best known son is Sylvanus Thayer, the Father of West Point, born here in 1785. His birthplace is preserved by the Braintree Historical Society, and his bequests helped found the Thayer Public Library and Thayer Academy. The handsome All Souls Church and old neighborhoods around Braintree Square reflect the town's long history.
Today Braintree is a busy crossroads at the end of the MBTA Red Line, with the South Shore Plaza for shopping, Pond Meadow Park and Sunset Lake for outdoor time, and the Blue Hills Reservation along its western edge. Quincy's Adams National Historical Park and downtown Boston are a short ride away.
The 1720 farmhouse where Sylvanus Thayer, superintendent who reshaped the US Military Academy at West Point, was born in 1785. The Braintree Historical Society keeps it as a house museum with period rooms and local history exhibits. Open hours are seasonal, so check ahead.
A private school founded in 1877 under the will of Sylvanus Thayer, the Father of West Point, whose campus along Washington Street includes handsome older buildings. It is a working school and not a tourist site, but the historic main building is worth a look while visiting the Thayer Birthplace.
Braintree's public library, founded with a gift from Sylvanus Thayer and housed in a modern building with a historic core. It offers reading rooms, local history materials, children's programs and exhibits. It is a quiet, free place to rest and learn about the town's past.
A historic church in Braintree known for its traditional New England architecture and fine stained glass, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an active congregation, so admire the exterior any time and attend a service or event to see the interior.
The historic seat of local government in Braintree, a stately brick building with a classic New England civic look, set on landscaped grounds near the town center. It houses town offices and hosts public meetings. Admire the exterior on a walk through the town center, then continue to the library.
One of the largest shopping malls in New England, at the junction of Route 3 and I-93, with department stores, well-known brands, restaurants and a food court. It is easy to reach by car and gets crowded on weekends and before holidays, so weekday mornings are calmest.
A small lake in a residential part of Braintree with a sandy town beach used for summer swimming, plus a playground and picnic space. It is a local favorite on hot days. Beach access, lifeguard hours and fees for non-residents change by season, so check the town website first.
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Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
