Quick History Stops: Milford, MA, Part 1

Back in June, I took a day trip to nearby Milford, MA to walk on the Upper Charles Trail and explore the downtown area on foot. I was born in Milford and have spent my entire life visiting the town but never did quick history stops there! This is the first of three parts about Milford, which will cover the trail, a memorial, two churches, and a pair of repurposed buildings.

Romanesque building made of blond brick and limestone with a pink granite staircase A stone pillar with the seal of Milford, MA A wooden kiosk with a map of Milford Upper Charles Trail and trail guidelines

The Upper Charles Trail will eventually be a twenty-five mile walking and biking path on top of former railroad lines. I have traveled the entire length of the trail through multiple past trips, including a segment in Holliston with excellent informational signage. The Milford portion has been cared for by the Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail since 2005. Decorating the stone pillars and round stones on the ground near the entrance is the seal of Milford, MA, which incorporated in 1780. The seal features a person riding a horse towards a water-powered mill on the river, symbolizing the early industrial history of the area, as Milford is just north of the area now considered the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.

A circle made of square stones around a large flat round stone with the seal of Milford, MA A stone statue of a World War I soldier wearing a distinct round helmet A bright red sign with the words Calzone Park Established in 1921

Across the street from the path entrance is Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish. This striking Romanesque building was constructed with blond brick and limestone, complete with a pink granite staircase made of stone from the nearby Milford quarry. The stained glass windows add a colorful touch to the impressive facade. This congregation formed in 1905, but construction did not begin until 1927 when John W. Donohue was chosen as the architect. Due to the Great Depression, a change in architectural plans in 1941 from Anthony J. DePace since Donohue had passed away, and World War II, the building was not finished until 1946, as indicated by the corner stone. On the opposite corner is Calzone Park, dedicated in 1921 to veterans of World War I, also known as the Doughboys. The little plot of land features a memorial with a Doughboy statue, instantly recognizable by his rounded helmet with a brim going all the way around. While the name of the park may seem delicious, it actually has a sad backstory. Matthew Calzone was allegedly the first soldier from Milford to die during the war. The park and statue last got some TLC in 2021 as part of the hundredth anniversary celebration on Veterans Day, and the area remains in great shape.

A whitewashed Greek Revival style building A classic white Madonna and child statue protected by red bricks. A gray stone church with a tall bell tower.

After a brief stop in front of the HPA Design Architects headquarters, housed in a whitewashed Greek Revival style building, I continued to Saint Mary of the Assumption. Why two separate Catholic churches down the street from each other? These serve different parts of the Milford population. Today, the parish offers Spanish and Portuguese services, priding itself on being “a culturally rich and diverse Catholic family”. The construction of this church took place from 1866 to 1870 with a tower added in 1890; as a side note, the parish history section on the website is impressive and serves as an overview not only of the parish but Catholicism in Massachusetts. Next door is Landmark Place Apartments, which the parish built as St. Mary’s Academy in 1925. The academic institution changed its name several times to St. Mary’s Central Catholic High School in 1954, Milford Catholic Elementary School in 1974, and Middle School East in the Milford public school system in 1980. After its retirement as a school building in 2016, it was soon sold and renovated into apartments to open in 2021. Seeing this carefully repurposed building was a great way to conclude the first part of my quick history stops.

A classic white statue of Saint Mary standing in front of a church. A dark wooden sign in front of three narrow stained glass windows reading Saint Mary of the Assumption Church A three-story red brick building originally designed as a school.