Needham Center is near the geographic center of the town of Needham, Massachusetts. The very center is a rectangular town common, with Garrity Way and the Needham Town Hall bordering it on the north side, Highland Avenue bordering on the east side, Great Plain Avenue on the south side, and Chapel Street on the west side. Beyond the town common are businesses and the Unitarian Church is not far from it. Needham is an average sized suburb of Boston with about 28,000 residents. There are several interesting details in the center, and here are some of them.
The "7":
1) 2 Art/Music - Circle of Peace Sculpture - Needham, MA, WM5KWE, (
visit link) at "Statues/Sit-By-Me": Instead of various memorials randomly placed in the common, there is one flagpole, several benches, and a couple life-like statues. This one invites you to hold hands with the children and play 'Ring-around-the-rosie.'
2) 4 Buildings - Needham First Parish (Unitarian) Church - Needham, MA, USA, WM5ZWT, (
visit link) at "Relocated Structures": By the 1870s the railroad through the town had been built and a new center was developing. The Unitarian Church members decided to move their church structure to the new center in 1879.
3) 6 Entertainment - New Years Needham Celebration, WM5KJJ, (
visit link) at "Fairs, Festivals and Shows/Festivals": Modeled after the successful First Night Celebrations in Boston, Needham began their "New Years Needham" festival of activities, music and entertainment for families in 2007 and continued in 2008. They are already planning for 2009!
4) 7 History/Culture - Needham Town Hall - Needham Town Hall Historic District - Needham, MA, WM60N2, (
visit link) at "NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings": The Town Hall is one component of the Needham Town Hall National Historic District. The hall was built in 1902 and continues to be the focal point for the town government.
5) 8 Memorials/Monuments - Anita Petrie - Town Common - Needham, MA, WM60MD, (
visit link) at "Dedicated Benches": The town common has many park benches that have been dedicated to loved members of the family.
6) 9 Nature, Needham Town Common - Needham, MA, WM60VM, (
visit link) at "Municipal Parks and Plazas": The town common is the other component of the Needham Town Hall Historic District. Land for the common was purchased in 1884.
7) 14 Technology, Anthony's Barber Shop - Needham, MA, WM60FW, (
visit link) at "Fabrication/Barber Poles": Anthony's Barber Shop is one of several stores that are independently owned. On a Saturday, the place is usually packed with customers.
Two More, making "9":
8) 3 Benchmarks/MEasurements, Needham Town Hall - MY3355 - Needham, MA, WM623Y, (
visit link) at "U.S. Benchmarks": On top of the Needham Town Hall is a feature identified as a benchmark in the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). This feature a post that is attached to the cupola and has a unique weather vane that has the letters "1902" enscribed in it. Not all benchmarks are disks!
9) 12 Sports and Leisure, Needham Bowlaway - Needham, MA, WM626Z, (
visit link) at "Bowling Centres": It's easy to miss the entrance to this place. When you enter it, however, you might be assaulted by 'cosmic lights and sounds'.