Thomas Sawin Homestead - Natick, MA
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 42° 15.253 W 071° 19.857
19T E 307721 N 4680633
This house built around 1696, was the homestead of Thomas Sawin, who was one of the first white settlers within an "Indian Praying Town" and whose descendants continued to shape the town.
Waymark Code: WMEJJ7
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 06/04/2012
Views: 4
In Natick, along South Street, is a white wooden structure known as the Thomas Sawin Homestead. There is a plaque on the building that states:
"The Thomas Sawin House 1688 and 1770
Natick Historical Commission"
The house is a white clapboard structure. The second floor juts slightly forward of the first floor. The structure is topped with a hip roof. It is meerly a few feet from the road, and, thus is easily visible from the road. The plaque is placed on the right corner of the house when facing the front.
According to a painted stone in the basement, the house was built around 1696. Thomas Sawin was drawn to the area for work. He made an agreement with the local Native Americans in the Praying Indian Town of Natick to build a saw and grist mill. He built first along a brook near the present day Memorial School, and also built a mill that is now part of the Broadmoor Massachusetts Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (visit the nature center on Route 16 for details - the second set of coordinates is to this place).
The Sawin family continued to live in Natick. In 1775, they were part of the militia to answer the call to Concord, and the house was the rallying point. Sawins founded the Sawin Academy in Sherborn.
The house, unfortunately, is in poor condition. Massachusetts Audubon has determined that they can no longer maintain the house. One source has indicated that it is threatened with demolition. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Link to the Homestead: [Web Link]
History if no Link:
See above.
Additional Parking or Point of Interest: N 42° 15.369 W 071° 20.325
Structure Type: Not listed
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