Sharon (Massachusetts)

Sharon is a town of 19,000 people (2020) in Greater Boston, about 17 miles (27 km) southwest of downtown Boston.

Understand

History

It was incorporated as the Town of Stoughtonham in 1775, and was named Sharon in 1783, after Israel's Sharon plain, due to its dense forestation. During the American Revolution, the townspeople of Sharon made cannonballs and cannons for the Continental Army at a local foundry. In front of the Sharon Public Library stands a statue of Deborah Sampson, Sharon's town heroine. Sampson disguised herself as a man to fight in the Revolutionary War. After the war, she married Benjamin Gannett, a farmer and lived in Sharon until the end of her life. Sampson began a campaign in 1790 to secure a pension from her time in the Revolutionary War, which earned the support of well-known public figures, including Paul Revere. In 1804, Revere visited Sampson (then Sampson Gannett) at her farm in Sharon and wrote to the congressman of her district, William Eustis, that he found her "much more deserving than hundreds to whom Congress have been generous." Sampson was placed on the United States pension list a year later, and awarded an annual payment. She is buried in the local Rockridge Cemetery. A street in Sharon is named Deborah Sampson Street in her honor.

The Unitarian and Congregational churches in the center of Sharon have church bells manufactured by Paul Revere.

Get in

By car

Exit 8 of Interstate 95 is on the Sharon/Foxborough border, with access to both the northbound and southbound directions of the highway. Exit 10 of Interstate 95 is on the Sharon/Walpole line, with access to the northbound direction of the highway and from the southbound direction. Exit 9 of Interstate 95 is also in Sharon, located on Route 1. This exit allows North or Southbound access to I95.

In addition, Massachusetts Route 27 runs through the center of the town and leads to Route 1.

By plane

By train
  • The local regional rail system is the MBTA Commuter Rail. Sharon's stop lies between Mansfield and Canton on the main branch of the Providence/Stoughton line. Located on 1 Upland Road down the street from the center of town. If you are coming from Providence, the Commuter Rail is significantly cheaper ($4.75 from Providence Station from $5.25 from Providence's T.F. Green Airport, as of Dec 2020) than Boston ($8.75). Scheduled travel times are approximately 38 minutes from Providence, 25-30 minutes from Boston Back Bay Station, and 30-35 minutes from Boston South Station.
  • Amtrak's Acela and Northeast Regional trains stop at Route 128 Station in nearby Westwood (as well as Providence Station further down the line). From there, backtrack on the Commuter Rail ($3.50 as of Dec. 2020, and 8-12 minutes depending on whether the train stops in Canton Junction) or take a taxi for the 10 to 12-mile journey to downtown Sharon.

See
  • 🌍 Borderland State Park, 259 Massapoag Ave, ☏ +1 508-238-6566. 8AM-6PM daily. The Ames Mansion, a three-story, 20-room home was built with local stone here in 1910. It's been used in a few major Hollywood films and is occasionally open for tours. You'll also find over 20 miles of hiking trails, most are also open to mountain bikers. Fishing is available in 6 different ponds throughout the park. This roughly 1,800 acre park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Free. Parking $5, out of state $20. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Statue of Deborah Sampson, 11 North Main Street (in front of Sharon Public Library). 
  • 🌍 Home of Deborah Sampson. An American heroine who impersonated a man in order to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. 

In Sharon there are six historical properties or districts that are registered with the state. Of the six, five are listed on the National Register and three are certified local historic districts:

  • 🌍 Sharon's First Historic District. is the area on North Main Street from Post Office Square to School Street is a National Register District that includes the library and the Unitarian and Congregational churches. 
  • 🌍 Cobb's Tavern, 41 Bay Road. is a National Historic Landmark, it becomes Sharon's Second Historic District in 1991. 
  • 🌍 Stoneholm, 188 Ames Street. is a National Historic Landmark. 
  • 🌍 Stoughtonham Furnace Site. is a National Historic Landmark. 
  • 🌍 Third Historic District. includes the Charles R. Wilber School, the Pleasant Street School, and the Kate Morrell Park. 

Do
  • Sharon has many scenic trails through the conservation land within the town's borders. Trails found in Sharon include the Massapoag Trail, the Warner Trail, the Bay Circuit Trail (known as the Beaver Brook Trail in Sharon), and the King Philip's Rock Trail. There are also trails at Borderland State Park and at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.

Eat
  • 🌍 Alice’s Mandarin Taste, 37 Pond Street (in the center of Sharon, walking distance from the high school and Pizzagando), ☏ +1 781-784-7377. Open 364 days a year (only closed on Thanksgiving). A Szechuan and Mandarin cuisine restaurant with a soothing atmosphere and intricate menu selection. Alice is likely to be working when you go there and is the main benefactor to achieving the friendly environment as she is very talkative. 
  • 🌍 Coriander Bistro, 5 Post Office Square, ☏ +1 781-784-2300. is known for its Indian and Nepali food. A bit on the pricey side, Coriander is an exotic restaurant best suited for adults seeking foreign foods. With a large menu full of hard to pronounce dishes, Coriander features some of the finest Indian and Nepali cuisine to be had in the area. Located in the center of town, Coriander Bistro thrives with a unique menu and excellent customer service. 
  • 🌍 Crescent Ridge Dairy (Cridge), 355 Bay Road, ☏ +1 781-784-5892. is the most popular ice cream shop in town during the summer and spring seasons. Customers enjoy the weather and dine outside as Crescent Ridge features multiple windows to order from. Often referred to as “Cridge” for short by locals, the ice cream and milkshakes are second to none. The large parking lot is frequently filled by townies, little league teams, and go byers during the warm weather and is seemingly is a desolate wasteland during the Winter and Fall seasons. With domestic dairy products being served and delivered year round to locals about town, the large field behind Cridge is where the cows roam free and are often a tourist attraction for its customers. 
  • 🌍 French Memories, 5 Post Office Square, ☏ +1-784-0900. is a cafe in the center of Sharon. Formerly a Starbucks Cafe, French Memories features the serene atmosphere and upscale menu of a typical independent coffee shop. Offering free wifi and a comfortable work or study area, French Memories serves many students and adults alike. Halfway between the Sharon High School and Sharon Train Station (Stoughton Providence Line), a diverse group of people can be found on a typical weekday. French Memories also is a small venue for local artists to perform at Open Mic ceremonies. French Memories has been serving coffee and pastries for several years now and will continue to thrive due to its phenomenal service and atmosphere. 
  • 🌍 Pizzagando, 1 Pond Street, ☏ +1 781-784-8161. is in the center of Sharon. Having an excellent reputation throughout town, Pizzagando offers a wide variety of foods to many locals of Sharon and surrounding towns. Pizzagando can be found down the street from Sharon High School. With an extensive menu, an array of dishes, and a convenient location, Pizzagando has asserted itself as Sharon’s main pizza joint. 
  • 🌍 Pizza Market, 376 South Main Street, ☏ +1 781-784-2229. is a premiere pizza and Greek cuisine walk in restaurant. Though Pizzagando is its main competitor, Pizza Market offers a unique selection of specialty pizzas and subs. Perhaps the main reason why it thrives despite Pizzagando’s success is its location on the opposite end of town. Run by a Greek family, Pizza Market is a friendly environment and hang out spot for local kids. 
  • 🌍 Sichuan Gourmet, 386-388 South Main Street, ☏ +1 781-784-6698. M Tu-Th 11:30AM-9:30PM, F Sa 11:30AM-10:30PM, Su noon-9:30PM. A popular Chinese restaurant in the Heights Plaza a few doors down from Pizza Market. Sichuan Gourmet contends with the Chinatown about ten minutes down the road in Stoughton. (updated Jun 2020)

Sleep

There are only two hotels within the town boundaries of Sharon, although there is plenty of lodging in the nearby towns of Walpole, Foxborough, and Norwood, particularly along US-1 (though expect limited availability and high prices if the New England Patriots are at home or if Gillette Stadium is hosting a concert or other event).

Go next
Routes through Sharon
Boston ← Walpole ←  N  S  → Foxborough → Providence
Boston ← Walpole ←  N  S  → Foxborough → Providence
Boston ← Canton ←  N  S  → Mansfield → Providence
Chelmsford ← Walpole ←  N  S  → Stoughton → Kingston


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