5 things to know about living in Woburn
Things shifted for Woburn, a town originally known for its agricultural industry, when the Middlesex Canal opened in 1803. Tanners got “a new means of obtaining tanbark and the leather business in town boomed.”
By the time of the Civil War, there were 21 different tanneries around Woburn, bringing immigrants from around the world to the town north of Boston. After the Great Depression, the industry shrunk and eventually lead to the tanneries closing.
Despite its industrial past, today Woburn prides itself on its “mix of quiet neighborhoods, vibrant planned industrial parks and wooded conservation areas such as the Horn Pond Reservation and Forest Park.”
Check it out.
1. You’ll live in…
… a historic home in one of many different styles. A few years ago the Woburn Historical Society put on an exhibit with more than 200 pictures of the town’s historic homes from the 17th to the 19th century, “showing Woburn’s diverse historic homes from all parts of the city and the beautiful architecture of the day.” The society noted that though some homes had been torn down, many are still standing today.
The Loammi Baldwin Mansion, a Federal style house built in 1661, is still standing today, though it is now a restaurant.
The Woburn Historical Commission is currently taking a town-wide inventory of historic homes, which are listed here.
2. You’ll pay…
… quite a bit more than you would have paid a year ago. The Zillow Home Value Index puts Woburn’s median home value at $403,900, increasing 10.2 percent over the last year. Home values in the suburb are expected to increase another 1.7 percent within the next year.
For $350,000 to $450,000, you can get a home that is around 1,500 square feet, but probably in a unique historic style. Woburn gets a WalkScore of 40, meaning most errands require a car. Some neighborhoods in town, such as Downtown, get slightly higher scores, but odds are you’ll need a car here.
3. You’ll hang out…
… around Horn Pond. The No. 1 rated Trip Advisor thing to do in town is spend time at Horn Pond, where you can fish, walk, run, bike, and bring your dog. The Woburn Recreation Department also has a list of a variety of other green spaces you can head to on a nice day.
Other fun activities that can be done with friends or your kids include, LaserCraze, an indoor laser tag facility, and Woburn Bowladrome, which has a bowling alley that has been around since 1940.
Woburn also has a luxury movie theater, a rock climbing gym, and an indoor dog park for the days it’s too cold to go outside.
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When you’re in the mood for a drink, local craft beer seller Lord Hobo Brewing Company is based in Woburn and has a tasting room open every day of the week.
Finding a great place to eat in Woburn is also not a challenge. Yelp’s top-rated restaurant in town is Pintxo Pincho Tapas Bar, which is known for its Spanish small plates.
4. Your kids will…
… go to average schools. Altavesta Elementary School gets a 10 rating on the 1-10 GreatSchools rating scale, but most other public schools in town received a 5 or 4.
Along with the many outdoors spaces, there are plenty of other activities for kids in town, including bowling and laser tag. Another top-rated activity for kids is VinKari Safari, which is an indoor place space for kids and birthday parties.
5. You’ll love…
… the Woburn Public Library, which is a National Historic Landmark. The library was built in 1879 and was designed by renowned architect H. H. Richardson. Along with extensive archives, the library offers many other resources to all. There are also many community events at the library, including book clubs for adults and museum passes for around the area.
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