Charlton

Charlton is a small town in Central Massachusetts located outside of Worcester. Charlton is within of five major New England cities: Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford and Providence. Charlton was settled by European immigrants in 1735. It was established as a district separated from Oxford on January 10, 1755, and became a town in 1775 by a law that made all districts into towns. It was named after Sir Francis Charlton. During the 1800s, farming continued to be the major occupation, but woolen mills were being built along some of the town's brooks by the turn of the twentieth century.

Charlton is surrounded by towns filled with history and things to do. One would not often choose Charlton as a place to visit but throughout the year there are great events that an out-of-towner might want to see or partake in including the Old Home Day and Memorial Day parades or Dudley's Strawberry Festival. For someone from a big city this small town of about 13,000 people (2010) is a real culture shock yet could be enlightening to the relaxed atmosphere of its residents.

By car
There is easy access to major highways such as I-90, I-84, I-290 and I-395.

By train or bus
Take MBTA to Union Station Farms on Framingham/Worcester Line. Union Station: 20 Temple Street Worcester, +1 508 792-0212 Train schedules can be found on MBTA.com.

By plane
The nearest airport is Worcester Regional Airport, located about 20 minutes away. There is not much in terms of service, but jetBlue operates twice daily to New York-JFK, and once daily to Fort Lauderdale. In addition to this, Delta runs a daily service to New York-LGA, and American has a daily flight to JFK.

You can also fly in to Logan International Airport in Boston. Logan has more airlines, and more destinations. One can either take the MBTA Framingham/Worcester line into Union Station, and then take a cab or rideshare to town, but getting a rental car is recommended. Take I-90 W to Exit 10 for MA-12 towards I-395/290 toward Auburn/Worcester. Follow MA-12 to Route 20 west, which will lead you right into Charlton.

Get around
The only way to get around Charlton is by car. Charlton however is mainly a car-driven town, but even a bike would get you to most places. Parking in Charlton is not a problem. There are several places to park your vehicle.

See

 * Grave of John "Grizzly" Adams in Bay Path Cemetery
 * No. 2 Schoolhouse
 * Charlton Woolen Mill, an historic landmark
 * No. 2 Schoolhouse
 * Charlton Woolen Mill, an historic landmark
 * No. 2 Schoolhouse
 * Charlton Woolen Mill, an historic landmark

Drink
There are not many bars in Charlton, but Worcester and other neighboring towns have several options.

Sleep
There are no hotels in Charlton, but Sturbridge and Auburn have several options.

Go next
A great place to go to next would be Boston. It is about 45 minutes to an hour away and is an exciting and bright city with a lot of things to do. On your way you can stop in Worcester if you have not already and then from Boston consider heading either south to the beaches of Rhode Island in South County or north to the mountains in New Hampshire.