Milton Water Department (MWRA)

Milton Water Department (MWRA) Municipal Water Report Info

Milton was established in 1640 by Puritans who began the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlement in 1630. Originally part of Dorchester, Milton became an independent town in 1662 and maintains this status today, bordering Boston to the north along the Neponset River.

For over two centuries after its founding, Milton remained primarily agricultural with farms and open spaces, alongside industrial activities along the Neponset River at Milton Village. These industries included a gristmill, gunpowder factory, paper mill, and chocolate factory - each believed to be among the earliest of their kind in New England.

Following the Civil War, Milton's population grew rapidly due to the convenience of the Milton and Dorchester branch of the Old Colony Railroad, which provided rail access to Boston with a terminal at Mattapan Square and stations at Central Avenue and Milton Village. Today, this former rail line continues as a surface trolley connecting Ashmont Station and Mattapan Square with stations on both the Dorchester and Milton sides of the river.

A horse-drawn streetcar began operating in 1856 from Lower Mills to downtown Boston via Dorchester Avenue, allowing transportation ease that enabled people from various backgrounds to live in Milton while commuting to the city for work. (Excerpt from Anthony Mitchell Sammarco's book Then and Now Milton)

Milton still preserves numerous 19th century country houses, estates and mid-19th century workers' housing, including the Forbes House and Suffolk Resolves House, with fieldstone walls marking property boundaries being common. Milton is a community addressing contemporary challenges while honoring its historical heritage.