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The Town of Dover is
an affluent suburban community set between the western and southwestern
axis of metropolitan Boston expansion. Incorporated in 1784, Dover relied
on agriculture and grazing as the basis for its colonial economy although
the ruggedness of its terrain plus the relative lack of water power limited
its early growth.
The damming of the Charles River
in the late 18th century provided some power and allowed the development
of mills which made nails and rolled iron, but the future of the community
was not industrial. By the late 19th century, Dover was a firmly suburban
community some of whose residents had assembled large country estates.
Wealthy Bostonians created at least 18 estates between 1901 and 1914 alone,
some of them as large as 300-400 acres.
Modern Dover is a residential community
still retaining much semi-rural character although there has been some
development and subdividing of estate lands.
Dover Massachusetts is located in
Eastern Massachusetts, bordered by Medfield and Walpole on the south, Sherborn
on the west, Natick on the northwest, Wellesley and Needham on the north,
and Westwood on the east. Dover is 16 miles southwest of Boston. |