Fun Facts About Needham

We shared some facts with you about Wellesley and all the wonderful reasons to live there and now we are back to fill you in on some details about Needham! Although it was once a large town including Wellesley, Needham now stands on its own as a beautiful, family town.

1. The town of Needham was founded in 1711, when early settlers relied mostly on agriculture. However, farming in Needham during this time was not always easy because of the poor soil in the town.

2. One of the first businesses opened in Needham was the William Carter Company. Although no longer in Needham, this fine knitwear company still exists and is very popular.

3. What is now the Wellesley Country Club was once the town’s poor farm. When West Needham became Wellesley during the town division; they included that farm, which led to the creation of the country club. During the time, this was considered a setback for the town of Needham in 1881.

4. A year after the town separation creating Needham and Wellesley, the high schools began playing the annual Thanksgiving Football Game. Currently, this match up holds place of the second-longest running high school football rivalry.

5. When Route 128 was created in 1931, it opened more access for town development and easier commuting to Boston. Because of this, Needham became one of the most desirable suburbs to live in.

6. Six-time Olympic medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman grew up in Needham. The house was sold in 2013 and completely renovated. However, the gym in the basement where Aly grew up practicing still exists, they did not touch that part of the home.

7. In 2005, Needham was the first city in the United States to make the age to legally buy tobacco products to 21.

8. Needham’s population grew over 50% during the 1930s.

9. Founded in 1997 by the F.W. Olin Foundation, Olin College still exists in Needham today. This is a private undergraduate engineering school.

10. In September 2019, The Sunita L. William School is planning to open. This will be a new elementary school, which will replace the existing Hillside Elementary School.