Lancaster, Massachusetts

The First Church of Christ, Unitarian, also known as First Church of Christ, Lancaster and colloquially as "the Bulfinch Church", is a historic congregation with its meeting house located at 725 Main Street facing the Common in Lancaster, Massachusetts. The church's fifth meeting house, built in 1816, was designed by architect Charles Bulfinch, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, recognizing it as one of Bulfinch's finest works.

The Lancaster Raid was the first in a series of five planned raids on English colonial towns during the winter of 1675-1676 as part of King Philip's War. Metacom, known by English colonists as King Philip, was a Wampanoag sachem who led and organized Wampanoag warriors during the war. Teaming up with Nipmuc and Narragansett warriors, the Wampanoag successfully raided the town of Lancaster, securing provisions and prisoners to help them carry on into their winter offensive.

The Center Village District encompasses the historic village center of Lancaster, Massachusetts. Settled in 1643, it has few traces of its early history, but is now a well-kept rural town center with a predominantly residential and civic character. It includes the First Church of Christ, Lancaster, which is a U.S. National Historic Landmark, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

The Middle Cemetery is an historic cemetery on Main Street in southern Lancaster, Massachusetts. Established in 1798, it is the town's third oldest cemetery, with active burials taking place until 1969. The cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.

The Old Settlers' Burying Ground is an historic cemetery off Main Street in southern Lancaster, Massachusetts. Established by 1674, it is the town's oldest formal cemetery, its burials including family members of many early settlers. The cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.

The Nathaniel Thayer Estate is a historic house in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Built in 1846 and extensively restyled in 1902, it is a particularly fine example of Georgian Revival architecture, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Since 1946, the estate has been owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which operated Atlantic Union College there until its 2018 closure. The main house is presently home to Thayer Conservatory, bringing community together through music and the arts.

The North Nashua River is a river in northern Massachusetts. It rises from the Whitman River and Phillips Brook in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It flows 19.9 miles (32.0 km), generally southeastward, past Fitchburg and joins the South Nashua River, about 5 miles (8.0 km) below its issuance from the Wachusett Reservoir, to form the Nashua River. The river supplies over two million people with drinking water.

The South Nashua River is a river in Massachusetts that flows 5.1 miles (8.2 km) through Clinton and Lancaster. It starts at the Wachusett Dam on the Wachusett Reservoir and ends by joining the North Nashua River to form the Nashua River.

The Atherton Bridge is a historic iron truss bridge in Lancaster, Massachusetts, spanning the South Branch of the Nashua River. It is a rare example of a hybrid pony truss that is similar to the 19th century truss design of Simeon S. Post. It was built by J. H. Cofrode & Co. of Philadelphia in 1870. It was the first iron bridge to be constructed in the town. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The bridge formerly carried Bolton Road, but was closed to vehicular traffic in 1975 and bypassed by a modern highway bridge in the 1980s. The bridge remained open to pedestrian traffic until April 2020, when a flash flood damaged the bridge's wooden deck and it was closed to all traffic. The long-term future of the bridge is uncertain.The sign commemorating Atherton Bridge states: ATHERTON BRIDGE There has been a bridge at this location since early settlement. It is named for James Atherton, one of the signers of the petition for incorporation of the town in 1652. The 1794 map lists the bridge as 90 feet long on a county way Lancaster’s first iron bridge was placed here in 1870.

The Anthony Lane House is a historic house at 250 Seven Bridge Road in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Built in 1809, it is one of the town's finest examples of Federal period architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The Beaman Oak was the largest white oak tree in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It stood in the front yard of a colonial era three-story house in the town of Lancaster. It was so named because Gamaliel Beaman had originally settled the spot in 1659. The oak became known as a prominent landmark in Central Massachusetts and is featured prominently on the town seal of West Boylston. In 1970, the Beaman Oak's circumference at its base was 31 ft (9.4 m), with a circumference 5 ft (1.5 m) above the base of 31 ft (9.4 m), and its height was 75 ft (23 m) and spread was 75 ft (23 m). The oak's trunk was partially hollow towards the end of its life. After a storm severely damaged it, the tree was cut down in 1989.

South Lancaster Academy (SLA) is a co-educational preparatory day school, consisting of grades Preschool through 12, operated by Seventh-day Adventists in South Lancaster, Massachusetts. It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist education system, the world's second largest Christian school system.