Weston, one of the most affluent communities in the state, is an attractive suburban town on the perimeter of metropolitan Boston. Incorporated in 1713, the town is located on a rugged upland plateau. Early settlers discovered that the amount of useful agricultural land was limited as was the waterpower potential in the town. But colonists moving in from Watertown in the mid-17th century established scattered farms in Weston, and by 1679, a sawmill, several taverns, some doctors, and according to the historians, “probably some lawyers,” had settled in Weston. By the 18th century, residents were profiting by the traffic on the Boston Post Road.

Taverns of great historic importance were established on the Road. The Golden Ball Tavern, built in 1750, and the Josiah Smith Tavern, built in 1757, still exist in the town. After the opening of the Worcester Turnpike in 1810 drew commercial traffic from the Boston Post Road, Townspeople turned to boot and shoe making, and the manufacturing of cotton and woolen mill machinery. By 1870, substantial country estates were being built in Weston by Bostonians, establishing a prosperous residential character for the town. Farming continued to be a significant support for the local economy.