Tongue in Cheek

Boxborough Tongue in Cheek Honors  - John Fallon 7/11/2023

The Massachusetts State Legislature has passed numerous bills created the “official” State insect (ladybug), flower (mayflower), and so forth. The Boxborough legislature (town meeting) has never done this but if it was so inclined three candidates might be:

The Town insect: BEE

From time immemorial, Boxborough with a “B” has been confused with Foxborough with an F (“where the Patriots play football”) leading to misdirected packages, missed furniture deliveries, and other inconveniences. In tribute to the “B”, Boxborough has had t-shirts, tote-bags, and at least two newspapers with the bee as its logo. To see the “official” 6 foot Boxborough bee, visit the Boxborough Museum at 575 Middle Road.

The Town plant: Poison Ivy

As new residents to town quickly realize, any weed removal project runs the risk of rash and itching. As a tribute to this humble but ubiquitous plant, when the Boxborough Quilters produced their “Boxborough at a Glance” masterpiece in 1994, the border was composed of a pattern of poison ivy. To see this quilt, visit the local history room of the Sargent Memorial Library.

The Town crop: Rocks

In the early nineteenth century Boxborough had the reputation as the largest hop-growing town of its size in New England. From the Civil War until World War II, it was famous for apples and other fruits which were shipped to Boston and even overseas. Today, to the great chagrin of contractors and residents alike, the main crop in town appears to be rocks, giving the town the nickname of “Rocksborough” in some quarters. To see an outstanding example of the glacial role in depositing rocks, visit the Boxborough Conservation Trust website for information on the Boxborough Esker also known as the Beaver Brook Valley Preserve.