Washington Street¹

Washington Street is Canton’s oldest street (“the king’s highway,” according to Daniel T. V. Huntoon), with portions of it in existence during the middle of the seventeenth century, as the way to Rhode Island. The northern part, passing Blue Hill, is mentioned as far back as 1690, and was known as the “common road” in 1694. In 1700, it was laid out by Dorchester’s selectmen three rods in width, and called the “road leading to Billings’ [tavern in Sharon]”, where it joined the road from Boston, through Dedham, to Seekonk, thus substantially following the existing highway. In 1707, it was called the “road leading to Rehoboth”. In 1712, it was re-laid out. At a later point, it was called the “country road”, or, alternately, the “main road leading to Rhode Island.” In 1743, it was called the “Taunton road”; in 1785, the “great road from Boston to Taunton”; in 1799, the “main road”; in 1800, the “great road.” In 1830, it was again named the “Taunton road”. It was only in 1840 that the street finally became known as “Washington Street.” 

Resources¹

History of the Town of Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, by Daniel T. V. Huntoon, 119.