Foxboro, Massachusetts

Foxborough is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, approximately 22 miles southwest of Boston. The town is perhaps best known as the site of Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots (National Football League) and the New England Revolution (Major League Soccer). “Foxborough” is the official spelling of the town name, although the alternative spelling “Foxboro” is also frequently used. This alternative spelling is used by the U.S. Postal Service as the correct form by which to address mail to recipients in the town, although either spelling can be processed by the USPS.

Settled in 1704 and incorporated in 1778, the town of Foxborough was named for Charles James Fox, a Whig member of Parliament and staunch supporter of the Colonies in the years leading up to the American Revolution. The town was once home to the world’s largest straw hat factory, the Union Straw Works.

Until the early 1900s, Foxborough was composed of small neighborhood communities, including Foxvale/Paineburgh, which remained semi-independent until the mid-20th century; Quaker Hill in South Foxborough; and Lakeview/Donkeyville in West Foxborough. The Patriot Place shopping plaza, built on land surrounding the stadium bought by the team’s owner, completed construction in 2009. The plaza includes a variety of restaurants, clothing stores, and other retailers.