Marlborough, Massachusetts

Marlborough (often spelled Marlboro) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century, making the transition to high technology in the late 20th century after the construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike.

The first European settlers were welcomed by the Native Americans because the settlers protected the Indians from other tribes they were at war with. In 1836, Samuel Boyd, known as the “father of the city,” together with his brother Joseph opened the first shoe manufacturing business, an act that would change the community forever. By 1890, Marlborough had become a major shoe manufacturing center, producing boots for Union soldiers, as well as footwear for the civilian population. Marlborough became so well known for its shoes that its official seal was decorated with a factory, a shoe box, and a pair of boots when it was incorporated as a city in 1890.

The construction of Interstates 495 and 290, along with the Massachusetts Turnpike, has enabled Marlborough to begin its fifth century on the cutting edge of high technology and specialized electronics. Today thousands flock to Marlborough to work at companies such as Fidelity Investments, Raytheon, Hewlett-Packard, AMD, Sun Microsystems, Navilyst Medical, Netezza, Boston Scientific, 3Com, Egenera, Evergreen Solar and the many other electronics and computer firms with a presence in the city.