Holliston, MA
The Legend of Balancing Rock
Holliston is a town in Middlesex County. The town has a total area of 19.0 square miles. It is located 21.6 miles west of Boston and is within short driving distance of Interstate 495 and the Massachusetts Turnpike. Massachusetts Route 16 and Massachusetts Route 126 pass through the town.
On the north side of Route 16 sits a large rock, weighing easily over 5 tons. The rock appears to be balanced precariously on an outcrop of granite ledge. On November 6, 1789, General George Washington led his entourage from Boston to New York via this route. Legend has it that, as they came across this “Balancing Rock,” they took the opportunity to have some fun and tried their best to tip over the rock. Their efforts and those of many others over the years were to no avail.
On September 22, 2020, Balancing Rock appears to have finally fallen. The rock is on the property of the Balancing Rock development.
