French's Common

Josiah French bequeathed this land in the 1850s under an explicit decree: it was to remain a common field for public business in perpetuity, with no private dwelling houses or buildings whatever allowed on the premises. Town Hall anchors the northern edge of the expanse, which has honored French's mandate across generations while also serving as drilling grounds for the Braintree Guards Association during World War I. The entrance archway framing the field was designed by Smith and Lovett.