Located just a short drive west of Marlborough, Framingham began in mid-17th century as small wilderness settlement off the Old Connecticut Path. Framingham's first public building, the Meeting House, was completed in 1698, and the town began to blossom thereafter. Today, a strong sense of history merges with a youthful spirit (due in part to the presence of Framingham State College, a nationally-respected liberal arts school), to form a unique shopping destination, one that includes Framingham Centre, Trolley Square, and Saxonville.