Originally including portions of Wayland, Framingham, Marlborough, Stow and Maynard, Sudbury was incorporated in 1639. Its militia was active in King Philip’s War and participated in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, sending a contingent of 346.

Sudbury’s earliest businesses served the farming community. Its commerce and culture grew around its three major transportation routes, including “The Great Road” (known today as Boston Post Road) that connected Boston to Albany. Its historic district has retained its integrity since 1800.

One of the town’s most historic properties is The Wayside Inn, described as the oldest operating inn in America. Built and managed by the Howe Family for many generations, it is featured in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Tales of a Wayside Inn, a book of poems published in 1863.

From the 1950s on, Sudbury has attracted commercial development including Raytheon, Sperry Rand, and Star Market. Its one-acre zoning by-law has helped the town retain its rural character.