5 Best Things to Do in Dedham, MA

June 12, 2020 - Updated

Dedham is a small town in Norfolk County, MA, on Boston's southwest border. It was first settled by Europeans in 1635 and was incorporated in 1636. The oldest nation’s timber-frame house, Fairbanks House, is located in Dedham. . The first man-made canal in North America, Mother Brook, was created in Dedham in 1639, linking the Charles and the Neponset River. Dedham Historical Society was established to preserve the town’s history. Dedham is home to the famous highly coveted Dedham Pottery.

1.Fairbanks House

The Fairbanks House is a historic farm house in Dedham, Massachusetts. Built in 1636, it is the oldest still standing timber-frame house in North America. It was built by the Puritan settler Jonathan Fairbanks for his wife Grace and their family. The house was used by eight generations of the family until it was sold in the early 20th century. The original house was expanded many times as the family grew and architectural styles changed. Today the Fairbanks house is a historic house museum owned and operated by the non-profit organization Fairbanks Family in America. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

511, 3060, East St, Dedham, MA 02026, Phone: 781-326-1170

2.Dedham Historical Society

The Dedham Historical Society & Museum was established in 1859 by a group of Dedham residents in order to preserve the town’s history. Their goal was to collect and preserve records, items and traditions of the history of New England and the town of Dedham. The brick building at 612 High Street, which used to host the society and the museum for a while, was built on the site of Dedham’s first post office and the home of Jeremiah Shuttleworth. The property was left to the Society by the family. The two-story structure that hosts the society today was designed by Architect Edwin J. Lewis and contains a lecture and display hall, a storage area in the basement and Society office. A second exhibition room was added in 1965, with more document storage space beneath. The former basement was modernized and adapted to contain an extensive historical and genealogical library of the town.

612 High St, Dedham, MA 02026, Phone: 781-326-1385

3.Cava

Cava is a chain of almost 80 unique restaurants and a line of dips and spreads sold all over the country. The casual counter-serve restaurant concept is based on customizable format, in which a customer chooses a base of greens, grains, or pita, then adds a choice of assorted dips, spreads, proteins and toppings. All ingredients are healthy, fresh and change seasonally. Some of the favorites are butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, Greek minestrone soup, a carrot and currant topping, as well as red pepper chickpea dressing. There are millions of possible combinations. Cava’s Dedham, Massachusetts restaurant is tiny, modern and sleek spot located in Legacy Place, very popular among health-conscious crowd.

724 Legacy Pl, Dedham, MA 02026, Phone: 781-205-4766

4.Fire and Spa, Inc.

Fire and Ice Spa is a Cryotherapy and Sauna Center located in Dedham, Massachusetts. The spa specializes in providing Whole Body Cryotherapy, Local Cryotherapy, Cryo-Facial Hot Sauna, Platza, Russian Spa and Brancehes Treatment Massage. Cryotherapy services are known for its numerous benefits including anti-aging, rejuvenation, weight loss, pain management, general health and wellness, muscle recovery etc. The spa provides unique below-freezing whole body and localized cryotherapy treatment and Russian steaming hot Sauna branches treatment. Fire and Spa uses only the most advanced equipment available in the field of cryotherapy. Their top-of-the-line CryoSauna chambers are safe and provide faster pain relief associated with sports or other types of injuries. Besides cryotherapy, Fire and Spa provides complete spa services as well.

115 Eastern Ave, Dedham, MA 02026-4515

5.Pilates Redefined

Pilates Redefined is beautiful, intimate Pilates Studio in the heart of Dedham, Massachusetts. The studio provides one-on-one and small group training in Pilates and functional movement, following the path of connection, function and integration. Its goal is to make their clients strong and pain-free. The studio’s owner Miriam Lundgren PMAC is dedicated to the care, wellness and empowerment of her clients. She has extensive experience helping people of all ages and skill levels, from those with chronic health issues to athletes that needed boost to greater condition. The small group and private training ensure that every client meets his or her specific needs, goals, and issues.

619 High St unit 204, Dedham, MA 02026, Phone: 857-345-0605