~  The Christopher Columbus Mutual Benefit Society of Framingham, Incorporated  ~

The Beginning

On the evening of December 27th, 1908, a group of Italian men met in a small basement in Coburnville, the southwest area of Framingham. As newcomers to this country, they desired a fraternal society in which to find friendship and, if necessary, support. After naming the Society's 4 virtues "For Country, For Humanity, For Progress, For Equality" and choosing an Italian hero as their namesake, the Christopher Columbus Society elected its first president, Enrico Lordi, from its 67 founding members, all of whom could trace their ancestry back to Italy on their father's side.

On July 9th, 1909, the charter was signed and accepted. Nineteen days later on the 28th, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts legally established the Christopher Columbus Mutual Benefit Society of Framingham, Incorporated. On the 11th of October 1910, the Society purchased the land for its present home at 11 Fountain Street. Seventy Society Shareholders agreed to donate a week's work or a week's wages and completed the building in a year!

Throughout the years, the Society grew in members, in land, and in influence. Bylaws were relaxed and membership flourished. Additional, adjacent property was acquired to accomodate the ever more popular invention of the automobile. Renovations to the original clubhouse were envisioned and executed. After years of participating in town parades and ceremonial events, the square outside the clubhouse was renamed "Columbus Square." During World War II, the Society furnished and equipped two rooms at Cushing Hospital, erected a memorial monument in St. Tarcicius Cemetery honoring all deceased members, celebrated a solemn high mass of requiem for the 2 members who valiantly performed the ultimate sacrifice for their country, and warmly welcomed all its returning servicemen.

The Present and Future

The Society is and will continue its social and charitable traditions. We're definitely keeping busy down on Fountain Street! We celebrate the holidays every year with a Thanksgiving breakfast, a Christmas buffet and children's party (with Santa as our very special guest!), and a New Year's Eve dinner and dance. We celebrate our families with a summer picnic. We celebrate our vitality with a summer golf league, a summer bocce league, a pitch league, and dance lessons. We celebrate every day with lunches, card games, Patriots games, meat shoots, and tons of animated conversation!

As we come upon our Centennial anniversary in December 2008, our eyes are focused on the future! Beyond planning an amazing and worthy Centennial celebration, we are looking forward to continuing our traditions of camaraderie, mutual and community betterment.

With our dedicated members of the past, present, and future, here's to another 100 years!