[1] Boylston was first settled by Europeans around 1706 in the northern part of the present-day town, most notably by the Sawyer family after Nashaway sachems Sholan and George Tahanto deeded the land.

[2] In 1697, the residents petitioned to form a local town and government, but the British colonial Governor of Massachusetts denied their request since he wanted to keep the number of towns to a minimum and to restrict popular representation.

[3] A meeting house was built in 1743, and the Reverend Ebenezer Morse, ordained in October 1743, was the first minister in charge of the church.

[7][8][9] The residents formerly made a living from agriculture, and erected mills on the Nashua River, until the construction of Wachusett Reservoir terminated their operation.

The Wachusett Reservoir, part of the water supply system managed by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority for Greater Boston area, lies in the northwestern part of the town and covers about 5,000 acres (20 km2) of land.

[21][22] In fiscal year 2008, the town of Boylston spent 1.35% ($152,562) of its budget on its public library—some $35 per person.

[24] The town is also home to the Tower Hill Botanic Garden, operated by the Worcester County Horticultural Society, which offers adult education classes in horticulture, cooking, and gardening.