Milton has 4 of the greatest places in Massachusetts as determined by popular vote conducted by the 1,000 Great Places Commission.  It’s 5 if you count the Milton Art Museum which is temporarily in Canton. According to the Commission’s press release, “The Great Places initiative celebrates what is unique about the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, its communities, and its people. It aims to boost visitation to Massachusetts as well as give local residents the opportunity to visit known and unknown historic sites, cultural venues, and natural landscapes.” And Milton, of course,  has all three.

The Commission was created by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in 2009. Its mission is to identify and recognize the 1000 most truly special places in the Commonwealth, in order to celebrate pride in our history and culture, increase knowledge of our natural surroundings, and encourage regional and international tourism.

“This list of 1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts celebrates what a truly special place Massachusetts is,” says Eric Turkington of Falmouth, a former state representative who chairs the Great Places in Massachusetts Commission. “It reminds us how fortunate we are to have such a wealth of heritage, cultural diversity, and natural beauty right in our backyard.”

Here are the Milton Places that were selected (linked to web site if available):

• Blue Hill Observatory
• Blue Hills Trailside Museum
• Governor Hutchinson Field (for those new to town this is the meadow at the top of Milton hill across from the Forbes House on Adams Street)
• Milton Art Museum (this is a Milton institution that is actually located in Canton on temp basis at Massasoit Community College)
• The Falls at Lower Mills

You can find the complete list of great places here.