The city of Newton, Massachusetts was settled in 1630. It was then a part of Watertown. It was incorporated in 1688 as Cambridge Village, then renamed Newtown in 1691. It was not known as Newton until 1766. Newton is served by Boston’s subway system, making it an exceptionally convenient location for commuters. The city is home to many cultural institutions, including two symphony orchestras, the Newton Free Library, and the Newton History Museum. The museum, devoted to local history, is located in a farmhouse which was once a stop along the Underground Railroad. There are a number of colleges here, including Boston College, a venerable Jesuit school which is one of the best known of metropolitan Boston’s many elite private universities. With no single downtown area, Newton maintains a more intimate atmosphere by its informal division into thirteen smaller “villages”, each with its own center.