Running through Eastern Massachusetts, the 80-mile long river begins in Hopkinton runs through 23 cities and towns and ends in Boston emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. English explorer Capt. John Smith explored the area in the early 1600s naming the river Massachusetts until King Charles I renamed the body of water after himself. Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University are situated along the Charles River that has a popular 23-mile long bike path running along its side.
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