Driving through downtown Taunton, Mass., today, I see many of the elements that make New England so special.

Grand old homes on Route 44 west lead into a good number of locally-owned mom and pop shops and restaurants and the city’s centerpiece — the sprawling 50-acre Taunton Green Historic District surrounded by charming, historic municipal and commercial buildings and a big, old church. Twenty or so buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places!

The park-like feeling of the Taunton Green is peaceful, almost like what would happen if

you moved a small Vermont village into a bigger city space. Looking at this classic New England scene makes one almost forget that Taunton is not all peaches and cream as many city elements pose a challenge to the growth of this southeastern Massachusetts city. On the other hand, the bad rap is mostly undeserved. How many small cities can boast a downtown this pretty? How many cities have virtually every type of neighborhood — urban, suburban, rural — with the average people per square mile around 1,000? That’s not too much different than nearby smaller towns like Bridgewater, Foxboro and Mansfield.

This not to say that Taunton is a utopia and a travel destination. It’s not, the city has its ups and downs just like other cities. I just think that Taunton has more “ups” than “downs,” and its downtown is certainly worth a look if you’re in the area and would like to see a quintessential New England town common.

We like to look at the bright side of New England, and today Taunton looks quite sunny!