The Charles River passes through Waban, one of the thirteen villages within the city of Newton. Waban was named for an Algonquian chief who lived near Nonantum Hill. Waban is bordered by the Charles River and MA-9 to the south, and MA-16 to the west.

The Charles River (sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles) is an 80-mile-long river in eastern Massachusetts. It flows northeast from Hopkinton to Boston along a highly meandering route, that doubles back on itself several times and travels through 23 cities and towns before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The native Massachusett tribe named it Quinobequin, meaning “meandering”.