Middlesex County, Massachusetts |
The name Medford is thought to have come from "the ford by the meadow" or "Meadford" thus commemorating the importance of the fordable part of the Mystic River located just west of present-day Medford Square.The original area of Medford was owned by Mathew Cradock, the first Governor of the Massachusetts colonies. Although Cradock never saw it, he employed men to develop his land into a plantation. After his death, the plantation passed to his heirs and then was sold en masse in 1652 to Edward Collins. The area was designated a "peculiar" which signified that it was private property and not a properly incorporated town. Collins began selling pieces of land to others after 1656. In 1684, Medford was granted the right to raise its own money by the General Court. In 1892, Medford became incorporated as a city.
A link to an online copy of HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855. (ed. Charles Brooks) from Google Books.
A link to the 1885 revised edition of HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD (by Charles Brooks and Rev. by James M. Usher) from Google books.
The Medford Public Schools had a History of Medfordweb page with information and links. It is currently off-line as the school district refurbishes its website.
Read more about Medford's History at The City of Medford's Web Site.
The Friends of the Mystic River also have a little Medford history on their site.
See also the information on Medford Historical Points of Interest from the Medford Chamber of Commerce site. (Scroll down to mid-page.)
Wikipedia's Medford, Massachusetts entry
Medford Historical Commision's website has many pictures of Medford homes and historical buildings both past and present.
The Medford Police Department has a bit on the History of the MPD including photographs.
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10 Governors Avenue Medford, MA 02155 781-391-8739 The Medford Historical Society is an all volunteer organization first organized in 1896. They published the Medford Historical Register from 189x-1940. Bound copies are available at the Medford Public Library, the Boston Public Library and the New England Historic Genealogy Society. Their building houses a small museum of artifacts from Medford's past including a panoramic display depicting Medford in the mid-1800s. They also have extensive documents of relevance to Medford's past. The museum is open to the public on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. Please call for further information and for their research policies. |
| Isaac Royall House 15 George Street (corner George and Main) |
Royall House Association |
| Tufts-Cradock House 350 Riverside Avenue | Wikipedia entry on Peter Tufts House Old Picture of Peter Tufts House |
| Paul Curtis House (aka Grandfather's House) 114 South Street | Wikipedia entry on Grandfather's house later known as the Paul Curtis House |
| Shepherd Brooks Estate 275 Grove Street | The Shepherd Brooks Manor is an 1880 Queen Anne Victorian mansion located at the Brooks Estate, currently under restoration by the Medford-Brooks Estate Land Trust (M-BELT). More info on the Brooks Estate from the Medford-Brooks Estate Land Trust |
| Andrew Isaac Hall House 43 High Street | Picture of the Isaac Hall House as it is in 2007. from the Hobbs Middle School Class of 1996 On-line Book |
| Jonathon Wade House 13 Bradlee Road | Picture of the Jonathan Wade House as it is in 2007. |