History of Medford, Massachusetts, USA

Settled on the "Ford" by Meadow

Medford, Massachusetts
Middlesex county. This beautiful town is situated at the head of navigation on Mystic river, 5 miles N.W. from Boston and 14 E. by S. from Concord. The Boston and Lowell rail-road, and Middlesex canal pass through the town. The finest ships that float on the ocean, are built here: during the five years preceding April 1, 1837, sixty vessels were built, the tonnage of which was 24,195 tons: value $1,112,970. There are also manufactures of leather, spirits, linseed oil, bricks, boots, shoes, ploughs, hats and hat bodies. The soil of the town is very fertile, and in a high state of cultivation. The business of the town is much associated with the city, and many delightful country seats are scattered over and decorate the grounds improved as a farm by Governor Winthrop in 1633.

Winter Hill, memorable as the place of encampment of General Burgoyne and his army, after their capture at Saratoga, is in this town. It is 125 feet above the tide water and presents a...

Medford, before it was settled by the English, bore the Indian name of the River Mystic, on which it is situated. It was originally
spelled Meadford.

The Mystic which is here wide enough to admit of ship building on its banks, becomes a very narrow stream above the main village.

After the capture of General Burgoyne's army, at Saratoga,
they were stationed at Winter Hill on the borders of this town.

John Brooks, an active officer of the Revolution, and a Grovernor of
Massachusetts, lived and died here.

Medford has always been celebrated for the excellence of its ship building. The other chief manufactures are hats and bricks.

Distance from Concord, 14 miles ; from Boston, 5.

MEDF0RD is one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts, being incorporated in 1630. Gov. Dudley, in his letter of March 12th, 1630. to the countess of Lincoln, speaking of the “dispertiori” of the settlers who had just arrived from England, says, “some of us upon Mistic, which we named Meadford." In Wood’s New England Prospect, printed in London in 1639, the author, in giving an account of the various settlements, notices Mystic or Medford in the following manner: "The next town is Mistic, which is three miles from Charlestown by land, and a league and a half by water. It is seated by the water side very pleasantly; there are not many houses as yet. At the head of this river are great and spacious ponds, whither the alewives press to spawn. This being a noted place for that kind of fish, the English resort thither to take them. On the west side of this river the Governor hath a farm, where he keeps most of his cattle. On the east side is Mr. Cradock's plantation, where he hath impaled a...

Medford, a flourishing post-township of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, on Mystic river, 5 miles N. from Boston. It is intersected by the Boston and Lowell railroad, and by the Middlesex canal. Pop., 3749.

Medford, a post-village in the above township, situated near its centre. It contains 4 churches and several stores.

Medford is an ancient and charming suburban town in the southeastern part of Middlesex County, 5 miles northwest of Boston by the Medford Branch Railroad, which has stations at Glenwood, Park Street, and Medford village. Through the entire western section of the town runs the Boston and Lowell Railroad, having stations at College Hill, Medford Hillside, West Medford and Mystic; both roads belonging to the Boston and Maine Railroad system. Medford (village), West Medford, College Hill, Glenwood and Wellington are the post-offices. Other villages are East Medford, South Medford and Medford Steps.

The boundaries of the town are Winchester and Stoneham on the north, Melrose, Malden and Everett on. the east, Somerville on the south and southwest, and Arlington and Winchester on the west. The assessed area is 4,654 acres, of which 429 acres are forest. A considerable portion of the north part of the town is included in that much-esteemed tract of wilderness known as "Middlesex Fells."...

Medford, a post-village in Medford township, Middlesex co., Mass., on the Mystic River, on the Boston & Lowell Railroad, and on the Boston & Maine Railroad, Medford Branch, 5 miles N.N.W. of Boston. It contains 7 churches, a high school, a town house, 1 or 2 newspaper offices, a savings-bank, and Tufts College (Universalist), which was organized in 1855 and has 16 instructors and a library of 13,000 volumes. (See College Hill). Medford has manufactures of rum, bricks, and buttons. Pop. of the township in 1890, 11,079. Mystic Pond, which is on its border, supplies Charlestown with water.