About | Did You Know...?
Our city has quite a history

Medford, Massachusetts is a vibrant, diverse and thriving community. With a rich history, unique geographic position close to Boston and Cambridge, and its river, lakes, ponds, conservation areas, many historic properties and the world-renowned Tufts University, Medford has a lot to offer.

Early Years
First settled in 1630, Medford is the fourth oldest English settlement in America. Governor Matthew Craddock headed the settlement, and over the next 200 years, it became a flourishing village with farms, fisheries and a shipbuilding industry. In 1892, the Medford incorporated as the City of Medford and elected its first mayor, General Samuel Crockett Lawrence.

People
Many famous leaders, activists, philanthropists, statesmen and pioneers have called Medford home throughout the years, including:

• Abraham Touro—philanthropist and a founding contributor to the Massachusetts General Hospital
• Lydia Maria Francis Child—abolitionist, author and early feminist
• George Luther Shearns—abolitionist and newspaper publisher
• Charles Tufts and Timothy Cotting—founding contributors of Tufts University
• Amelia Earheart—first women to fly across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
• Fanny Farmer—cookbook author famous for chocolate recipes
• James Pierpont—author of "Jingle Bells"

Architecture
Like many of its people, much of Medford's architecture is historically significant. Many Medford homes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Isaac Royall House, the Shepard Brooks Estate and the Peter Tufts House—the oldest all-brick structure in the United States. The distinctive architecture of each of Medford's neighborhoods illustrates how the community's housing needs were met over time. The modest homes in West Medford served the thriving African-American community. The proud two and three-family homes of South Medford served the working class and immigrant families. The large Victorian homes around Magoun Avenue served the growing population that commuted via streetcar to Boston. The sprawling Colonial, Victorian and Italianate homes of the Lawrence and Brooks Estates served Medford's prominent merchants and professionals.

For more information about Medford's architecture, pick up a copy of Your House in the Streetcar Suburb: The History and Care of Houses in Medford, Massachusetts at the Medford Public Library. This is an important work by Cynthia Howard that every Medford homeowner should read!

Recreation
Medford parks and natural scenic areas including the Mystic Lakes, Wright Pond, Spot Pond and the Middlesex Fells exist because of the community's long-standing commitment to the environment and to providing recreational opportunities for its residents. Notably, the Medford Boat Club in West Medford was founded in 1898.Members enjoy various social activities in addition to the boating opportunities membership provides.Visitors can also enjoy the 80 acre historic Shepard Brooks Estate, the Isaac Royall House and Slave Quarters or the Medford Historical Society—all tributes to the pride Medford residents take in the city's past.

The City Today
Medford is a thriving city that has survived development, economic, social, political and demographic changes. Today, nearly 57,000 people call Medford home. The people of Medford have been able to embrace new ideas while retaining a sense of history and pride. As a result, the community will continually evolve yet remain a great place to live, work or visit.