Month: October 2025

October Hearing Materials

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Good morning! The Historical Commission will be at Thomas Brooks Park this morning working with the team from SWCA consultants on a second archaeological dig. Tonight, we have a hearing and will determine significance on two buildings.

October Hearing AgendaDownload

41 Mystic Avenue – Public Hearing
The Commission will take comments on if the demolition of 41 Mystic Avenue is detrimental to the historical or cultural assets of the City of Medford. The building is an 18th century structure moved in the late 19th century for Governor’s Avenue. The building is importantly associated with the Hall Family of Medford. Benjamin Hall was a noted rum distiller whose ships were actively involved in the Atlantic Triangle Trade. Beyond this, Hall’s brother-in-law was Timothy Fitch, a slave trader. The building also has some interesting history regarding its current location on Mystic Ave, the former Medford Turnpike. You can read all about that in the enclosed MHC Form B and extension form.

41 Mystic Ave – MHC Form BDownload
Continuation Sheet – 41 Mystic AvenueDownload

58 Myrtle Street – Determination of Significance
The Commission will determine if 58 Myrtle Street is significant. The building is a mid-19th-century structure that was likely part of the development laid out by Horatio Williams. The neighborhood consists of uniform gable-end houses that closely abut the street. The area was once known as Williamsburg for its connection to Williams, but the name has given way to Glenwood, which was the name of the nearby depot on Spring Street at the corner of Myrtle.

58 Myrtle – MHC Form BDownload

231 Park Street – Determination of Significance
The Commission will last take an application for the demolition of 231 Park Street. This mid-19th-century building is similar to Myrtle in many ways. It was documented during the East Medford Survey Project and is one of 3000 or so pre-1900 homes remaining city-wide.

231 Park Street – MHC Form BDownload

As always, comments are welcome by emailing the Historical Commission ahead of tonight’s meeting. We look forward to seeing you there!

October Meeting Materials

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Salutations and greetings on this fine fall day! The Medford Historical Commission has an early meeting on October 6, 2025. The agenda is included below so you can follow along. Meeting materials that the Commission will review are available further down in this post.

October 6, 2025 Meeting AgendaDownload

10 Irving Street – Public Hearing
The Commission will hold a public hearing to determine if the demolition of 10 Irving Street would be detrimental to the historic resources of the City of Medford. We do so by determining if the building is preferably preserved. This structure is Italianate in nature. Its large form suggests it is an earlier building that was moved to the site. The Commission will review the information in the Form B and hear public comments to determine if the building is preferably preserved.

10 Irving Street – MHC Form BDownload

41 Mystic Avenue – Determination of Significance
An application for demolition has been received for 41 Mystic Avenue. We will review the building for significance. The Benjamin and Hepzibah Jones Hall House was surveyed as part of the Medford Square South Project. This building is one of twelve surviving eighteenth-century buildings remaining in the City.

41 Mystic Avenue – MHC Form BDownload

121 Second Street – Determination of Significance
An application for demolition has been received for 121 Second Street. The Commission will review the information in the MHC Form B and determine significance. This is an early 20th century resource with some surviving original details. The building is slated for total demolition to be replaced by a duplex.

121 Second Street – MHC Form BDownload

Upcoming Demolition Reviews:
Although they did not make it to the agenda in time, there are two applications that will be received by the Commission. The first is 6 Hobbs Road, which proposes major renovations to a 20th-century residence in West Medford. The other is 58 Myrtle Street, which is being remodeled extensively to the point where the original structure will no longer be distinguishable.

Old Business:

The Commission will continue its meeting with the various monthly updates on projects underway.

Vacancies: We are still looking for new members. Please reach out to us if you are interested in serving on our board.
Historic District Commission Updates: Nothing at this time.
Properties Under Delay: No update at this time.
Form Bs: We received the Form B back from consultant John Clemson for the Kappy’s Building. We always try to share this information so that it is useful during planning discussions.

10 Revere Beach Parkway – MHC Form BDownload

Thomas Brooks Park
We’re pleased to announce we’re looking for volunteers for a second dig planned this fall. See our announcement for more information. With that underway, we can turn our attention to bidding the tree work. We secured a large amount of money to prune many of the historic trees in the park. We are looking to partner with the Planning Department, Parks, and DPW to collaborate efforts to make the green canopy safe. Work will happen in the winter when the vegetation is gone so any deadwood can be seen and removed. This is a pruning exercise and removal of the dead trees. We are hoping to replant a handful of the native trees in the spring. Once that major task is bid, we will return to looking at the sidewalks and crosswalks with the DPW and Engineering.

Hastings Heights Survey:
The Survey and Planning Project has gone out to bid. Procurement will release the documents on Monday, and responses are due in early November. If the City can turn around a contract quickly, work can begin in mid-November and extend through September of next year.

We will end our meeting with the approval of meeting minutes. As always, if you have questions, comments or concerns, please don’t hesitate to email us!

Volunteers Wanted for Archaeological Dig 2.0

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The Medford Historical Commission is looking for adventurous volunteers to help with the archaeological dig planned at Thomas Brooks Park!

Thomas Brooks Park is a landscape of deep cultural significance. It weaves together Medford’s local history, the legacy of slavery in New England, and the presence of Native American heritage—all preserved within this historic site. The current archaeological excavation is being conducted as part of due diligence in preparation for planned preservation and protection efforts. Please note that all unauthorized digging, metal detecting, or artifact collecting is strictly prohibited.

Unearth hidden stories from Medford’s past as you roll up your sleeves, dig into history, and help uncover artifacts that haven’t seen daylight in centuries. No experience is required – just curiosity, enthusiasm, and a readiness for discovery.  Here are some of the early details:

🗓 When: The end of October or early November. We will post the specific days as we get closer.
⏰ Schedule: Volunteers will come for one full day, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM (includes a 30-minute lunch break). We can have up to 6 volunteers per day.
📋 Orientation: All volunteers must attend a 1-hour orientation on a date in advance of the dig.

Volunteers must be 18 or older to participate. If you can’t make it to the dig itself, we’ll post about lab work (cleaning and cataloging what is recovered).

☀️ Rain or shine, the dig goes on!

No need to bring equipment — just wear sturdy, closed-toed boots or shoes with ankle support. (Sorry, no flip-flops!) You may bring your own gardening gloves and knee pads if you’d like. Be sure to pack your own lunch and water for the day.

Ready to make history?
📧 Email the Medford Historical Commission at historicalcommission@medford-ma.gov with your name, availability, and best contact method to be added to the list.