Thomas Brooks Park

January Meeting Materials

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Happy New Year! The Historical Commission is ready to kickoff 2024 with a robust agenda that moves a series of reviews and projects along. We look forward to seeing you at our meeting.

January AgendaDownload

We have a new Commissioner on the board. Welcome Eleni Glekas. You’ll be hearing more about her soon, as we’ll make sure we have her give us some background information and dedicate a whole post like what has been done for the previous Commissioners. On that note, we would like to thank Jessica Farrell for all she has done for the board.

43 Allston Street:
The Commission will receive the application and determine significance for the fire damaged structure on Allston Street. The Commission had an MHC inventory form prepared to document the building. We will review the information within and take action following comments by the Commissioners.

43 Allston Street MHC Form BDownload

314 Winthrop Street:
The Commission will next receive the application for 314 Winthrop Street. The paperwork came in late so we will determine the significance of the building next month. An inventory form has been prepared and is included below.

314 WInthrop Street MHC Form BDownload

Brooks Park Presentation:
Landscape Architect Peter Hedlund will give a brief presentation and solicit feedback from the Commissioners on the goals of the Thomas Brooks Park project. This is a kickoff meeting for the archaeological cap that will be placed atop the Brooks House site following additional archaeological investigations later this year. Peter previously prepared the master plan for the park and we are looking forward to working with him to protect one of the sites most important features.

Election of Officer and Meeting Dates:
This is a hold over from December, as we wanted to make sure we take the time to include all the commissioners in this discussion. We will set our meeting dates and elect officers for the season.

Annual Report:
We are almost ready to release our annual report for the 2023 year. We have a few edits to make and the Commissioners will hopefully approve the final document this evening. Once that is done, we will post it to our website for everyone to see!

We will conclude the meeting with general updates on various projects that are ongoing. If there are any questions or comments, do drop us a note by emailing us. We look forward to hearing from members of our community. Thanks!

Thomas Brooks Park – Update 3.0

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Almost done! The contractor for the field stone wall finished their work at the beginning of June. For the first time in perhaps a half-century, Thomas Brooks Park has a complete wall from end to end. There were some important discoveries which we wish to share with you! First, some photos of the work:

The wall at the southern end of the park is characteristically different than the stones beyond Pomp’s wall. These seem almost architectural and have been dressed square. They could be pieces of the Edward Brooks House. The mansion stood opposite the park until the early 20th century and was demolished to make way for the current neighborhood. The discovery of granite border blocks suggests these might be pieces of the former stone arched bridge over the Middlesex Canal. This structure was designed by George Rumford Baldwin, a son of Loammi Baldwin of Woburn. Father Baldwin designed the canal in 1790 and it cut through the Brooks Estates on its way from Somerville to Winchester. The bridge cost $1,000 and was made from Chelmsford Granite. It survived until the early 20th century and was once a planned focal piece for the residential development. That plan fell through and the structure was demolished. It was long believed that pieces made their way into adjacent foundations or were buried but the presence of a small arched capstone (now in the Brooks Park Wall) suggests these blocks are pieces of that bridge.

Pompeii’s Wall restoration is moving into its final phase. The cap flashing and stones are being installed to bring the project to a conclusion. The repairs are done in a manner that will allow the wall to be water tight and safe for the next century.

The contractor was kind enough to share with us that some of the bricks maintain the marks of their maker. We’re not sure if these are Pompeii’s hand prints but we can be sure the bricks are hand made and that a human crafted them for inclusion in the wall. Neat stuff!

Now for a word of warning. It has come to our attention that someone is dismantling the north end of the wall by Saltonstall Road. The contractor will return to repair this area of damage and he noted this is a deliberate act of destruction. The Commission was notified shortly after it happened (over the weekend) and we will monitor the site as this is destruction of a historic resource. This is the location of a desire path, and it is not a safe location for crossing Grove Street (no sight lines for pedestrians or autos). The wall blocks the end of the park for this reason and visitors should cross down at the entrance opposite Laird Road, a short distance to the south. We will be marking the new entrances and working with the City to make sure there are cross walks, curb cuts, and signage in the future to make crossing Grove Street easier.

Thank you to the Medford Community Preservation Commission for making this project happen. It helps move the Brooks Park Master Plan further along. Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we look toward the next project.

June Meeting Materials and Updates

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Summer has arrived and with it, our June meeting. You can find our latest agenda posted for our meeting here:

June Meeting AgendaDownload

We have a rather light meeting so we will be providing some updates on projects. The major one is work at Thomas Brooks Park is about 95% complete. The field stone wall has been entirely restored. Pomp’s wall is almost there and is missing a few stones to finish the top cap. That will be finished by next week. We will post finished photos when complete!

Hope to see you at tonight’s meeting.

Thomas Brooks Park: Update 2.0!

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Have you seen all the amazing work happening at Thomas Brooks Park on Grove Street? If you have not been down this historic street in a while, drive by as you’re in for a treat! Progress is moving right along with the restoration of Pomp’s Wall and the Fieldstone Wall. Here is a quick summary of what has happened in the last two weeks.

Pomp’s Wall:

The lower portion of Pomp’s wall has been restored. The wall is laid in Flemish Bond, a decorative brick pattern that can now be seen clearly. Much of the wall is original 18th century brick and the mason is doing everything he can to preserve the hand made features. The far end, which was ready to topple over, is on its way to being reconstructed. The bricks were stored to document their exact location so the wall will be rebuilt exactly as it was.

Fieldstone Wall Restoration:

The contractors are moving right along with the rebuilding of the granite wall that borders the remainder of the park. We are pleased with the progress to date. They have laid more than one hundred feet of stonework in the past week and that is impressive.

We have received several calls and emails pertaining to access openings in the park. Rest assured that there will be plenty of access points along the length of Grove Street. These have been strategically mapped out with assistance from our landscape architect, the Department of Public Works, City Engineering/Traffic Department and the on-site contractor. Some entrance points are being moved to ensure the safest crossing area and site lines for pedestrians when crossing the street. If your favorite access point has been closed off, it is very likely that there will be a new opening created close by!

Do look for the openings, such as this one opposite Laird Road. We will mark them with signage and crosswalks in the next phase of work. We look forward to your ongoing support for the restoration efforts in Thomas Brooks Park! If you are interested in being on our email list, please do not hesitate to send us an email to sign up at historicalcommission@medford-ma.gov.

Thomas Brooks Park: An Update!

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If you drive down Grove Street, you may have noticed that work is underway at Thomas Brooks Park. There are two separate projects that are being completed by two different preservation professionals. Work is entirely funded by the City of Medford’s Community Preservation Committee and we thank them for their support.

Pomp’s Wall Restoration:

Masonry expert Richard McGrath of Lunenburg recently removed the capstones of the eighteenth century brick wall. This is the first step for conservation work. It revealed what we expected – extensive deterioration to the inside of the wall structure that must be repaired. This element is of special importance to Medford. It is one of two extant reminders of slavery. The bricks were assembled by Pompeii, a slave owned by Thomas Brooks. Pompeii and several other African Americans lived on the land that is now Thomas Brooks Park. The site was a gift to the City from the Brooks family with the stipulation that we forever care for wall then known as “The Old Slave Wall.”

Field Stone Wall Restoration:

Mark Neves of M. Neves, Inc. is responsible for the restoration of the granite field stone wall along the remainder of Grove Street. The wall was constructed in two different phases. The northern end is an eighteenth century feature, while the southern end is nineteenth century. The wall will be repaired to its historic height, and new openings placed at regular intervals opposite intersections. The intent is to make the park safer by directing users to locations where crosswalks would be found (for example, at street intersections). To facilitate work, a team of tree care specialists came through to remove dead or invasive vegetation within five feet of the backside of the wall. This has exposed many of the historic trees, that will remain. By removing some of the invasive, it will encourage the existing mature trees to grow. We are the stewards of these century old landmarks and we want nothing more than for them to thrive.

Work will continue over the next several months so stay tuned for additional updates!

Volunteers Wanted for Archaeological Dig!

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Channel Your Inner Indiana Jones!

The Medford Historical Commission is seeking 20 volunteers to participate in an archeological dig at Thomas Brooks Park.

Participants must be a minimum of 18 years old and be available during the week of June 6th, with potential spillover into the week of June 13th. Participants will work 1 full day, Monday-Friday from 8am-4pm with a 30 minute lunch break. All volunteers must participate in a 1 hour orientation on the morning of Day 1.

If there are more than 20 volunteers, a lottery drawing will be held and participants will be assigned a day. If you are unable to work your assigned day, another volunteer will be chosen.

Digging will take place during inclement weather. Volunteers do not need to bring any equipment but must wear close-toed boots/shoes with good ankle support. Flip flops are not allowed. Participants are welcome to bring their own gardening gloves and/or knee pads. Volunteers must provide their own lunch and water.

If you are interested, please email the Medford Historical Commission at historicalcommission@medford-ma.gov.

Thomas Brooks Park Master Plan

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The Medford Historical Commission would like to thank all persons who provided feedback on the multi-year master plan for Thomas Brooks Park. The consultant has completed work and we are releasing the final document for visitors to view. We will be undertaking portions of this work over the next several years. We look forward to working with residents over the next several years as we highlight this important Medford historical resource.

Thomas Brooks Park Master Plan – Final – July 2020Download

Public Comment, Please!

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With your input, we want to make the restoration of Thomas Brooks Park and the Old Slave Wall a beautiful and meaningful addition to Medford’s historic landmarks.

MHC is seeking your comments in advance of our upcoming Zoom public meeting, which will be held on June 2, 2020. [Edited to add – this meeting has been held, but we still welcome your comments as the planning process continues! historicalcommission@medford-ma.gov]

Project Overview

The Medford Historical Commission was awarded a generous grant from the Medford Community Preservation Commission to hire a consultant to develop a master plan for Thomas Brooks Park. This six-acre wooded landscape is located in West Medford, on Grove Street, and bordered by the Lowell Branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail tracks. It is currently a passive recreation area, and has a rich history that is greatly obscured. This project seeks to bring to light that history and implement select improvements over multiple years. 

The Brooks Family and The Old Slave Wall

Thomas Brooks Park is one of the few remaining sites associated with the Brooks Family, a lineage which has existed in Medford for more than three centuries. The namesake of the parcel erected his house in the eighteenth century behind a well-crafted brick and sandstone wall. This wall is attributed to a slave named Pompeii, who utilized clay from the grounds to craft the masonry necessary to divide Grove Street from Brooks’ private driveway. The wall is important to preserve as one of two extant period reminders of the lives and work of enslaved people in our community. Maintenance of the wall is, in fact, a condition set by the Brooks’ heirs upon their donation of the parcel to the City, in 1924, for use as a parkland. The family later donated Playstead Park, portions of Oak Grove Cemetery and, finally, their West Medford estates. The Shepherd Brooks manor is likewise a city landmark and is managed in partnership with the Medford-Brooks Estate Land Trust (M-BELT). 

Present Conditions

Currently, the park is hardly noticeable to motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians. Debris, overgrown trees, and brush restrict access to the green space. The fence along the Commuter Rail line is damaged in several places. Visitors desiring to view the Old Slave Wall and its marker must stand in the roadway and risk injury from oncoming traffic. In order to address these issues, the Commission is working to review existing conditions, work with the neighbors and develop a master plan for the parcel in order to restore this important historic landscape. The plan will encompass the entire parcel and focus schematic efforts on the development of access to the wall, its condition, care and maintenance. The Commission intends to seek Community Preservation funds for this work with additional efforts to follow in subsequent years.

Plans and Designs

To date, our consultant has made excellent progress on preliminary designs.

Hedlund Design Group, LLC, a landscape architecture firm from Arlington, MA, was selected for their expertise in municipal parks and culturally sensitive locations. The team includes nationally recognized individuals who provide additional relevant knowledge in the fields of masonry and archaeology. The team has been hard at work, developing a concept for the park. A public meeting was held in November 2019 and they have taken critical feedback and implemented it within the latest proposal.

Documents for Your Review – DRAFTS

Landscape Plan Download
Brooks Park Cost EstimateDownload
Summary Memo on Archeological SensitivityDownload
Wall AssessmentDownload

We would appreciate all written comments to be sent in no later than June 1, 2020. Comments can be emailed to HistoricalCommission@Medford-MA.gov or via hard copy to the Medford Historical Commission, c/o Denis MacDougal, Room 205, in Medford City Hall.

If you have any questions in regard to this project, please do not hesitate to contact us at HistoricalCommission@Medford-MA.gov.

Topic: Medford Historical Commission’s Zoom Meeting
Time: Jun 2, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93589556215

Meeting ID: 935 8955 6215