history

October Hearing Materials

/ medfordhistoricalcommission

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!

Volunteers Wanted for Archaeological Dig 2.0

/ medfordhistoricalcommission

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.

February Meeting Materials

/ Ryan D. Hayward

Greetings! The Medford Historical Commission is pleased to release its packed agenda for the February meeting. This month will be a full list of accepting applications, determining significance and having public hearings to determine preferably preserved status. In addition, we have updates on several projects and look forward to moving things along in the evening window we allocate every month. Please click below for the agenda so you can follow along.

February 10, 2025 Meeting AgendaDownload

140 Summer Street: The Commission has determined that the building and carriage house located at 140 Summer Street are historically significant. A public hearing will be held to determine if the buildings qualify for preferably preserved status. The main house maintains a fair degree of integrity and original features with select updates in places you would expect such as kitchens and bathrooms. The carriage house has been converted to living space.

Clerks Letter for Significance for 140 Summer StreetDownload
140 Summer Street MHC Form BDownload

Front View of Wilson Street. Note the house is labeled 39 but the tax record uses parcel number 31.
31 Wilson Street: This twentieth-century dwelling is located in the center of a large lot in Fulton Heights. The owners have applied for demolition with the intent of building a new house. The building maintains a fair amount of its historic fabric. We have determined significance and will hold a public hearing to determine if the structure retains enough integrity for preferably preserved status.

Clerks Letter of Significance for 31 Wilson StreetDownload
31 Wilson Street MHC Form BDownload

4 Grove Street: The Commission is reviewing this project for unauthorized demolition beyond the approved permit. The Commission determined the building is significant and we will hold a public hearing to determine if the integrity of the building prior to demolition is enough to warrant a delay because it was previously preferably preserved. Our letter of determination spells out why the building was found significant.

Clerks Letter of Significance for 4 Grove Street Download
4 Grove Street MHC Form BDownload

26 Rockwell Avenue: Tucked away at the end of Rockwell Avenue is an unusual cinder block dwelling. These buildings are rare in the built landscape and the Commission has documented the building in advance of tonight’s meeting. The MHC Form prepared by John Clemson is included below. The Commission will determine significance of the building.

26 Rockwell Avenue MHC Form BDownload

76 Court Street: The Commission is reviewing this project for demolition beyond the approved permit. We have received the demolition application and had an MHC inventory form prepared for the building. We will determine the significance. The form prepared by John Clemson is below.

76 Court Street MHC Form BDownload

76 Court Street following unauthorized demolition. The Commission will receive an application for review.

115/117 Emerald Street: This item is tabled awaiting subcommittee review of revised plans.

19 Curtis Street: We will receive an application for major alterations to this nineteenth-century property that will alter its appearance significantly. We will have an MHC Form B prepared in time for next month’s meeting.

122/124 Woodruff Avenue: The Commission will receive an application for major alterations to the roof line of this twentieth-century two-family resource. No form currently exists so we will have one prepared for a significance hearing next month.

53 Winford Way: Located on the Winchester line, the Commission will review the demolition of this c. 1950 Cape Cod house. The building is located in the far reaches of Medford but is reviewable even though the house exists partially in the other community. We will prepare an MHC Form B in time for a signifiance hearing next month if the Commission reviews the structure.

Section 106 Reviews: The Commission received requests to comment on two projects located at 121 Riverside Avenue and 50 Harvard Avenue. The Commission has previously reviewed these and is likely to have no additional comment on the diminutive changes proposed.

Cross Street Cemetery Monument Restoration: The Historical Commission and Cemetery Trustees are seeking to collaborate on a small project over the summer to restore 10 veterans’ graves at Cross Street Cemetery. There will need to be a small allocation of funding to match grants that are actively being sought and likely to be awarded.

Normal Updates:

As is usual practice, the Commission will have regular updates for our projects at the end of our meeting. These include survey of Sagamore Vale and the status of our survey and planning grant for this year.

As always, we welcome comments ahead of review. If you have a chance to provide comments, please feel free to email them to us and we will enter them into the record with the applications for review.

Hope to see you there!

October Meeting Materials

/ Ryan D. Hayward

The Commission has a full agenda for the month of October. You can download the agenda by clicking the link below: October 2024 Agenda.

110 Brooks Street prior to the removal of exterior fabric. The building was flagged for review because of the extensive renovations planned.

110 Brooks Street Public Hearing
The Historical Commission will hold a public hearing on the partial demolition of the significant building at 110 Brooks Street. The building has important associations with historic persons and builders, and is architecturally important in terms of period and style, both by itself and in the context of a group of buildings. The Commission will allow public comments on if the partial demolition of the building will be detrimental to the historic resources of the City of Medford.
You can read the Commission’s determination of significance here:

110 Brooks Street – Determination of SignificanceDownload
110 Brooks Street – MHC Form BDownload

Medford City Hall – Determination of Significance
The City of Medford is considering various preservation-minded projects for City Hall. The Community Preservation Commission requested that the Historical Commission review the building and to determine significance.

Medford City Hall is a Works Progress Administration project. It was constructed following years of dispute over where to build the heart and soul of the municipal government. It was designed and constructed by noted architect and builder Michael A Dyer. The building is a classical revival style and retains much of its original integrity, both inside and out. The Commission will use the enclosed inventory form as part of its determination.

MDF.118 – Medford City Hall – MHC Form BDownload

Information on this building and many others can be found in the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s MACRIS database. The Massachusetts Culutral Resource Information System contains all of the inventory forms prepared for properties across the Commonwealth. The public is welcome to use this amazing assemblage of information for research. You can access the database by visiting: https://mhc-macris.net/

Medford 400th Anniversary – Planning
The Commission has been asked to brainstorm ideas for the Quadrennial in 2030. It is never too soon to start planning for the celebration of our 400th anniversary of our founding. Medford is among the oldest English settlements in North America. If there are things you would like to see the City celebrate, please do not hesitate to email us ideas!

Project Updates:
We continue to work on a series of projects. We plan to announce our public meeting for Thomas Brooks Park. The CPC fully funded our application for phase II of construction, and we’re working on a design for interpretation of the site’s history. Be on the lookout for our flyer and event information on our social media.
There is work happening at Cross Street Cemetery! The Commission has partnered with the Cemetery Trustees to fund an assessment of the monuments. Cross Street Cemetery was relocated for Interstate 93 in 1956. It is a part of Oak Grove Cemetery and is surrounded by a distinctive field stone wall. The stones within require various degrees of attention. We’re looking forward to seeing the final assessment this fall so we can apply for CPC funding with the Trustees next cycle.
The Commission also is working to secure funding for the next Survey and Planning Cycle. We have determined that a revisit to the historic resources in West Medford is in order. The Hastings Heights neighborhood did not receive any attention during the prior survey project and we would like to document many of the pre-1900 resources found within this dense landscape of 19th and 20th century dwellings. The Commission will also be looking to hire a consultant to undertake work documenting Sagamore Vale. This dense collection of 19th century buildings is one of the first planned residential developments around Medford Square. The area was last documented in 1975 and the survey needs to be updated.

Winter at the Bishop Estate in Medford Square. Painting by George Loring Brown. This landscape became Sagamore Vale in the middle of the 19th century.

The Commission will finish our meeting with meeting minute approvals and any other project updates we have been working on.

As always, comments ahead of the meeting can be submitted by emailing the commission. Please see the Contact Us page for our email.

September Meeting Materials

/ Ryan D. Hayward

The September Meeting is looking to be a busy one with a number of determinations on the docket. As always, our meeting is conducted via Zoom. Please feel free to join us by clicking the link on the top of our homepage or on the agenda.

September Meeting AgendaDownload

18 Cherry Street – Determination of Significance
The Historical Commission will review the historical significance for this nineteenth century dwelling house together with the adjacent auto garages. The buildings are slated for total demolition to allow for townhouses. The Commission has a Form B prepared for the building which can be viewed by clicking the link below.

18 Cherry Street MHC Form BDownload

106 Alexander Street – Receive Demolition Application and Determine Significance
The Commission will receive an application for this early twentieth century dwelling house. We already have a Form B for this building so we will move right into determining significance. The form is linked below.

106 Alexander Ave MHC Form BDownload

110 Brooks Street – Receive Demolition Application and Determine Significance
The Commission will review the gut-rehab project at 110 Brooks Street. Substantial changes are planned and the board will start with determining if the building is significant. The structure has some nice detail consistent with its period of construction. The building also has a known builder.

110 Brooks Street MHC Form BDownload

Salem Street Burying Ground Flag Pole
The Commission has received a request to support the construction of a new flagpole at SSBG for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. We have requested the City hire an archaeologist to review any excavation that is made given the age of the grounds. The Commission supports efforts to celebrate our history and welcomes this new monument to the Massachusetts and New Hampshire citizen soldiers that gave their life for the creation of our country and preservation of our liberties.

Fall Programs
We will have a few quick updates for fall programs and collaborations that are in the works. We will also discuss continuing education events that bolster our preservation knowledge. We try to attend these whenever it will benefit the City of Medford.

Normal Updates
From here, we have our regular monthly updates of ongoing work. We were able to secure MHC inventory forms for two properties under threat of demolition. Four new applications for building permits are being reviewed and there’s a possibility we will have forms prepared preemptively.

Minutes
As always, we will wrap the meeting up with minutes from the last three meetings.

If there’s anything preservation related that’s on your mind and you would like to share with us, please do not hesitate to reach out via email. We are always happy to hear from residents.

May Meeting Materials

/ medfordhistoricalcommission

Today is a wonderful mid-spring day and the perfect time to update the community on our meeting on May 13, 2024. Our agenda has been posted to our website. Be sure to download it and review all the items the Commission plans to review. You can find the agenda by clicking here!

27 Almont Street Public Hearing
The Historical Commission will hold a Public Hearing to determine if the demolition of the well-preserved pre-1855 building at 27 Almont Street is detrimental to the historic resources of the City of Medford.

The Commission views this type of building as a rare and diminishing resource in our built landscape. We encourage residents to voice their opinions on if the preservation of this building is important to the community. You can learn more about the building by reading the MHC inventory form, and the determination of significance letter included below:

27 Almont – MHC Form BDownload
27 Almont – Determination of SignificanceDownload

Determinations of Significance

The Commission will determine the significance of the following buildings:

  • 18 Wedgemere Road
  • 9 Trout Avenue

As a reminder, our definition of significance is as follows:

As set forth in Section 48-78, a significant building is any structure, or a portion thereof, which is not within a local historic district subject to regulation under the provisions of MGLA c. 40C, but which:

  1. Has been listed in or is the subject of a pending application for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; or
  2. Has been listed in the Massachusetts Register of Historic Places; or
  3. Was built within 75 years or older and which is determined by the commission to be a significant building as provided by subsection 48-78(d) either because:

                a. It is importantly associated with one or more historic persons or events, or with the broad architectural, cultural, political, economic, or social history of the city or the commonwealth; or

                 b. It is historically or architecturally important in terms of period, style, method of building   construction, or association with an important architect or builder, either by itself or in the context of a group of buildings.

The Commission has inventory forms for each of the buildings and will utilize that information to make the determination. The forms are included below.

18 Wedgemere Road – MHC Form BDownload
9 Trout Ave – MHC Form BDownload

New Demolition Applications
Following the public hearing, the Commission will receive demolition applications for the properties located at:

  • 85 Morton Avenue

The Commission will have an MHC inventory form prepared for this building to learn more about it’s history and prepare to determine significance next month.

The Commission will also receive the application for partial demolition of the building located at 38 Pearl Street. This historic pre-1855 building has an MHC inventory form. It is also part of an area documented on an MHC form A. Both are included below.

George, Pearl, and Stearns Street – MHC Form ADownload
38 Pearl Street – MHC Form BDownload

The Commission will also receive the application for the fire-damaged building at 3-5 Pleasant Street. This building is a National Register property and as a result, it is automatically significant. The Commission will move right to a public hearing held next month to determine if the building is preferably preserved.

Site Plan Reviews

The Commission has two site plan reviews on the agenda. One is for 400 Mystic Avenue, and the other 280 Mystic Avenue. Details of the projects will be conveyed at the meeting and the Commission will review the projects and provide feedback as requested.

Ongoing Business

The meeting will conclude with an array of updates on existing projects that are moving forward. Be sure to listen in on all the great stuff that’s happening.

As always, we encourage residents to submit comments in advance of the meeting. The Commission receives these items and does read through them. They are entered into the record as well. Looking forward to seeing you there!

A celebration at Medford City Hall in the mid-20th century.