Dec 28, 2024 In 1861, a gentleman writing under the nom de plume “Peak House” submitted an “exciting discovery” to the care of the Medfield Historical Society, and I am here to reveal this 164-year-old discovery to our community as we take our first shaky steps into the year 2025. First, here is a bit […]
Rocky Woods, the Garden of Eden Read More »
Oct 1, 2024 This article was inspired by former Medfield resident Agnes Hungerford, who was also a Medfield music supporter and friend of the Allan family. Hungerford recently visited the Dwight-Derby House to unveil a new DDH display panel donated by her family, and spent some time talking about the Allan musical legacy. Future issues
Beyond Lowell Mason: Celebrating Another Medfield Music Luminary Read More »
Oct 1, 2024 It was the 1970s, at the height of the women’s liberation movement, with Gloria Steinem at the forefront fighting for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. With two children in high school, and having recently earned her master’s in public administration, 39-year-old Medfield resident Sandra “Sandy” Munsey ran for selectwoman in the
In Memory of Sandra Munsey, First Medfield Selectwoman Read More »
Sep 1, 2024 Another Medfield school year is now underway marking nearly 370 years since the first schoolhouse was built on North Street in 1655 – evidenced by a historical marker where the new 21 North restaurant is now located. And while much has changed with education over time, some aspects of it have stayed
Similarities of Medfield Education Over Time Read More »
July 25, 2024 Thanks in part to its location along the Charles River and other waterways, Medfield has long been known for its abundant natural resources. It’s these very resources that attracted city dwellers to the town centuries ago. In the late 1800s and into 1920s, Bostonians arrived to purchase large farms and convert them
The Evolution of Medfield Summers Read More »
Jun 1, 2024 Medfield is in full bloom once again, as we welcome the month of June. Along with my usual time-travel musings, I’ve been thinking about Juneteenth, wondering about Medfield’s involvement in the antislavery movement. Evidence shows that Medfielders were active in the movement, which gained strength in the northern states during the 1830s.
Uncovering Medfield’s Anti-Slavery Activities Read More »
June 1, 2024 While searching for a way to tie in two related stories – Claire Shaw’s history of Medfield’s animal shelter and Tim Flaherty’s remembrances of the some of its former denizens – we learned that June is National Cat Adoption Month, June 4 is National Hug Your Cat Day, and June 2-8 is
May 1, 2024 One doesn’t need to be famous to write a memoir, or to engage readers through a journal or diary. In fact, volunteers at the Medfield Historical Society Museum have spent countless hours cataloguing numerous journals found in storage recently – all from average citizens, and with plenty of interesting stories to tell.
After Eight Decades, Roy Owen Penned History Read More »
May 1, 2024 Visitors to the Medfield Historical Society during History Weekend had the opportunity to view, for the first time in eleven years, our town’s collection of J.A.S. Monks etchings and paintings. This exhibit included both early and later etchings, an untitled watercolor, and of course, the famous oil painting of “Jack the Dog,”
Beyond Jack the Dog: Medfield History Weekend Visitors View Art of J.A.S. Monks Read More »
Apr 1, 2024 From the earliest days, America’s Puritan settlers prioritized education. Parents were responsible for assuring their children could read (especially so they could read the Bible) and write, and all towns were required towns to set up schools. Boston Latin School was founded in 1635; Harvard in 1636. Dedham in 1644 authorized the
School Life in Medfield 200 Years Ago Read More »