Medford in Middlesex County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

[History of Medford Government]

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), August 5, 2013

1. [History of Medford Government] Marker (left)

Inscription. [Left tablet]
Settlers were reported “upon Mysticke” in 1629. A larger group in 1630 settled near the square and named the place “Meadford”. The first recorded town meeting was held in 1674. In 1676 the first selectmen were elected and in 1689 the first representative was sent to the General Court. Town form of government continued until Medford was incorporated as a city in 1892.

[Right tablet]
Medford's first town meetings were held in private homes, later in meeting houses, until a town hall was erected in 1833. That building was partially burned and rebuilt in 1835 and 1850 and remodeled in 1893 to accommodate the new city government. It was razed in 1916 and from that date offices were leased until the completion of this building in 1937.

Erected 1937 by City of Medford.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics. A significant historical year for this entry is 1674.

Location. 42° 25.101′ N, 71° 6.349′ W. Marker is in Medford, Massachusetts, in Middlesex County. Marker is on George P. Hassett Drive south of Salem Street (Massachusetts Route 60), on the right when traveling east. The carved tablets are on the front of Medford City Hall. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 85 George P Hassett Dr, Medford MA 02155, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. David McGillyray's 3,452-Mile Run (a few steps from this marker); New Hampshire Soldiers Bunker Hill Memorial (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Captain Isaac Hall (about 500 feet away); Medford Revolutionary War Memorial (about 500 feet away); Cemetery for the Enslaved (about 600 feet away); Salem Street Burying Ground (about 600 feet away); The Black Dahlia (approx. 0.2 miles away); “Jingle Bells” Composed Here (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Medford.

Also see . . . Medford City Hall Dedication Program (PDF). The program from the Sept. 11, 1937 dedication ceremony includes architectural details and photographs of the building as well as background on the city's efforts to build it. (Medford Historical Society) (Submitted on May 19, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

[History of Medford Government] Marker (right) image. Click for full size.

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), August 5, 2013

2. [History of Medford Government] Marker (right)

[History of Medford Government] Markers image. Click for full size.

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), August 5, 2013

3. [History of Medford Government] Markers

The inscriptions (below the portico) were etched onto Medford City Hall when it was built in 1936-37.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 19, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 122 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 19, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.