Your search returned 30 results in 11 document sections:

1 2
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855. (ed. Charles Brooks), Chapter 1: (search)
Brooks. That which runs a short distance east of the West Medford Depot, on the Lowell Railroad, was called Whitmore's Brook after the pious deacon, whose house was on the north side of High Street, about two rods west of the brook. It rises in Bear Meadow. Marble Brook, now called Meeting-house Brook, crosses High Street about forty rods north-east of Rock Hill. In spring, smelts resort to it in great numbers. The brook or creek over which Gravelly Bridge is built was called Gravelly Creek, but more lately Pine Hill Brook. The stream is small, but much swelled by winter rains. It has its source in Turkey Swamp. The brook which crosses the road, at a distance of a quarter of a mile south of the Royal house, was named Winter Brook. It has its source near the foot of Walnut Hill. Hills. The hill commanding the widest prospect, and most visited by pleasure parties, is Pine Hill, in the north-east part of the town, near Spot Pond. As part of the low range of hill
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855. (ed. Charles Brooks), Chapter 2: (search)
at two rods and twelve feet; and report the road leading to Woburn wide enough already. Feb. 20, 1746: Several gentlemen of Medford agree to open a road from the market to Wade's bank, or Sandy bank (Cross Street), and build a bridge over Gravelly Creek. It was done; and made a convenient way to the tide-mill. See further account under the head of Mills. Medford Turnpike.--The construction of turnpikes in New England made an era in travelling and in speculations. Medford had long felt and what may be the cost thereof, and make report to said town at their next town-meeting. Voted in the affirmative. June 11, 1716: Voted £ 5 to be raised for the repairing their meeting-house and mending Gravelly Bridge. The bridge over Gravelly Creek, in Ship Street, was built by a few Medford persons, in 1746, for the purpose of making a road to the tide-mill. March 4, 1751: Voted to build a new bridge of stone where the present Gravelly Bridge is. This continued till recently, when a
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855. (ed. Charles Brooks), Chapter 10: trade. (search)
the first part, give the portions of land they own lying between the market and Cross Street, on condition that they, of the second part, will open a straight road, two rods wide, from the market to Cross Street, and build a stone bridge over Gravelly Creek. This was introductory to building the tidemill. Benjamin Parker gave the land on which the mill was built,--thirty-one feet long, and twenty-five wide. John Willis and Benjamin Parker gave liberty to the undertakers to cut a ditch from GrGravelly Creek to the mill, and to build a dam. Dr. Tufts, John Willis, Samuel Page, Thomas Oakes, and Nathaniel Hall, bind themselves never to obstruct the free flow of water to the mill. The undertakers then bind themselves to erect a good gristmill on the spot of land above mentioned; and said mill shall be ready to go at or before the last day of September next. As guaranty for each party, they bind themselves in the penal sum of five hundred pounds. The mill was completed, and answered i
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 3., The roads of old Medford. (search)
is certain that they were not so clearly defined as to put them beyond controversy. It is probable that Mr. Cradock's agent did not object when Charlestown first laid out or used these ways, but when the estate passed out of the hands of Mr. Cradock's heirs the new owners were disposed to question that town's rights, both to the landing and the ways. Charlestown records say that the highway was turned that led up to the rocks in Charlestown woodlots, north of Mistick river and east of Gravelly creek, on request of Mr. Nathaniel Wade. In Middlesex Deeds, Book 10, page 416, may be found an agreement entered into between Mr. Nathaniel Wade and the town of Charlestown about a landing-place or bank called No Man's Friend. It was agreed that one-third of the bank next to Mistick bridge should be the sole property of the said Wade, and the remaining two-thirds, with a convenient highway thereto, should be held in common by the said Wade and the inhabitants of Charlestown; . . . and th
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 2., The Cutter family and its connection with a tide mill in Medford. (search)
dford: In 1746 the tide mill near Sandy Bank was built, the first of its kind in that part of the town. Its origin arose in articles of agreement between a number of citizens, owners of the land, and a number of other citizens who were the undertakers of the enterprise. These articles were dated Feb. 20, 1746. Certain procedure was necessary to complete the undertaking, such as giving lands, and opening a straight road from the market to the mill site, and building a stone bridge over Gravelly creek for the mill's accommodation, the building of a dam, etc. The mill was to be ready for use before the last day of September, 1746. It was successfully completed and answered well its purpose. Timothy Waite, Jr., acquired possession at an early period in its history. Seth Blodget bought it of him on March 9, 1761. Matthew Bridge followed Blodget on Oct. 18, 1780. Mr. Bridge disposed of it to the Bishops —John, Senior, and John, Junior—in 1783 and 1784, and John Bishop, probably the jun
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 4.,
Old Ship street
. (search)
746. At first a grist mill, it was afterward used for various purposes such as grinding of seed and paint and sawing and planing of lumber. It was burned on the early morning of April 19, 1894, but has been rebuilt and still runs and hums as of old. There was Mr. Clough, who did coopering in a shop back of his house at the corner of Sables court. James Ford, who had a mould shop near his large house. Beyond this, Aaron Blanchard's, Mr. Wheeler's, and Calvin Turner's. Then you came to Gravelly creek wriggling its way over marshy land to the mill pond; it was crossed by a wooden bridge. Just above where the railroad crosses the street, on the left were Alexander Gregg's stables. Mr. Gregg was a prominent man in town affairs, having been a butcher, then a schoolmaster, then doing a large business teaming. He served in town offices and in the Legislature. The last house on the right, gambrel-roofed, is the old Blanchard house, now occupied by daughter and granddaughter of Mr. Gilber
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 7., Some old Medford houses and estates. (search)
00 27. 9. 1683 Thomas Wade, Administrator. It is evident from the above that Jonathan Wade, senior, purchased his farm at Mistick for the use of his sons, Jonathan and Nathaniel, and they no doubt came to live in Medford soon after the purchase, for we find Mr. Jonathan Wade associated with Mr. Edward Collins and others in the laying out of a way from Cambridge to Woburn through Meadford, in the year 1663. The division line of the upland between Jonathan and Nathaniel was at or near Gravelly creek; the division line of the marsh was east of the Marsh islands, below Labor in Vain point. April 20, 1677, Mr. Russell's son and executor deeded the remaining one-fourth part of the land purchased by his father of Mr. Collins containing about 350 acres, which had thereon one dwelling house and barn to Mr. Peter Tufts of Charlestown. Mr. Tufts was in possession of the estate prior to the date of his deed under an agreement for its purchase made with Mr. Russell senior, sometime before
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 13., Medford's water supply. (search)
n ice pond. It was in the design of R. H. Eddy, C. E., in his (Boston) report of 1836 already mentioned, to develop this as a reservoir. Medford developed it by raising the dam, so that the pond lay 140.66 feet above Medford's base, covering about 25 acres, and making a reservoir of about 80,000,000 gallons above a level 11 feet over the intake pipe. There are two branches called the east and the west arm, beside the branch that was dammed, which together constitute the head waters of Gravelly Creek. These two arms were also developed so that water might be pumped back, into either Wright's or Spot Pond during the months of excessive flow, for storage there until the dry season. A pumping station, built in 1895, between the branches of the brook, in connection with a steel standpipe erected the same year on a hill on the same property, gave the city a high service system with a pressure at the water office of 90 pounds per square inch. Every house in the city was thus given an
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 16.,
Old Salem street
. (search)
great garden, which had been cut up into house lots and where some houses had been built. On the corner of Oakland street was the Methodist Church, standing much below the present grade of the street, in constant danger of a drenching when Gravelly Creek became unruly. The creek was always an unknown quantity and therefore interesting. It might be a little stream just big enough to get wet in, or it might be wide and deep, overflowing its banks and flooding the roadway. In winter it was grith great satisfaction to themselves and delight for the children of the neighborhood. East of Mr. Jacobs' land was the James Tufts house, so called because Mr. Tufts had lived there previous to his removal to the three-story house east of Gravelly Creek. Next was Mr. Pyam Cushing's house. He was a coal dealer, with a wharf on Ship street. To this house he brought three wives and reared three sets of children; his children by his first wife were old enough to be parents of their youngest br
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 18., Pine and Pasture Hills and the part they have Contributed to the development of Medford. (search)
lso suppose it to be low water in the river. We will see a gravel beach extending down to low-water mark, almost if not as far as the square; then on the east side of Main street the marshland extending as far as No-Man's-Friend landing, and Gravelly creek winding its crooked way through the marsh to the river. We will see in the place where the town pump formerly stood, a pond of water. Rev. Charles Brooks, in his history of Medford, says, Where the town pump now stands in the market-place t with a growth of small flags; and there are persons now living (1855) whose fathers have told them, that wild ducks were shot in that pond. We will also see the path from Salem to Mistick ford trailing over the present Salem street, fording Gravelly creek, passing along the edge of the pond in the market-place or square, and winding around the verge of the hill to the landing place of the ford. This is the path travelled by Ralph Sprague and his party (two of whom were his brothers Richard an
1 2