Medfield, Massachusetts

The territory that Medfield now occupies was, at the time of colonization, Neponset land. After the English took the Native Americans' land by force and spread a variety of diseases to the people, it was apparently sold by the Neponset leader Chickatabot to William Pynchon in the late 1620s. In 1633, however, Chickatabot died in a smallpox epidemic that decimated nearby Neponset, Narragansett and Pequot communities. Because Chickatabot and Pynchon's deal left no written deed, the Massachusetts General Court ordered "those Indians who were present when Chickatabot sold lands to Mr. Pynchon, or who know where they were, to set out the bounds thereof". Fifty years later, Chickatabot's grandson Josias Wampatuck brought a land claim against Medfield and the other towns created within the borders of the Chickatabot purchase, for which he received payment. Of those lands, Dedham was the first town formed.[1]

Dedham was incorporated in 1636, and Medfield (New Dedham) was first settled in 1649, principally by people who relocated from the former town. The first 13 house lots were laid out on June 19, 1650. In May 1651, the town was incorporated by an act of the General Court as the 43rd town in Massachusetts.[2]

The Rev. Ralph Wheelock is credited with the founding of Medfield. He was the first schoolmaster of the town's school established in 1655,[3] and now has an elementary school named after him.

The Pool, Medfield, 1889, by Dennis Miller Bunker. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Half the town (32 houses, two mills, many barns and other buildings) was destroyed by Native Americans during King Philip's War in 1675.[3] One house, known as the Peak House, was burnt in the war but was rebuilt shortly thereafter near downtown Medfield.

The town's boundaries originally extended into present-day Medway and Millis. In 1713 the town was divided, with the section west of the Charles River becoming the new town of Medway.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 14.6 square miles (37.8 km²), of which 14.5 square miles (37.6 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km²) (0.62%) is water. The Charles River borders almost one-third of Medfield. Medfield is surrounded by the towns Dover, Norfolk, Walpole, Millis, and Sherborn. The Charles River marks the Millis border.

Medfield Public Schools consistently ranks among the top ten school systems in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS).[15] As recently as 2017, Medfield was ranked by the U.S. News & World Report as the number 5 ranked school system in Massachusetts. As of 2013, Medfield High School Seniors scored an average of 591 on the SAT Critical Reading Section, 618 on the SAT Math Section, and 598 on the SAT Writing Section.[16]

In 2005, Medfield High School and T.A. Blake Middle School switched buildings as a result of a massive construction project updating the current Medfield High School (formally Amos Clark Kingsbury High School).

Public schools:

• Memorial School, 59 Adams Street (grades K-1)[17]
• Wheelock School, 17 Elm Street (grades 2–3)[17]
• Dale Street School, 45 Adams Street (grades 4–5)[17]
• Thomas A. Blake Middle School, 24 Pound Street (grades 6–8)[17]
• Medfield High School, 88R South Street (grades 9–12)[17]

Private schools:

• Montrose School, an independent school for girls, inspired by the teachings of the Catholic Church, 29 North Street (grades 6-12)[18]

Medfield's Free Public Library began in 1873.[19] The public library is located on Main Street.[20] In the late 18th century some of the residents of Medfield and surrounding towns formed a subscription library, called the Medfield Social Library.[21]

• On the third Saturday of September, Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization[22] hosts Medfield Day in Medfield Center, which is an annual celebration of the town.
• On the first Friday of December, Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization[22] hosts the annual tree lighting in Baxter Park in Medfield Center.
• On the Saturday following the first Friday of December, Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization[22] organizes the annual Winter parade which takes place on the streets near Medfield Center.
• On the first Sunday of December, Medfield Foundation[23] hosts the angel run, which is an annual 5k fundraising road race, held to raise money to support people in need in the town.

One of many abandoned buildings on the grounds of the former Medfield State Hospital

Medfield State Hospital, located at 45 Hospital Road, opened in 1896 and originally operated on 685 acres (2.77 km²) of pasture. At its peak in 1952, it housed 1,500 patients. By 2001, it was down to about 300 acres (1.2 km²) and employed 450 people (including four psychologists) to care for a maximum of 147 patients. The cost to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was $21.5 million. On April 3, 2003, the doors were closed. Although the buildings are not open to the public (they have been boarded up), the grounds may be visited during daylight hours.

• The film The Box was filmed at the hospital in December 2007.[24]
• The film Shutter Island started prepping February 2008 and started filming at Medfield State Hospital in March 2008.[24]
• The film The New Mutants starting filming at Medfield State Hospital Summer of 2017.

Main Street

• Rocky Woods is a 491-acre (1.99 km²) reservation in the northeast part of town. The property has 6.5 miles (10.5 km) of nature trails for hiking or biking, a few ponds for fishing, and open space for picnics and barbecues, and includes Cedar Hill (435 feet (133 m)).[25]
• Noon Hill is a hill in Medfield at 370 feet (110 m) with a trail to its peak. There are a total of 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of trails around the hill and offer views of the hills of Walpole, Norfolk, and Gillette Stadium.[26]
• Peak House. Burnt during the Native-American attack on the town during King Philip's War in 1676, the Peak House was re-built in 1680. It was turned over to the Medfield Historical Society in 1924 and restored to its original Colonial look. It is open every Sunday from 2 PM- 5 PM from June to September and by appointment at other times. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and the steep roof has the highest pitch on record in Massachusetts for a 17th-century house.
• Medfield Historical Society[27] on Pleasant Street. The Society museum contains historic artifacts and documents. The Society also owns the Peak House.
• The Dwight-Derby House: Constructed in 1697. It was long thought that the house was built in 1651, but irrefutable scientific evidence has established that this house was not built until 1697. Still, it is one of only several dozen documented 17th-century houses still standing. Numerous additions have been made to the home over the years as the property changed owners.
• Hinkley Pond, named after Vietnam fatality Stephen Hinkley, a native of Medfield, located on Green Street, is a site for public swimming and has a playground and sand area. Swimming lessons are taught on site.
• Lowell Mason Museum and Music Center. Birthplace of Lowell Mason and a rare example of First Period American architecture and construction. Portions of the house date to 1651 according to a dendrochronology survey.[28] A community effort saved the home from demolition and relocated it to Green Street in April 2011. The Lowell Mason Foundation[29] maintains the house, which will house the Lowell Mason Museum, community space, and a music center.
• Kingsbury Pond, named after Amos Clark Kingsbury (a Medfield native and graduate of Medfield's High School Class of 1916) who served in the United States Marines, American Expeditionary Force, and fought in almost every major battle in France during World War I.[30] Kingsbury Pond is located on Route 27, across the street from St. Edward's Catholic Church. It is a site for public fishing and ice skating. Fishermen have caught very small Largemouth Bass in this pond.[31]
• Metacomet Park, named after King Philip (who was also known as Metacomet or Metacom), the chief of the Wampanoag Indians and their leader in the King Philip War.[32] Metacomet Park is an athletic complex and activities area located at 145 Pleasant Street. It offers four tennis courts, a little league baseball diamond, a multi-use field (used for lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer), and a small playground.[33]
• Charles River Reservation maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is home to the Bill Martin Flying Field maintained by two clubs, the Millis Model Aircraft Club and the Charles River Radio Controllers.

• Hannah Adams (1755–1831), Medfield native and Christian author; the first female professional writer in America.
• Uzo Aduba, actress, best known as "Crazy Eyes" on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black, grew up in Medfield, and was a member of the Medfield High School Theater Society.[34]
• Matthew Aucoin, award-winning pianist, conductor/composer with the Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center Theater and Chicago Symphony orchestras, opera composer and lyricist.[35]
• Jerry Bergonzi, world-renowned tenor saxophonist and jazz educator; currently holds a full-time professorship at New England Conservatory and is the author of the Inside Improvisation musical book series.
• Donald E. Booth, American Diplomat and current US Ambassador to Ethiopia.
• Blake Boston, the face behind the popular internet meme Scumbag Steve.
• George Inness (1825–1894), artist, some of whose paintings are of Medfield in the nineteenth century. A street in town, near the vantage of one of his paintings, bears his last name.
• Charles Martin Loeffler (1861–1935), a German-born American composer. A street in town off South St. on the development of Southern Acres bears his last name.
• Lowell Mason (1792–1872), a composer of hymns and pioneer of music education in American public schools. A street in town bears his name. His birthplace houses the Lowell Mason Museum and a music center.
• Jason Nash, American actor and popular YouTube personality, best known for his popular Vine channel and his minor acting roles in Drake & Josh and House.
• John Preston (1945–1994), author of gay erotica and editor of gay non-fiction anthologies.
• Tarik Ozgul(Public Figure) Known for his amazing strength, Took down a whole middle eastern army with his bare hands. Now living on a remote island near Mexico living his Dream life.

Sports figures

• Raymond Berry, Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver for the Baltimore Colts, and former head coach of the New England Patriots.
• Steve Berthiaume, former ESPN anchor and current play-by-play broadcast announcer for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
• Drew Bledsoe, retired NFL quarterback, former quarterback of the New England Patriots. He resided in Medfield while he was the quarterback of the Patriots. He bought the entire Medfield football team cleats before he moved out of Medfield.
• Pete Carroll, coach of the Seattle Seahawks, and former coach of the University of Southern California and the New England Patriots, also lived in Medfield. He donated money to keep the high school weight room open all season long during the summer for the football players. Carroll also help start the Middle School football program by getting a $30,000 grant from the NFL.
• Ron Erhardt, former head coach of the New England Patriots lived in Medfield. Ron coached from 1979–1981.
• Rich Gotham, president of the Boston Celtics.
• John Hannah, former New England Patriots guard and Hall of Famer.
• Ted Johnson, former linebacker of the New England Patriots lived in Medfield. Ted played for the Patriots from 1995–2004.
• Matt Klentak, general manager for the Philadelphia Phillies.
• Rick Lyle, former defensive end for the New England Patriots, lived in Medfield. Rick played for the Patriots from 2002–2003.
• Eric Mangini, former assistant coach for the New England Patriots, lived in Medfield. Eric also coached the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns.
• Peter McNeeley, boxer. In 1995, Peter McNeeley fought former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson after Tyson's release from prison. The fight lasted a mere 83 seconds.
• Tom McNeeley, boxer, who had been KO'd by Floyd Patterson in the 4th round of their fight years before his son Peter's fight with Mike Tyson.
• Randy Moss, former receiver for the New England Patriots, lived in Medfield.
• Darrelle Revis, former cornerback for the New England Patriots.
• Curt Schilling, former World Series pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. His family formerly lived on Woodridge Road in a 26-acre (110,000 m²) estate formerly occupied by another athlete, Drew Bledsoe. Schilling bought the home in 2003 for $4,500,001.[36] After losing his game company, Schilling sold his home and moved to another home in the town. In 2008, a baseball field and a softball field behind Blake Middle School were dedicated to him and his wife, Shonda Schilling.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Medfield.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Medfield, Massachusetts.

• Town of Medfield