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Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 13., Early Improvements on the Mystic. (search)
marsh bordering on the Menotomy which, situated below, was quite near to the Broughton mill. The building of the dam in the river of Misticke may have deflected the tidal flow southward into the Menotomy to a greater degree than usual. Some have thought this to be the meadow said to have been damaged, but as it was salt marsh it is doubtful if the hogs rooted there. The other meadows of Mr. Symmes were nearly two miles away on the Aberjona, just beyond the Medford ponds. According to Mr. Brooks, the tidal flow affected the pond a few inches. If the Broughton dam was of a height much higher than flood-tide, it is evident that its effect would be to damnify a fresh-water meadow. If so, it is also evident that the power thus created was great and the privilege valuable. It was across the Aberjona, just below the Symmes' meadows, that the massive stone aqueduct of the Middlesex canal was built in 1828. There, on February 15, 1855, an ice-jam was formed by a sudden thaw, and these
The last Medford Indian. Mr. Brooks, in his History of Medford, written more than fifty years ago, devoted some space to the Indians, and before closing with a somewhat elaborate flight of fe noticed that this location is that of the present Sarah Fuller Home, and near to the home of Mr. Brooks. Doubtless, in his early boyhood, as a neighbor, he had abundant opportunity to learn what wehousewives of the adjoining towns, and doubtless her knowledge of Indian remedies hinted at by Mr. Brooks was also profited by. And so, for some years after the fire at Old Toney's, she lived her w graces and gifts in exercise, as to the wealthy and beloved of his parish. After one reads Mr. Brooks' closing words referred to, this thought recurs:— Lo! the poor Indian whose untutored mindunity to there behold Him in the clouds and the tempests that raged over these rocky wilds. Mr. Brooks was twenty-five years old in 1820, and just entering his work as a Christian minister. Doubtl
High tides at Medford. Under the head of Distillation, Mr. Brooks mentioned one Blanchard, whose first plant was east of the bridge. There rose a tide so high as to overflow all his vats with salt water. This ruined him, as entirely as it did his rum. He added, With courage he kept his spirits up, etc. Times have changed—some keep courage up with spirits—still the tides ebb and flow, and occasionally run very high. In 1851, at the destruction of Minot's Light, Medford Square was flooded, and transit was had in boats, but the square has been raised since. Stories are told of numerous boulders then rolled upon the canal aqueduct to weight it down. No tide, since, equalled it, not even in the Portland storm. On December 26 last, after a raging storm, the tide rose almost as high as in '51, flooding the wharves and rising on old Ship street. The new dam proved its usefulness and stability. The upper Mystic remained at its normal height, and perils by flood, such as Chelse
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 13., Stage-coach days in Medford. (search)
re told which show his ready wit. An interesting account of a runaway slave is told at length in Brooks' History of Medford, which is a pleasing piece of local history, in which the old stage-driver, ue to be the most remarkable man in Medford.— A. B. 28 Feby 1835. This was addressed to Jona Brooks Esqr., Medford. A. B. was Alfred Brooks, son of the one to whom the note was addressed, and younger brother of the wellknown Rev. Charles Brooks, at one time a neighbor to the Wymans. Contracts were made by the Government with the stage-coach proprietor for carrying the mail, and after havi in Middlesex and Suffolk counties. He owned a green baize-covered sleigh, with the name Governor Brooks painted on it, and perhaps this is the vehicle called in the ledger the stage-sleigh. It is said to have belonged to Governor Brooks. A good story is told of him which shows his attention to business and his determination not to lose a passenger. A lady belonging to a well-known and
n the Medford Turnpike. In the limited space of this issue, justice cannot be done to the subject, but only a few cursory allusions. It was written by Rev. Charles Brooks, probably after the discontinuance of the canal. The query naturally arises, how long a whip? If the coachman drove a six horse stage and swerved from a sord shipyards; all these crowded in this narrow pass and thence onward to the great world outside and beyond. No wonder that a Medford born citizen, in reading Mr. Brooks' account of the turnpike (then fresh from the press), felt moved to illustrate the same with the pen and ink sketch the Register reproduces today for a wider re twice rebuilt by him after destruction by fire. This, with the business, has long since vanished and Combination Park now occupies a part of the pond site. Mr. Brooks says, about the year 80 the turnpike began to be used as a race course and trotting matches were quite common. One race track, the Mystic Park, has had its day