Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 3.

[p. 7] General Court for its approval, which was had on the 18th of the 3d month, 1657. We find from this action of the Court that the two bridges, viz., at Billerica and Mistick, were the only ones to be rebuilt at the expense of the County, the bridge at Mistick being already in progress of construction by a committee previously appointed for that purpose. Under date of June 16, 1657, we find in the records of the County Court the following order: ‘The County Court being informed that the bridge over Mistick river, being now ready to be raised, is likely to be delayed for want of hands to carry on that work, which cannot be secured at the request of the undertakers thereof, do therefore order, that the committee already empowered by the Court for that work, may impress carpenters and sawyers to be helpful therein, provided that due recompense be made them out of the Counties pay, and that none be pressed exceeding one fortnights labor.’

The bridge at that time must have been built good and strong, for we find no further mention of it until July 17, 1668, when, according to the records of the town of Charlestown, a meeting of a part of the Board of Selectmen of that town, and commissioners from the towns of Woburn, Reading, Malden, and Medford, took place to consider measures for a division of Mistick bridge among the several towns who were required by law to mend and maintain it. These commissioners agreed ‘that the towns of Woburn, Reading, Malden and Medford, should pay to the town of Charlestown five pounds in good pay viz: in Corn, or the like, for the present amending of the southerly half of Mistick bridge, and that in the future, and for all time to come, the said southerly half of said bridge, being 77 feet 24 inches in length, should be mended and maintained by the said town of Charlestown, and the northerly half thereof being of like length, should be mended and maintained by the other towns above named.’