Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 8.

[p. 104]

The two hundred seventy-fifth anniversary.

In June, 1905, the two hundred seventy-fifth birthday of Medford was celebrated with appropriate civic, literary and religious ceremonies. All historic sites were duly designated and the markers remain to assist the pilgrim in search of ancient lore. The buildings in all parts of the city were beautifully decorated, and the square was bright with bunting by day, and aflame with many electric lights by night.

On June 14, flag day, the Massachusetts Sons of the Revolution placed on the grounds belonging to the house (standing today almost unchanged) where Captain Isaac Hall of the Medford minute men lived, a bronze tablet upon a boulder of Medford granite. The tablet was unveiled by Vernon Howland Hall, 2d, the youngest male representative of the family of Hall in the city, and bears the following inscription:

on this site lived

Captain Isaac Hall
who commanded the Medford Minute men
at Lexington and Bunker Hill
Paul Revere stopped here
on his Memorable ride to Concord April 18-19, 1775
to Warn Captain Hall
that the British soldiers were on the March.
placed by the Massachusetts Society
Sons of the Revolution June 14, 1905
June 15, the Opera House was the scene of a most inspiring service. An oration was delivered by Rev. Nehemiah Boynton of Brooklyn, N. Y., and Hon. William Everett, a descendant of the Brooks family of Medford, recited an original poem. The Tufts College Choir furnished the vocal music. Mr. David H. Brown, President of the Medford Historical Society, and Hon. M. F. Dwyer, Mayor, spoke appropriate words of welcome, Judge William Cushing Wait presiding.

Thursday evening the armory presented a scene of [p. 105] beauty and festivity which will be long remembered by the five hundred men and women who were privileged to be present at the banquet which was given there.

Patriotic exercises by the schools of the city were held on Friday, June 16. It is to be regretted that no hall was large enough to accommodate audiences of children of larger growth, as the interesting programs were presented with great enthusiasm by the pupils. The exhibitions of manual work at the high school building were a revelation to those unacquainted with modern methods of education.

Friday afternoon the Massachusetts Sons of the American Revolution dedicated a tablet placed on the Savings Bank building, in honor of Governor John Brooks. It bears the inscription:—

on this site stood the house of

born 1752 John Brooks died 1825
distinguished citizen, Physician, Patriot
Captain and Major 1775-1776 lieutenant Colonel 1776-1783
in the American Revolution
Brigadier General 1792-1796 United states Army
Major General 1786-1796 Adjutant General 1813-1816
Massachusetts militia
Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1816-1823

Honorary A. M., M. D., and Ll.D., Overseer Harvard College

---

This tablet placed by the Massachusetts Society Sons of the American Revolution 1905

A water carnival on Mystic Lake, Friday evening, attracted a large gathering to witness the fairy-like display. On Saturday, a grand parade of the military, civic and industrial departments of the city, with visiting organizations and floats representing the mercantile interests of the city was the attraction of the morning. Athletic sports, an illumination and a band concert in the evening rounded out the day's festival.

All through the celebration at the Royall House, [p. 106] the Historical Rooms and the Public Library the permanent historical collections were augmented by valuable loans for the occasion. At the Royall House, articles of furniture, china and relics of colonial days were arranged in such a way that they seemed the ordinary furnishings of a pre-revolutionary mansion. At the Historical Rooms the exhibit was more local, and ancient silver, family relics, and portraits of men of the past generation were of great interest to those whose youth was spent in our old town. At the Library, books and pictures, by Medford residents, and portraits were shown.

The Medford Mercury published a souvenir called ‘Medford, Past and Present,’ to which many students of local history contributed.

On Sunday, June 18, the celebration closed with special exercises at all the churches, and two grand services of song, one at the Mystic Church, and the other at the Opera House.

The week was one of good fellowship and happy reunions of families and friends long parted. The citizens co-operated in making the city beautiful with harmonious decorations; many strangers, as well as former residents, were in the city, and through the whole gala time not an arrest was made, no disturbance was reported, nor accident happened to mar the pleasure of the occasion. Public buildings were closed for business, but hospitably open to all visitors. It was distinctively a Medford jubilee. The orator, the poet, the vocalists, the various speakers, even the inanimate objects in the loan exhibitions were selected because they had been or were connected with the life of the town. No one who attended any of the public exercises or assisted in family reunions failed to realize the tie of brotherhood which binds us all together, or to thank God for the fathers and mothers who seemed to speak to us, bidding us to guard sacredly the honor of our old town as they had cherished it in the years gone by.