The Adams farm region.
Because of the extensive building operations (in the locality named below) in recent years, and the present development of so-called ‘College Acres,’ including the demolition of the
Willis house, at the corner of Main street and Stearns avenue, the following, communicated by
Mr. Francis Wait, is of interest:—
Squire Nathan Adams, also called Captain, owned a large farm on both sides of Main street. His dwelling-house stood on the site of the ‘Mystic House.’1 After his death (1842) George E. Adams (a grandson) carried on the farm and had a milk route to Boston.
he (George) married, in 1847, Miss Staniels of Malden.
He moved the old house and built the house afterward called ‘Mystic House,’ where he took his bride.
A driveway at the north side of his house led to his farmhouse, which was later moved on the opposite side of Main street. On the south side of his dwelling-house was an extensive apple orchard (destroyed by canker-worms in the '50s), which afterward became the Mystic Trotting Park.
Squire Nathan was prominent in town affairs.
Deacon Nathan Adams lived half-way up Winter Hill on the west side of Main street. Children were Nathan, Thomas, Andrew, John Q:, Edward E., Elizabeth (Mrs. Staniels), Almira (Mrs. Austin), Catherine and Rebecca.
Peter T. Adams (son of Squire Nathan), a farmer, lived at one time in the Willis house.
He built and lived in what was the next house south therefrom.
[p. 8]
George E. Adams was later Division Superintendent of the Middlesex Horse Railroad in Medford, with stables in his barns.
He drove the pioneer Sunday car into Boston.
‘College Field,’ lying between Two-penny brook, the railroad and Harvard street, now intersected by streets bearing names of colleges, was, in 1870, the location of the
Massachusetts Brick Company's works.
Its sandy soil is now furnishing material for concrete blocks that are being widely distributed in
Medford for house foundations.
Preceding the brick making, in the ‘60s, this level plain had upon it a half-mile race track that antedated the mile track of
Mystic Park.
At times of races, railway trains made stops on the bridge over Harvard street, and barges were lined up below for passengers to the park.