Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 22.

‘[p. 51] carried probably as far as Medford lines,’ and that ‘the English eyes in that boat were the first eyes of settlers that looked upon the fields on which we now live.’ Naturally we ask, What was the scene they beheld? Mr. Brooks answered that in 1855 by saying, ‘We apprehend it is very much today what it was two hundred years ago.’ In some respects correct. The marshes would of themselves change but little. But the earliest Medford had comparatively little marshland. What it had, began nearly two miles up-stream and practically ended below Gravelly brook, as there was but little beyond the ‘Ford at Mistick.’

We know not how those ‘six miles’ were computed, and doubt whether Winthrop's company reached the farther Medford lines, or even Mistick pond or the Indian ‘weare.’ The sinuous course of the river (that doubled up at Labor-in-vain, and thrice again alongside Winthrop's farm), and his failure to mention the ponds, makes it improbable. But six miles would take the voyagers by the Ten-hills farm, the ford and to the scarred promontory of Rock hill. From the ford onward, the sylvan scene must have been enchanting, as the Medford Pasture hill with its wooded slopes rose abruptly from the plain beside Gravelly brook, but more gently from the river. Then came the brooks before and beyond Rock Hill, those later to be known as Meeting-house and Whitmore, and then the long encircling reach of the river to the Indian weare and fording place.

Surely the Cradock farm was beautiful for situation, ‘four miles along the river and a mile back in all places.’

Winthrop's farm was in Charlestown (he was not a Medfordite at all), and extended from just below the ford down stream below the slope of Winter hill. There was a lot of marsh land even in the Ten-hills farm. But it was on the lower end of this farm that the Blessing of the Bay was built.

The governor seems to have liked the old Indian name of Missi-tuk or Mistuck, or Mistick, Misticke or Mystycke,