Medford, Massachusetts

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Medford, Massachusetts
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°25′06″N 71°06′24″W / 42.41833, -71.10667
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Middlesex
Settled 1630
Incorporated 1630
Government
 - Type Mayor-council city
 - Mayor Michael J. McGlynn
Area
 - Total 8.6 sq mi (22.4 km²)
 - Land 8.1 sq mi (21.1 km²)
 - Water 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km²)
Elevation 14 ft (4 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 55,765
 - Density 6,851.3/sq mi (2,645.3/km²)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 02153, 02155, 02156
Area code(s) 617 / 781
FIPS code 25-39835
GNIS feature ID 0612778
Website: www.medford.org

Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, just a few miles north of Boston. In the 2000 census, Medford's population was 55,765. It is the home of Tufts University. The city's name comes from the description of a "meadow by the ford".

Contents

[edit] History

Medford was founded in 1630. It was established as a city in 1892 and was a center of industry, including the manufacture of brick and tile, rum, Medford Crackers, and clipper ships.

[edit] Gypsy moth

In 1868, a French astronomer and naturalist, Leopold Trouvelot, was attempting to breed a better silkworm using Gypsy moths. Several of the moths escaped from his home, at 27 Myrtle Street, which no longer exists. Within ten years, the insect had denuded the vegetation in the neighborhood. It spread over North America.[citation needed]

[edit] Holiday songs

In a tavern and boarding house on High Street (Simpson's Tavern) in the late 19th century, local resident James Pierpont wrote "Jingle Bells" after watching a sleigh race from Medford to Malden. Another local resident, Lydia Maria Child (1802–1880), made a poem out of the trip across town to her grandparents' house, now the classic song "Over the River and Through the Woods".

[edit] Other notables

1790 bird's-eye view from Bunker Hill of the "Malden Bridge" across the Mystic River, with Medford in the background.
1790 bird's-eye view from Bunker Hill of the "Malden Bridge" across the Mystic River, with Medford in the background.

Medford was home to Fannie Farmer, author of one of the world's most famous cookbooks—as well as James Plimpton, the man credited with the 1863 invention of the first practical four-wheeled roller skate, which set off a roller craze that quickly spread across the United States and Europe.

"The Black Dahlia", the infamous Hollywood murder victim, was born and raised in Medford before going to the West Coast looking for fame.

The Peter Tufts house (350 Riverside Ave.) is thought to be the oldest all-brick building in New England. Another important site is the "Slave Wall" on Grove Street, built by "Pomp," a slave owned by the prominent Brooks family.

Medford has sent more than its share of athletes to the National Hockey League; Shawn Bates, though born in Melrose, MA grew up in Medford, as did Keith Tkachuk, Mike Morrison and Joe Sacco.

Medford is home to some of New England's most well-known bakeries and Italian restaurants and delis.

Medford was home to Michael Bloomberg, American businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of Bloomberg L.P., who is currently serving as the Mayor of New York City. Mayor Bloomberg attended Medford High School and resided in Medford until after he graduated college. His mother remains a resident of Medford.

[edit] Medford and the law

Medford is home to some famous crimes:

  • A few crooked officers of the Medford Police and MDC forces pulled off one of the biggest bank robberies and jewel heists in world history in 1980, robbing the Depositors Trust bank over the Memorial Day weekend.[citation needed]
  • The only recorded proof of the Mafia's existence is from an FBI audiotape of a Mafia induction ceremony held on Guild Street in Medford in the late 1980s.[citation needed]
  • An admitted Mob execution by Somerville's Irish Winter Hill Gang of Joe Notarangeli took place at the "Pewter Pot" cafe in Medford Square.[1][citation needed]

[edit] Geography

Medford is located at 42°25′12″N, 71°6′29″W (42.419996, −71.107942).[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.4 km²), of which, 8.1 square miles (21.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (5.79%) is water.

A park called the Middlesex Fells Reservation1 straddles the city's northern boundary. This 2,060-acre (8 km²) preserve is shared by Medford with the municipalities of Winchester, Stoneham, Melrose and Malden. The Mystic River flows roughly west to southeast through the middle of the city.

[edit] Neighborhoods

People from Medford often identify themselves with a particular neighborhood.

  • West Medford
    • Brooks Estates
  • North Medford (a.k.a. The Heights, North, or Fulton Heights)
  • Wellington (a.k.a. East Medford)
    • Station Landing (a.k.a. New Boston)
  • Medford Square
  • South Medford
  • Medford Hillside
  • Lawrence Estates (a.k.a. the L.E.)
  • Glenwood

[edit] Demographics

The majority of Medford's population are Italian American families, many of whom live in the South Medford neighborhood of the city. Irish-Americans also are a strong presence in the city and live in all areas. West Medford, the most affluent of Medford's many neighborhoods, was once the bastion of some of Boston's elite families -- including the Brooks family, in-laws to the Adams family -- and is also home to an historic African-American neighborhood that dates to the Civil War.[citations needed]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 55,765 people, 22,067 households, and 13,505 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,851.3 people per square mile (2,645.1/km²). There were 22,687 housing units at an average density of 2,787.3/sq mi (1,076.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.45% White, 6.10% African American, 0.11% Native American, 3.87% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 2.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.59% of the population.

There were 22,067 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city the population was spread out with 17.9% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,476, and the median income for a family was $62,409. Males had a median income of $41,704 versus $34,948 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,707. About 4.1% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Medford has three Public Access television stations: TV3, Channel 15 (educational access) and Channel 16 (governmental or municipal access).


[edit] Government

County government: Middlesex County
Clerk of Courts: Michael A. Sullivan
District Attorney: Gerard T. Leone, Jr.
Registrar of Deeds: Richard P. Howe, Jr. (North at Lowell)
Eugene C. Brune (South at Cambridge)
Registrar of Probate: John R. Buonomo
County Sheriff: James DiPaola
State government
State Representative(s): Paul J. Donato (D)
Sean Garballey (D)
Carl M. Sciortino, Jr. (D)
State Senator(s): Patricia D. Jehlen (D)
Governor's Councilor(s): Michael J. Callahan
Federal government
U.S. Representative(s): Edward J. Markey (D-7th District)
U.S. Senators: Ted Kennedy (D), John Kerry (D)


[edit] Transportation

Numerous Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus lines go through Medford Square, allowing easy access to other parts of town and to nearby cities. On Medford's east side, Wellington station on the Orange Line provides a connection to Boston and the entire rapid transit system. On the west side, the Lowell Commuter Rail Line stops in West Medford Square. Discussion of bringing the Green Line into Medford, as is mandated by environmental mitigation provisions of the Big Dig project,[4] is contentious and ongoing.

Interstate 93 travels roughly north-south through the city. State routes passing through include 16, 28, 38, and 60

[edit] Points of interest

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Black Mass: The Irish Mob, the Boston FBI and a Devil's Deal, "Dick Lehr (author), Gerard O'Neill (author) Publisher and ISBN needed
  2. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ Green Line stops discussed at Tufts workshop - Medford, MA - Medford Transcript
  5. ^ (1967) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Marquis Who's Who.  Publisher and ISBN needed

[edit] Further reading

Beautiful 1852 Map of Boston area showing Medford and Rail lines.
Beautiful 1852 Map of Boston area showing Medford and Rail lines.

[edit] External links

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