Medford

Medford, originally referred to as Meadford, was settled as a plantation in 1630 by Gov. Matthew Craddock. A historic city located on the Mystic River in Middlesex County, Medford gained fame from its clipper ships, crackers, and rum. The song Jingle Bells was composed here by James Pierpoint in the early 1850s. Many prominent citizens have lived in Medford, including Amelia Earhart, who moved to the city in 1924. Medford, part of the Then & Now series, connects this city’s past with its present by comparing historic and modern photographs of sites such as the Royall House, Jonathan Wade House, and Peter Tufts-Craddock House.