Historic Medfield
Medfield was established in 1649 and incorporated as a town in 1651 by 13 settlers from Dedham. The town was the site of a major battle in King Philip's War, during which 32, or half, of the town's homes were burned.About The Society
Established in 1891, our historical society is one of the oldest in the Commonwealth. We are a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing Medfield's history.
The Medfield Museum and Historical Society building is located at 6 Pleasant Street, Medfield, MA 02052. It is open the first and third Saturdays of each month from 10AM to 12 Noon and at other times by appointment for researchers and other visitors. Call 508-359-4773 and leave a message, or e-mail medfieldhistoricalsociety at gmail.com.
The Society also owns the historic Peak House. The house is a rare example of Elizabethan architecture and construction, dating to the late 1600's, and is one of the oldest wooden structures in the United States.
We encourage everyone with an interest in Medfield history to join the society. Dues are modest. We need active involvement from the community if we are to grow and thrive. We welcome your questions and program ideas. We also welcome donations of historical materials, artifacts, and information...and of course, funding from memberships as well as contributions.
Programs and Events
We have informative public programs five times each year - the first Monday evening of October, November, February, March, and April - usually at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, a National Register property, at 26 North Street, plus other members-only social events.
Spring 2012
March 5th, 2011, 7:30PM
First Unitarian Universalist Church, 26 North Street
“Dr. Major General Joseph Warren and Medfield's Own Daughter of Liberty - Miss Mercy Scollay”
Joseph Warren, a pioneering doctor who quickly became the most prominent doctor in Boston, played a leading role in the early Revolutionary period. He was author of The Suffolk Resolves, the person who sent Paul Revere on that famous ride and a hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill. At the time of his demise, he was a widower and father of four; the youngest of whom was just three years old. He was betrothed to Miss Mercy Scollay, an unsung Daughter of Liberty. Learn about this tragic romance, Miss Mercy's patriotic poetry, her interactions with leading Patriots and long life as an unofficial widow. Samuel Forman, author of the newly published "Dr. Joseph Warren: The Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill, and the Birth of American Liberty," will share new discoveries about Miss Scollay, a most distinguished and unrecognized Medfield resident.
Admission is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served after the program.
April 2, 2012, 7:30 pm
First Parish Church
Medfield’s Other Art Gallery: Gravestone Art and Carvers in Vine Lake Cemetery
Gravestone art has not traditionally been placed in the same category as furniture, pottery, metalware and textiles, these being artifacts commonly exhibited in art galleries. However, stone carvings as a craft tradition have important advantages over less ephemeral articles because of their sheer number: hundreds of them endure in Vine Lake Cemetery in a relatively concentrated area along with the lineage of at least 20 carvers. With a remarkably fresh approach, Medfield’s only outdoor museum can now be viewed as our other art gallery.
Rob Gregg, president of Vine Lake Preservation Trust, and Vincent F. Luti, the preeminent researcher of 18th century gravestone carvers in southeastern Massachusetts, will collaborate and present their findings. You are invited to discover more about one of Medfield’s last surviving remnants of its beginnings—specifically, the art of carvings and their carvers―always on display in Vine Lake Cemetery, Medfield’s oldest yet newest art gallery.
Society Properties
Medfield Museum and Society Offices
The Medfield Museum and Society Office is located at the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets in Medfield Center.
The building at 6 Pleasant Street is open the First and Third Saturdays from 10 am to noon - please come by and see us!
Or, phone us at 508-359-4773, or e-mail: medfieldhistoricalsociety at gmail.com
The Peak House
The Peak House , located at the corner of Main and Pound streets, was deeded to the Medfield Historical Society on October 18, 1924 by its then-owners, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick M. Smith, after which it received a down-to-the-frame restoration. Originally built in 1660, it is one of the earliest surviving examples of Postmedieval English (Elizabethan) architecture in the United States.
It is open for tours from 2 - 5 pm Sunday afternoons in the Summer. In addition the Society's Annual Peak House Pantry Sale, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, showcases the Peak House and raises money for its ongoing maintenance.