Medfield, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Medfield, Massachusetts
Town
Dwight-Derby House (1651)
Flag Seal
Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Norfolk
Settled	1649
Incorporated	1651
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	14.6 sq mi (37.8 km2)
• Land	14.5 sq mi (37.6 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	178 ft (54 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	12,799
• Density	882.7/sq mi (340.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code	02052
Area code(s)	508 / 774
FIPS code	25-39765
GNIS feature ID	0618323

Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It's home to about 12,799 people, based on the 2020 census. Medfield is located about 17 miles (27 km) southwest of Boston, Massachusetts. You can drive to Downtown Boston in about 40 minutes. Some cool places to visit in Medfield include Hinkley Pond and the Peak House.

History of Medfield

The land where Medfield is today was once home to the Neponset people. Their leader, Chickatabot, sold the land to William Pynchon in the late 1620s. Sadly, Chickatabot died in 1633 during a smallpox epidemic that affected many Native American communities.

Because there was no written record of the land sale, the Massachusetts General Court (like the state government back then) asked Native Americans who knew about the sale to mark the land's boundaries. Years later, Chickatabot's grandson, Josias Wampatuck, asked for payment for the land. He received money for Medfield and other towns built on the land his grandfather had sold.

Most of Medfield's land was given to the town of Dedham in 1636. However, some land along the Charles River was given to individuals. In 1649, Dedham asked the General Court for some of these lands. They were granted the request, but only if they started a new village there within a year.

Medfield was first settled in 1649 by people who moved from Dedham. The first 13 house lots were set up on June 19, 1650. Dedham sent people to map out an area for the new village. The land from Dedham became Medfield. Other land given by the colony later became Medway in 1713, and then Millis separated from Medway.

Moving to the new village wasn't always easy. There were some disagreements about money and land use. Eventually, a deal was made where those moving to Medfield would pay money to those who stayed in Dedham.

Many of the first people to move to Medfield were middle-class families from Dedham. They often moved with their relatives. Some of these families later moved on from Medfield to other towns.

The town of Dedham voted to let Medfield become its own town on January 11, 1651. The General Court agreed in May of that year. Medfield officially became the 43rd town in Massachusetts!

The Reverend Ralph Wheelock is known for helping to found Medfield. He was also the first teacher at the town's school, which started in 1655. Today, an elementary school in Medfield is named after him.

During King Philip's War in 1675, Native Americans attacked Medfield. Half of the town was destroyed, including 32 houses, two mills, and many barns. One house, called the Peak House, was burned but rebuilt soon after.

Medfield Geography

Medfield covers about 14.6 square miles (37.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The Charles River forms part of Medfield's border.

Medfield is surrounded by other towns: Dover, Norfolk, Walpole, Millis, and Sherborn. The Charles River separates Medfield from Millis.

	Sherborn	Dover
	Millis		Walpole
		Medfield
		Norfolk

Medfield Population

In 2020, Medfield had 12,799 people living there. There were about 5,284 households.

Most people in Medfield are White (96.78%). Other groups include Asian (1.76%), Black or African American (0.51%), and Native American (0.04%). About 0.90% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (50%) have children under 18 living with them. The average household has about 3 people.

Education in Medfield

Medfield Public Schools are known for being some of the best in Massachusetts. They often rank high in the state's school system ratings. For example, in 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked Medfield as the number 5 school system in Massachusetts.

In 2005, Medfield High School and Thomas A. Blake Middle School switched buildings. This happened because of a big construction project to update the high school.

Here are the public schools in Medfield:

• Memorial School (grades K–1)
• Wheelock School (grades 2–3)
• Dale Street School (grades 4–5)
• Thomas A. Blake Middle School (grades 6–8)
• Medfield High School (grades 9–12)

There is also a private school:

• Montrose School, an independent school for girls (grades 6–12)

Medfield Library

Medfield's Free Public Library started in 1873. You can find it on Main Street. Before that, in the late 1700s, some Medfield residents created a special library called the Medfield Social Library where people paid a fee to borrow books.

Medfield Events

Medfield has several fun events throughout the year:

• Every third Saturday in September, the Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization hosts Medfield Day in Medfield Center. It's a big town celebration!
• On the first Friday of December, the same organization hosts the annual tree lighting in Baxter Park.
• The Saturday after the tree lighting, they organize the annual Winter parade through the streets near Medfield Center.
• On the first Sunday of December, the Medfield Foundation hosts the Angel Run. This is a 5k race that raises money to help people in need in the town.

Medfield State Hospital

One of many abandoned buildings on the grounds of the former Medfield State Hospital

Medfield State Hospital, located at 45 Hospital Road, was a large hospital that opened in 1896. It was built to help people with mental health conditions. At its busiest in 1952, it had 1,500 patients.

The hospital closed its doors on April 3, 2003. While the buildings are now closed and boarded up, you can still visit the hospital grounds during the day.

Did you know? Several movies have filmed scenes at the former Medfield State Hospital:

• The movie The Box filmed there in 2007.
• Shutter Island filmed scenes there in 2008.
• The New Mutants filmed there in 2017.

Points of Interest in Medfield

Main Street, Medfield

• Rocky Woods is a 491-acre (1.99 km²) nature reservation. It has 6.5 miles (10.5 km) of trails for hiking or biking, ponds for fishing, and open spaces for picnics. It also includes Cedar Hill, which is 435 feet (133 m) high.
• Noon Hill is a hill in Medfield that is 370 feet (113 m) high. There are 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of trails around the hill. From the top, you can see views of nearby towns and even Gillette Stadium.
• Peak House: This historic house was burned during King Philip's War in 1676 but was rebuilt in 1680. It was given to the Medfield Historical Society in 1924 and restored to look like it did in Colonial times. It's open to visitors on Sundays from June to September. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Medfield Historical Society: Located on Pleasant Street, this museum has old artifacts and documents from Medfield's past. The Society also owns the Peak House.
• The Dwight-Derby House: This house was built in 1697. It's one of the few 17th-century houses still standing. Over the years, many parts have been added to the home.
• Hinkley Pond: Named after Stephen Hinkley, a Medfield native who died in the Vietnam War. This pond on Green Street is a popular spot for swimming. It also has a playground and a sandy area.
• Lowell Mason Museum and Music Center: This is the birthplace of Lowell Mason, a famous composer and pioneer of music education. Parts of the house date back to 1651. It was saved from being torn down and moved to Green Street in 2011. It will be a museum and music center.
• Kingsbury Pond: Named after Amos Clark Kingsbury, a Medfield native who served in World War I. This pond is on Route 27 and is a place for fishing and ice skating.
• Metacomet Park: Named after King Philip (also known as Metacomet), a Native American leader during King Philip's War. This park at 145 Pleasant Street has four tennis courts, a baseball field, a multi-use field for sports like lacrosse and soccer, and a small playground.
• Charles River Reservation: This area is maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. It includes the Bill Martin Flying Field, used by model aircraft clubs.
• Medfield Rail Trail: Opened in 2022, this 1.3-mile (2.1 km) trail runs through Medfield. It's a flat and easy path for walking, running, horseback riding, and biking for people of all ages.

Notable People from Medfield

Many interesting people have lived in or come from Medfield:

• Hannah Adams (1755–1831): A writer from Medfield, known as the first female professional writer in America.
• Uzo Aduba: An actress famous for her role as "Crazy Eyes" in the TV show Orange Is the New Black. She grew up in Medfield.
• Matthew Aucoin: A talented pianist, conductor, and composer who has worked with major orchestras.
• Jerry Bergonzi: A well-known tenor saxophonist and jazz teacher.
• Raymond Berry: A Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver for the Baltimore Colts and a former coach for the New England Patriots.
• Steve Berthiaume: A former ESPN anchor and current announcer for the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team.
• Drew Bledsoe: A retired NFL quarterback who used to play for the New England Patriots.
• Pete Carroll: The coach of the Seattle Seahawks, who also used to coach the New England Patriots.
• John Hannah: A former New England Patriots player and Hall of Famer.
• Ted Johnson: A former linebacker for the New England Patriots.
• Lowell Mason (1792–1872): A composer of hymns and a pioneer in music education for public schools in America.
• Jason Nash: An American actor and YouTube personality.
• Darrelle Revis: A former cornerback for the New England Patriots.
• Curt Schilling: A former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.

Images for kids

• 

  The Pool, Medfield, 1889, by Dennis Miller Bunker. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

See also

In Spanish: Medfield (Massachusetts) para niños