BROOKS FAMILY MEDFORD HERITAGE TRAIL BROOKS FAMILY MEDFORD Introduction AlthoughtheBrooksfamilyhasnotbeenpresentinMedfordforseveralgenerationsRtheirlast descendantsleftMedfordin1942,whentheysoldtheirremaining82acresoflandthatwould laterformthecoreofthepresentRday50RacreBrooksEstateRtheBrooksfamilylegacyis HERITAGE TRAIL presentalloverMedford.AsoneofMedford'sfoundingfamilies,TheBrooksfamilyacquired 400acresoflandcomprisingmostofpresentRdayWestMedfordin1660andfarmedand developedtheirlandsoverthenextthreecenturiesandeightgenerations.TheBrookswere oneofthemostprominentandgenerousfamiliesinMedford'shistory.MembersoftheBrooks familyhelpedfoundMedford'sfirstgovernment,foughtintheRevolutionaryWar,servedas AHistoricWalking(orbikingordriving)Tourof15Brooksfamilysitesin GovernorofMassachusetts(JohnBrooks,1816R23),andproducedMassachusetts'first Medfordspanning300years. millionaire(PeterChardonBrooks).ThehistoryoftheBrooksfamilyparallelsMedford'sown history,asitdevelopedfromasmallfarmingvillagetoathrivingtowntoastreetcarsuburbof Bostontothemoderndaycityweallknow. TourisresearchedandrunbytheMedfordBrooksEstateLandTrust– ThephysicallegacyoftheBrooksfamilyiseverywhereinMedfordRfromtheBrooksSchool thatbearstheirnametotheH.H.RichardsondesignedGraceEpiscopalChurchtotheBrooks seewww.brooksestate.org, Playstead(nowcalledPlaysteadPark),theundevelopedshorelineoftheMysticlakes,theOak GroveCemetery,theMiddlesexCanal,theLowellRailroad,andofcourse,tothe50acreBrooks withthesupportofCACHEandtheMedfordontheMysticArtsFestival EstateandShepherdBrooksManorandCarriageHouse,allontheStateandNationalRegister ofHistoricPlaces. TheBrooksFamilyMedfordHeritageTrailisintendedtotrytostringtogetherthemanyBrooks familyMedfordsitesinawalking(orbikingordriving)tourthatwillallowMedfordresidentsto seeandappreciatethepubliclegacyandpublicbenefitsoftheBrooksfamilygenerosityand hopefullyinspirefuturegenerationstopreserveandenhancethelegacythatwehaveallbeen giveninMedford.FifteensiteshavebeenchosenstartinginMedfordSquareatTheSalem StreetBurialGroundandendingattheBrooksEstate.Nearlyallofthesesitesrepresenta physicallegacyoftheBrooksfamilythathasbenefittedMedfordresidentsinsomecasesfor overacentury. ThankstothegreatfolksatCACHEforsupportingthisidea;thanksalsototheMedfordBrooks EstateLandTrustBoardandMembershipfortheirtirelesseffortstosaveandrestorethe BrooksEstateoverthepasttwodecades. DougCarr,MedfordRBrooksEstateLandTrust(MRBELT)www.brooksestate.org BROOKS FAMILY MEDFORD HERITAGE TRAIL MEDFORD-BROOKS ESTATE LAND TRUST 7 OCTOBER 2012 THE BROOKS FAMILY MEDFORD HERITAGE TRAIL Site JohnBrooksMonument Address SalemStreetBurialGround,MedfordSquare SiteSite1 ListofSelectedSites YearBuilt 1836 1. JohnBrooksMonumentSalemStreetBurialGround,MedfordSquare Description: JohnBrooks(17521825)wastrainedasadoctorin MedfordandbeganhispracticeinReading,wherehe 2. GraceEpiscopalChurchR160HighStreet alsobecametheCaptainoftheReadingMinutemen. 3. BrooksCorner(JudkinsSquare)–IntersectionofHighStreet&WoburnStreet AstheeventsoftheRevolutionaryWartookcenter JonathanBrooksHouseR2WoburnStreet stage,JohnBrookssuspendedhispracticeandhelped CharlesBrooksHouseR309HighStreet leadthefightintheBattleofConcordandatBunker CaptainCalebBrooksHouseR24WoburnStreet Hill.HeacceptedacommissionasCaptaininthe ContinentalArmyandtookpartintheRevolutionary 4. BrooksSchool388HighStreet WarbattlesofSaratoga,WhitePlains,ValleyForge 5.BrooksPlaystead("PlaysteadPark")–85PlaysteadRoad andLong Island.Island. 6. TheDelta(BennettDelta)IntersectionofHighStreetandGroveStreet 7. SagamoreAve(MiddlesexCanal) Afterthewar,BrooksreturnedtoMedfordtotake 8.SagamoreJohnMonument–Approximately44SagamoreAve. overthepracticeofhisretiringmentor,Dr.Simon 9. MysticLakesShore(PleasureGrounds)–MysticValleyParkwayfromHighStreetto Tufts,in1783.Twoyearslater,Brookswaselectedto WinchesterLine theGeneralCourt(theMassachusettsHouseof Representatives).Representatives).HewasadeleHewasadelegategatetothe1788tothe1788 10. SlaveWallandThomasBrooksPark–Approximately58168GroveStreet MassachusettsConventionthatratifiedtheFederal 11.BrooksVillage237GroveStreet(EntrytoOakGroveCemetery) JohnBrooksPortrait constitution.In1786,BrookswasappointedMajor 12. PointofRocks–367GroveStreet(OppositeNorwichCircle)BrooksEstate PaintingbyJacobWagner GeneraloftheMiddlesexMilitia,whichheledin 13. BrooksPondR275GroveStreet,1/8miledownAccessDriveBrooksEstate suppressingShay'sRebellion,thepostRevolutionary 14. ShepherdBrooksManorandCarriageHouse275GroveStreet,BrooksEstate Warcolonistarmeduprisingincentralandwestern 15. OakGroveCemetery&BrooksFamilyBurialPlot–275GroveStreet,BrooksEstate Massinobjectiontowhattherebelsviewedasharsh tddbtlltiliitaxanddebtcollectionpolicies. BrookswasappointedAdjutantGeneralfrom1812 1816andwontheracefortheMasachusetts Governorin1816runningontheFederalistParty. Brooksservedsevenconsecutiveoneyeartermsfrom 181618161823anddeclinedtorunforanei 1823anddeclinedtorunforaneighthghthtermterm,, returningtoprivatelife.Duringhistenureas Governor,theMassachusettsterritoryofMainewas recognizedasanindependentstate.TheMainetowns ofBrooks,establishedin1816,andBrooksville, establishedin1817,werenamedforJohnBrooks.Two yearsafterheendedhisseventhtermasGovernor, JohnBrooksdiedinMedfordin1825.Hewasthelasth k d d df d h l PhotoofJohnBrooksMonument significantFederalistelectedofficialinofficeinthe SalemStreetBurialGround,Medford UnitedStates. (DougCarrPhoto) BROOKS FAMILY MEDFORD HERITAGE TRAIL BROOKS FAMILY MEDFORD HERITAGE TRAIL MEDFORD-BROOKS ESTATE LAND TRUST MedfordBrooksEstateLandTrust 7 OCTOBER 2012 7October2012 Site GraceEpiscopalChurchpp Site Brooks'Corner(JudkinsSquare) Address 160HighStreet SiteSite2 Address IntersectionofHigh&WoburnStreets Site3 YearBuilt 18671869 YearBuilt 3BrooksHousesbuiltinthe18thCentury Description: TheGraceEpiscopalChurchwasdesignedbynotedAmericanarchitect Description: HenryHobson(H.H.)Richardson.Locatedat160HighSt.inMedford,MA, itislistedontheNationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces.Thechurchwasbuilt TheJonathanBrooksHouseat2WoburnStreetwas from18671869,hissecondchurchcommissionandnowtheearliest builtin1781.OriginallypurchasedbyThomasBrooks remaining.Thechurchissetbackfromthestreetcreatingthelookofan III,wholaterpasseditdowntohissonThomasand Englishcountrychurch,nestledintothelandscape.Richardsonlater thenlatertoJonathanBrooks(17651847),whose becameknownforhis"RichardsonRomanesque"style,perhapsbest professionwasatanner.TheBrooksfamilytradition recognizedinhisdesignofTrinityChurchinCopleySquare,Boston.The wasthatPaulReverestoppedatthehouseonthe buildingisconstructedofglacialboulderswithroughhewngranitetrim.A nightbeforetheBattleofLexingtonandConcord, massive slate gabled roof, in gray with bands of red, dominates the nave's lookingforSamAdams,afriendoftheBrooksfamily. lowwallsandthefivesidedapseisattachedattheeastwall.Abuttressed Thethreestorygambrelshapedhousewasaddedto toweranchorsthedesIgn,alongwithaprominentgabledentrybayfacing JonathanBrooksHouse(1781) theNationalRegisterofHistoricPlacesin1975. thestreet. (DougCarrPhoto) BrooksFamilyconnection:Whenitbecameevidentthatconstructioncosts TheCharlesBrooksHouseat309HighStreetwas wouldwouldexceedthebudexceedthebudget,get,theBrooksFamiltheBrooksFamilyyppaidaidtohavethechurchtohavethechurch constructedaround1780.Itwasoriginallyownedby completed.ItbecameaprivatechapelunderEpiscopallawuntilthe CharlesBrooks'uncleIsaacBrooksandwaslatersold Brooksfamilydeliveredthedeedtotheparishin1873,theyearofits25th tohisfather,whosoldittoCharlesBrooks.Thegrand anniversary.Theinteriorofthebuildinghashadsignificantchangesover lateGeorgian/Federalhousehasasymmetrical theyears.TheoriginalH.H.RichardsonaltarwasgiftedtotheBrooklyn elevationandfourendchimneys.CharlesBrooks Museumin1962.Onehighlightofthechurchisthestainedglasswindow (17951872)wasaUnitarianminister,prominent "RebeccaattheWell"byrenowned19thcenturyartistJohnLaFarge.It educator(professoratUniv.ofCityofNewYork)and wascommissionedandcreatedasamemorialtoEllenShepherdBrooksi i d d t d i l t Ell Sh h d B k wrotetheHistoryoftheTownofMedford ,whichstill afterherdeathin1884. servesasthemostcompletebookonthesubjectof CharlesBrooksHouse(1780) earlyMedfordhistory. (DougCarrPhoto) TheCaptainCalebBrooksHouseat24WoburnStreet wasbuiltc.1765.Itisaverylong(65feet)andnarrow (19feet)building,oneroomwidebutverydeep,with 3separatechimneysthatheatedeachofthethree Above:InteriorphotooftheLaFargestainedglass mainrooms.CaptainCalebBrooks(16941766)was window"RebeccaattheWell",donatedbythe oneoffourMedfordmemberswhorespondedto BrooksFamily.(GraceChurchwebsitephoto) PaulRevere'smidnightcallandwaspresentatthe BattlesofLexingtonandConcord.CalebBrooks'son Left:ExteriorphotoofGraceChurchwithitsrough JohnBrooksgrewuptobeGovernorof hewnboulders,granitetrimandbandedslateroof, CaptainCalebBrooksHouse(c.1765) MassachusettsandisfeaturedinSite1ofthetour. designedbyH.H.Richardson(GraceChurchphoto) (DougCarrPhoto) BROOKS FAMILY MEDFORD HERITAGE TRAIL BROOKS FAMILY MEDFORD HERITAGE TRAIL MedfordBrooksEstateLandTrust MedfordBrooksEstateLandTrust 7October2012 7October2012 Site BrooksSchool Site BrooksPlaystead("PlaysteadPark")y(y ) Address 388HighStreet SiteSite4 Address 85PlaysteadRoad SiteSite5 YearBuilt 2003 YearBuilt 1894 Description: ThecurrentBrooksElementarySchoolisthefourth Description: schoolinMedfordtobeartheBrooksSchoolname. TheoriginsofBrooksPlaysteaddatebackto ThefirstBrooksSchoolwasbuiltin1851andlocated 1894,1894,whentheBrooksfamilwhentheBrooksfamilyysoldnineacressoldnineacres atthecornerofBrooksandIrvingStreets.Itwasa oftheirfarmlandtotheCityofMedfordas woodframedbuildingthatwastwostoriestalland