Medfield, Massachusetts


Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population is 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. It is a community about 17 miles southwest of Boston, Massachusetts, which is a 40-minute drive to Boston's financial district. Attractions include the Hinkley Pond and the Peak House.

History

The territory that Medfield now occupies was, at the time of colonization, Neponset land. After the English took the Native Americans' land by force and spread a variety of diseases to the people, it was apparently sold by the Neponset leader Chickatabot to William Pynchon in the late 1620s. In 1633, however, Chickatabot died in a smallpox epidemic that decimated nearby Neponset, Narragansett and Pequot communities. Because Chickatabot and Pynchon's deal left no written deed, the Massachusetts General Court ordered "those Indians who were present when Chickatabot sold lands to Mr. Pynchon, or who know where they were, to set out the bounds thereof". Fifty years later, Chickatabot's grandson Josias Wampatuck brought a land claim against Medfield and the other towns created within the borders of the Chickatabot purchase, for which he received payment. Of those lands, Dedham was the first town formed.
Dedham was incorporated in 1636, and Medfield was first settled in 1649, principally by people who relocated from the former town. The first 13 house lots were laid out on June 19, 1650. In May 1651, the town was incorporated by an act of the General Court as the 43rd town in Massachusetts.
The Rev. Ralph Wheelock is credited with the founding of Medfield. He was the first schoolmaster of the town's school established in 1655, and now has an elementary school named after him.
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Half the town was destroyed by Native Americans during King Philip's War in 1675. One house, known as the Peak House, was burnt in the war but was rebuilt shortly thereafter near downtown Medfield.
The town's boundaries originally extended into present-day Medway and Millis. In 1713 the town was divided, with the section west of the Charles River becoming the new town of Medway.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 14.6 square miles, of which 14.5 square miles is land and 0.1 square mile is water. The Charles River borders almost one-third of Medfield. Medfield is surrounded by the towns Dover, Norfolk, Walpole, Millis, and Sherborn. The Charles River marks the Millis border.

Demographics

Population and housing

RacePopulation
White96.78
Black or African American0.51
Native American0.04
Asian1.76
Pacific Islander0.01
Other0.23
Two or more races0.68

Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.
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Age distribution

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Income data

consistently ranks among the top ten school systems in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. As recently as 2017, Medfield was ranked by the U.S. News & World Report as the number 5 ranked school system in Massachusetts. As of 2013, Medfield High School Seniors scored an average of 591 on the SAT Critical Reading Section, 618 on the SAT Math Section, and 598 on the SAT Writing Section.
In 2005, Medfield High School and T.A. Blake Middle School switched buildings as a result of a massive construction project updating the current Medfield High School.
Public schools:
Private schools:
Medfield's Free Public Library began in 1873. The public library is located on Main Street. In the late 18th century some of the residents of Medfield and surrounding towns formed a subscription library, called the Medfield Social Library.

Events

, located at 45 Hospital Road, opened in 1896 and originally operated on of pasture. At its peak in 1952, it housed 1,500 patients. By 2001, it was down to about and employed 450 people to care for a maximum of 147 patients. The cost to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was $21.5 million. On April 3, 2003, the doors were closed. Although the buildings are not open to the public, the grounds may be visited during daylight hours.
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