MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report
WAKEFIELD
Report Date: 1980
Associated Regional Report: Boston Area
Reconnaissance Survey Town Reports, produced for MHC’s Statewide Reconnaissance Survey between 1979 and 1987, introduce the historical development of each of the Commonwealth’s municipalities. Each report begins with an historic overview, a description of topography, and political boundaries. For the purposes of the survey, the historic period has been subdivided into seven periods: Contact (1500–1620), Plantation (1620–1675), Colonial (1675–
1775), Federal (1775–1830), Early Industrial (1830-1870), Late Industrial (1870–1915), and
Early Modern (1915–1940/55). Each report concludes with survey observations that evaluate
the town’s existing historic properties inventory and highlight significant historic buildings, settlement patterns, and present threats to these resources. A bibliography lists key secondary resources.
Town reports are designed for use together with a series of town maps that demarcate settlement patterns, transportation corridors and industrial sites for each historic period. These maps
are in the form of color-coded, polyester overlays to the USGS topographic base map for each
town on file and available for consultation at MHC. For further information on the organization and preparation of town reports, readers should contact MHC.
Users should keep in mind that these reports are now two decades or more old. The information they contain, including assessments of existing knowledge, planning recommendations, understanding of local development, and bibliographic references all date to the time they were
written. In some cases, information on certain topics was not completed. No attempt has been
made to update this information.
Electronic text was not available for digital capture, and as a result most of the reports have
been scanned as PDF files. While all have been processed with optical character recognition,
there will inevitably be some character recognition errors.
The activity that is the subject of the MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park
Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the
Interior. This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior
prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been
discriminated against in any program, activity or facility as described above, or if you desire further information please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20240.
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth
Chair, Massachusetts Historical Commission
220 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc
[email protected] / 617-727-8470
MHC RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY REPORT
Date:
1980
Community:
Wakefield
TOPOGRAPHY
Town occupies 7.9 s q u a r e m i l e s mostly i n t h e watershed of t h e
Saugus R i v e r , which o r i g i n a t e s i n Wakefield a t Lake Quannopowitt.
A t r i b u t a r y of t h e Saugus R i v e r , M i l l R i v e r , flows o u t of
Wakefield's o t h e r major body of w a t e r , C r y s t a l Lake. Both
r i v e r s provided waterpower s i t e s during t h e 1 8 t h and 1 9 t h c e n t u r i e s .
The c e n t r a l v i l l a g e - - and t h e e a r l i e s t 1 7 t h century s e t t l e m e n t
of o l d Reading - - i s l o c a t e d on a p l a i n between t h e two l a k e s ,
and runs up t h e g e n t l e s l o p e s of Shingle H i l l on t h e e a s t and
Cowdry's H i l l and Cedar H i l l on t h e w e s t . I n t h e southwest, t h e
town s h a r e s w i t h Stoneham a small p o r t i o n of t h e more rugged
topography of t h e Middlesex F e l l s , and t h i s a r e a of h i l l s and
marsh land i s t r i b u t a r y t o t h e Mystic River v i a Spot Pond Brook
and t h e Malden River.
POLITICAL BOUNDARIES
O r i g i n a l l y e s t a b l i s h e d a s p a r t of Lynn town g r a n t 1639 Lynn
V i l l a g e w i t h independent town formation a s Reading 1644 and
meeting house a t Wakefield common 1645. Pluch of 1 7 t h century
g r a n t s e p a r a t e d as p a r i s h p r e c i n c t s d u r i n g 1 8 t h century w i t h
remaining p o r t i o n a s F i r s t P a r i s h . Southern s e c t i o n annexed
from Malden a s Greenwood 1729 and boundaries e s t a b l i s h e d w i t h
Stonehan&Saugus by mid-18th c e n t u r y . Formed a s South Reading
town 1812 w i t h boundary a t o r i g i n a l F i r s t P a r i s h l i n e (Reading).
Name changed t o Wakefield (1368) w i t h annex from Stonehan 1889
and minor adjustments w i t h Melrose and Saugus d u r i n g e a r l y 20th
century.
HISTORIC OVERVIEW
Suburban i n d u s t r i a l town on n o r t h e r n a x i s of m e t r o p o l i t a n
Boston. Located a t headwaters of Saugus River w i t h r e p o r t e d
n a t i v e p l a n t i n g f i e l d s on Lake Quannapowitt ( o r i g i n a l l y Great
Pond) s o u t h p l a i n a t focus of r e g i o n a l t r a i l s . E a r l y English
town c e n t e r of Reading g r a n t a t base of Lake d u r i n g mid-l.7th
century along Church S t r e e t a x i s w i t h m i l l s i t e on Water S t . a t
M i l l R i v e r . One n o t a b l e l a t e F i r s t P e r i o d house w i t h w e l l preserved burying ground i n c l u d i n g e l a b o r a t e p e r i o d s t o n e s .
Primary c i v i c and commercial c o r e develops along Main S t r e e t
a x i s on Lake p l a i n d u r i n g C o l o n i a l p e r i o d w i t h some s u r v i v i n g
mid-18th century houses along r a d i a l highways from town copmon,
e s p e c i a l l y along Prospect S t r e e t H i l l .
Continued modest
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
expansion of town c e n t e r d u r i n g e a r l y 1 9 t h c e n t u r y w i t h
F e d e r a l houses along Salem S t r e e t H i l l and Lake Shore offNain
S t r e e t a x i s . Important i n d u s t r i a l development w i t h BostonMerrimac r a i l r o a d d u r i n g mid-19th century w i t h s p e c i a l i t y manuf a c t u r e of domestic p r o d u c t s , i n c l u d i n g boots and shoes,
b a t h t u b s , n e c k t i e s and r a t t a n c h a i r works w i t h s u r v i v a l of
s e v e r a l L a t e I n d u s t r i a l p e r i o d b r i c k and woodframe f a c t o r i e s
around r a i l j u n c t i o n of Water-North-Main S t r e e t s . R e s i d e n t i a l
d i s t r i c t s develop around town c e n t e r r a i l depot w i t h a f f l u e n t
suburban expansion along Prospect S t r e e t H i l l and worker's
d i s t r i c t along North, Water and Vernon S t r e e t s w i t h t y p i c a l
p e r i o d house t y p e s . Independent suburban a r e a forms around
Greenwood depot along Main S t r e e t t r o l l e y r o u t e i n c l u d i n g Shingle
s t y l e church and Colonial Revivalhouses a t Oak S t r e e t . F r i n g e
development extends along r a i l a x i s from town c e n t e r during
mid-19th century w i t h cemetery d i s t r i c t on western Lake Shore,
i n c l u d i n g e a r l y Jewish P i c t u r e s q u e example. Civic c e n t e r
remains around town common w i t h landmark b r i c k and s t o n e
Romanesque churches and school w h i l e commercial c e n t e r s h i f t s
t o r a i l j u n c t i o n w i t h some s u r v i v i n g V i c t o r i a n b r i c k b u s i n e s s
blocks and w e l l - p r e s e r v e d p e r i o d d e p o t . Suburban expansion
continues through E a r l y Modern p e r i o d w i t h s t a t u s a r e a on
Prospect S t r e e t , i n c l u d i n g expansive Mission Revival e s t a t e s
w i t h a s i m i l a r a f f l u e n t d i s t r i c t along Main S t r e e t Lake Shore
w i t h H i s t o r i c Revival examples. Greenwood s e c t i o n remains
independent neighborhood w i t h m u l t i p l e family housing along
Main S t r e e t c a r l i n e . Commercial highway a c t i v i t y develops
during 20th c e n t u r y along E/W Lowell S t r e e t a x i s around Montrose
a r e a w i t h n o t a b l e Moderne b o t t l i n g p l a n t and some p e r i o d gas
s t a t i o n s i n c l u d i n g Wigwam example. P r e s e n t development continues
a s s t a b l e suburban a r e a , although i n d u s t r i a l c o r e a t r a i l
j u n c t i o n appears t o s u f f e r from d e c l i n e w h i l e i n t e n s e p r e s s u r e
of growth i s e v i d e n t along Route 128 c o r r i d o r around Lake
Quannapowitt Saugus River a x i s .
IV.
CONTACT PERIOD (1500-1620)
A.
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n Routes:
Focus of r e g i o n a l r o u t e s a t t h e headwaters of t h e Saugus
River around Lake Quannapowitt. Primary N/S t r a i l from Mystic
t o Saugus v a l l e y s appears a s Main S t r e e t along C r y s t a l Lake
and Lake Quannapowitt w i t h a l t e r n a t e branch along M i l l River
as Vernon S t r e e t . Connecting t r a i l s from e a s t c o n j e c t u r e d a s
Nahant-North and Water S t r e e t s , and from west a s Albion-GouldCedar and E l m S t r e e t s around Prospect S t r e e t h i l l w i t h l i n k t o
Lake Quannapowitt a s Church S t r e e t wit% a l i k e l y p o s s i b i l i t y
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
that Prospect Street follows a highland trail from the lake
plain. Similarly, Oak Street might be considered as a trail
candidate between Main and Nahant Streets.
B.
Settlement Pattern:
No period sites have been archaeologically verified;
documentary sources indicate native settlement and planting
fields along the south shore of Lake Quannapowitt. Additional
sites reported near Crystal Lake, plus some rockshelters in
southeastern part of town.
C.
Subsistence Pattern:
Good agricultural lands around Lake Quannapowitt plus the
lake's fishing potential (spring - spawning groundlwinter ice fishing) made this a probable focal point for native
activities as well as huntinglgathering.
D. Observations:
Location at head of the Saugus watershed made this a likely
wintering area for coastal groups, probably from the Lynn/
Revere area.
V.
FIRST SETTLEMENT PERIOD
A.
(1620-1675)
Transportation Routes
Native trails improved as highways with formation of
Reading town in 1640s at base of Lake Quannapowitt (now
Wakefield Center). Main Street remains as primary N/S road
between Malden and Andover with connecting E/W highways to
Saugus as Water Street and Medford as Church-Prospect Streets.
B.
Population
Settled as Lynn Village, beginning in 1639. By 1667 parish
(including what is now Reading) contained 59 houses, most of
which were in Wakefield.
C.. settlement Pattern:
Establishment of Reading meeting house at foot of Lake Quannapowitt
(Great Pond) in 1645 creates town center on Church St. (Wakefield
common). Apparently farm lots granted as dispersed village along
main highways around Lake Quannapowitt plain during mid 17th
century, although no precise documentation of settlement pattern.
Mill site established on Water Street at Mill River by 1644 at time
of original settlement.
Economic Base:
Predominantly subsistence agriculture, although some shoemaking
may have been undertaken. Earliest gr'ist mill established by
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
John Poole, 1644, on M i l l R i v e r a t l a t e r R a t t a n company s i t e .
VI.
COLONIAL PERIOD (1675-1775)
A.
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n Routes :
Highways remain from mid 1 7 t h c e n t u r y w i t h focus of r o u t e s a t
t h e Reading meeting house (Wakefield C e n t e r ) . Primary n o r t h south road c o n t i n u e s a s Main S t r e e t around Lake Quannapowitt, w i t h
a l t e r n a t e a s Salem-Vernon S t r e e t around F i t c h H i l l . Water and
North-Nahant S t r e e t s connect t o Saugus-Lynn around M i l l River w i t h
Oak S t r e e t a s a connector t o Main S t r e e t . Western r o u t e s t o
Stoneham around Cowdry's H i l l a s Church-Elm and Cedar-GouldAlbion w i t h P r o s p e c t S t r e e t o v e r h i l l . Other p e r i o d roads
appear a s e a s t - w e s t Salem-Lowell S t r e e t over t h e Saugus
River and Bay S t a t e Road between Main and Vernon S t r e e t s , with
greenwood S t r e e t from C r y s t a l Lake s o u t h .
B.
Population:
By 1771, t h e r e were about 8 0 v o t e r s i n what i s now Wakefield,
s l i g h t l y h i g h e r t h a n t h a t of Reading (63) and North Reading
( 6 6 ) . T o t a l p o p u l a t i o n of t h e t h r e e p a r i s h e s i n 1765 was
1,530.
C.
settlement Patterns
:
Continued expansion of town c e n t e r from meeting house common
(Wakefield) around Lake Quannapowitt w i t h p r i n c i p a l s e t t l e m e n t
on Main S t r e e t a x i s and f a r m s t e d s on P r o s p e c t S t r e e t (Cowdrey's
H i l l ) and Salem S t r e e t ( F i t c h ' s H i l l ) by mid-18th c e n t u r y .
A d d i t i o n a l s e t t l e m e n t i n Greenwood a r e a from Malden g r a n t by
l a t e 18th century.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
D. Economic base
Shoemaking given early start by town. Jonas Eaton granted
1677 wood and herbage privilege on condition that he remain
in town as shoemaker. By mid-18th century shoemaking already
a thriving home industry which had advanced from bespoke to
extra-sale work.
E.
Architecture:
Residential: Clusters of center chimney houses survive
along Prospect Street and at the intersection of Vernon and
Salem Streets; most have the standard five-bay configuration,
but a few half houses have survived. At least one center
chimney house with a beverly job stands on Oak Street. The presence
of half-houses and the predominance of center chiinney examples
(only a very few paired chimney, center hall plan houses appear--to date from the period) suggest a general conservatism and
lack of affluence during the colonial period.
Institutional, Commercial, Industrial: The second meetinghouse (c. 1/50) survived into the 19th century and was an end
porch structure with a belfry at one end. Other institutional
structures are not known although it is likely that several
district schools were constructed. Commercial activity was
probably small scale and confined to domestic settings. Sawmill sites are recorded at the north of town and along North
Street.
VII .
FEDERAL PERIOD (1775-1830)
A.
Transportation Routes:
Improvement of N/S highway to Boston as Main Street through
Wakefield Center with Lowell-Salem Streets as E/W highway
around Lake Quannapowitt from Salem to Reading.
B.
Population:
Census figures not available before 1830, by which point
population had reached 1,311 - - up from probably about 5-600
in 1765.
C.
Settlement Pattern:
Town center around Wakefield common remained as primary
civic and commercial core with axis along Plain Street and
residential development along Church-Salem Streets during
early 19th century. Mill site on Water Street continues to
expand as secondary focus with local village center on Main
Street in Greenwood section.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
D.
Economic Base:
P r i n c i p a l i n d u s t r y , shoemaking, l e d by Thomas Emerson
(1805) and many o t h e r small shops. By 1832 t h e b u s i n e s s
employed f u l l o r p a r t time 350 men and 100 women, and produced
$225,000 worth of shoes a n n u a l l y . A n c i l l a r y t o t h i s production
was t h e manufacture of shoe t o o l s , e s p e c i a l l y a w l s , a s e a r l y
a s 1810. (Thomas Woodward was r e p u t e d t o have i n t r o d u c e d t h e
f i r s t American p r o d u c t i o n of a w l s . ) Razor s t r a p s were invented
and manufactured h e r e by Charles Emerson.
Burrage Yale f i r s t came t o Wakefield i n 1810 a s an
i t i n e r a n t t i n p e d d l e r , b u t s h o r t l y a f t e r e s t a b l i s h e d a successf u l t i n p l a t e works. Eventually h e employed 100 p e d l e r s and
s e n t wagons a l l over New England. His f a c t o r y , a t t h e corner
of Yale Avenue and Main
S t r e e t , was l a t e r e n l a r g e d f o r t h e
Emerson Shoe F a c t o r y . There were a l s o 3 g r i s t and 3 saw m i l l s
on t h e Saugus and M i l l r i v e r s .
E.
Architecture:
R e s i d e n t i a l : Many houses were c o n s t r u c t e d d u r i n g t h e Federal
p e r i o d : an 1836 view of t h e town c e n t e r shows a t i g h t v i l l a g e
of end and p a i r e d chimney houses. Although very few of t h e s e
s u r v i v e i n t h e town c e n t e r , many examples remain j u s t o u t s i d e
t h e c e n t e r on P r o s p e c t , Salem, Vernon and Main S t r e e t s . A t
l e a s t one h i g h s t y l e b r i c k end chimney h i p roofed house s u r v i v e s :
t h e Eaton House, a t t h e c o r n e r of Main and Salem. Other examples
somewhat l e s s e l a b o r a t e , b u t w i t h h i p r o o f s and end chimneys,
have a l s o s u r v i v e d . Double houses and c o t t a g e s s u r v i v e w i t h
l e s s frequency. Although one s u b s t a n t i a l Federal/Greek Revival
house i s known, t r a n s i t i o n a l Federal/Greek Revival houses appear
t o have been r a r e , s u g g e s t i n g e i t h e r t h a t l i t t l e c o n s t r u c t i o n
took p l a c e a t t h e end of t h e f i r s t q u a r t e r of t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y ,
o r t h a t l o c a l t a s t e s were c o n s e r v a t i v e , hence r e t a i n i n g t h e
F e d e r a l forms of t h e e a r l y c e n t u r y .
VIII.
EARLY INDUSTRIAL PERIOD
A.
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n Routes :
Highways remained focused a t Wakefield Center w i t h a d d i t i o n a l
emphasis w i t h r e g i o n a l r a i l connections d u r i n g mid-19th c e n t u r y .
Primary N/S r o u t e a s Boston & Maine1845 w i t h branch t o Salem
1850 (now abandoned) and branch t o Danvers 1853 along M i l l River
c r e a t i n g important r a i l j u n c t i o n a t town c e n t e r . Local road
connection from r a i l depot a s North, Albion, and New Salem
S t r e e t s w i t h l i n k s t o Greenwood a r e a a s F o r e s t and Spring
Streets.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
B.
Population:
Slow growth u n t i l coming of t h e r a i l l i n e s , 1840s and
' 5 0 s . By 1855 p o p u l a t i o n had more than doubled t h e f i g u r e
of 25 y e a r s p r e v i o u s , r e a c h i n g 2,758 i n t h a t y e a r .
Population boom i n t h e p o s t - C i v i l War y e a r s , 1865-70. By
1870, 4,135 people i n town, of which about 8% were of I r i s h
birth.
C.
Settlement P a t t e r n :
Location of Boston r a i l r o a d depot a t North Avenue s h i f t s
focus of town c e n t e r t o South Main S t r e e t a r e a around i n d u s t r i a l
s i t e s d u r i n g mid-19th c e n t u r y . Related r e s i d e n t i a l expansion
e v i d e n t on North Avenue, Albion and Water S t r e e t s , w i t h
secondary suburban depot a t Greenwood on Spring S t r e e t .
I n d u s t r i a l f r i n g e development along r a i l r o a d a x i s of M i l l River
t o Montrose a r e a (Vernon-Lowell S t r e e t s ) and along western
Lake Quannapowitt s h o r e w i t h c e m e t e r i e s .
D.
Economic Base:
P r i n c i p a l b u s i n e s s remained i n s h o e s , and t h e annual product
v a l u e continued t o r i s e throughout p e r i o d .
(As a r e s u l t of
t h e l o s s of t h e s o u t h e r n t r a d e d u r i n g t h e C i v i l War, t h e r e was
a s h a r p d e c l i n e d u r i n g t h e war y e a r s , b u t b u s i n e s s rebounded
w i t h new markets a f t e r w a r d s . ) By 1868, 1 2 f a c t o r i e s were
producing over $400,000 worth. Many small shops were l o c a t e d
throughout t h e town, a number being t o t h e west of t h e v i l l a g e
on Salem S t r e e t . Among them was t h e shop of Thomas Emerson &
Son. I n 1862 they took over t h e t i n shop of Burrage Yale on
Main S t r e e t , making i t t h e l a r g e s t shoe f a c t o r y i n town a t t h a t
time.
Cyrus Wakefield (1811-1873) a r r i v e d i n what was then South
Reading s h o r t l y a f t e r t h e Boston & Maine i n 1845. Wakefield's
influence, i n addition t o the r a i l r o a d ' s , i s d i r e c t l y v i s i b l e
i n t h e two major f a c t o r i e s begun i n t h i s p e r i o d -- t h e Boston
and Maine Foundry (1854) and t h e Wakefield R a t t a n Co. (1856).
Among t h e foundry products were holloware, i n c l u d i n g k e t t l e s ,
saucepans, and t h e l i k e , which t h e company enameled - - f i r s t by
sending them t o New York, and l a t e r by h a n d l i n g t h i s process
themselves. The foundry became t h e f i r s t i n t h e country t o
produce enameled b a t h t u b s . W a k e f i e l d ' s own experience w i t h
r a t t a n r e e d s f o r hoop s k i r t s suggested t h e use of r a t t a n i n
t h e manufacture of c h a i r - s e a t i n g s , c a r p e t s , and f u r n i t u r e .
His success i n t h e b u s i n e s s was due t o h i s development of machine
p r o c e s s e s f o r s p l i t t i n g t h e r e e d and u s i n g t h e whole of t h e
r a t t a n f o r v a r i o u s p r o d u c t s . By 1865 t h e r a t t a n company employed
n e a r l y 300 men and women and was producing goods worth $357,000.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
E.
Architecture:
R e s i d e n t i a l : No h i g h s t y l e Greek Revival houses a r e known,
b u t s e v e r a l h i g h s t y l e I t a l i a n a t e houses a r e recorded and a few
s u r v i v e . The Greek Revival s t y l e i s commonly r e p r e s e n t e d by
s m a l l e r c o t t a g e s and more t r a d i t i o n a l c e n t e r e n t r a n c e houses;
t h e s e a r e l o c a t e d t o t h e e a s t of Lake Quannapowitt, on Cordis,
Salem and Vernon S t r e e t s and on Prospect S t r e e t . The s i d e h a l l
I t a l i a n a t e house was t h e most common type of t h e mid-century.
B u i l t i n numbers i n t h e neighborhoods e a s t of Main S t r e e t and
along Oak, P r o s p e c t , Salem and Vernon S t r e e t s , t h e s e simply
d e t a i l e d , modest houses e a s i l y evolved i n t o S t i c k and Queen
Anne types toward t h e end of t h e p e r i o d . Mansard roofed houses
a r e more r a r e , most o f t e n s u r v i v i n g i n c o t t a g e form. A few
Gothic c o t t a g e s a r e a l s o known. Among t h e s e v e r a l h i g h s t y l e
I t a l i a n a t e mansions which have n o t s u r v i v e d was t h e Cyrus
Wakefield house ( s i t e of p r e s e n t Armory), probably designed by
John S t e v e n s , a l o c a l a r c h i t e c t ; i t i s u n l i k e l y t h a t more than
a few r e s i d e n c e s a r e a r c h i t e c t - d e s i g n e d .
I n s t i t u t i o n a l : Among t h e s u r v i v i n g i n s t i t u t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e s
of t h i s p e r i o d a r e t h e Greek Revival I t a l i a n a t e U n i v e r s a l i s t
Church (1859) and t h e Greek Revival West Ward School; seven
d i s t r i c t s c h o o l s s t o o d i n Wakefield i n 1844 w i t h t h e West Ward
School added i n 1847. S e v e r a l h i g h s t y l e b u i l d i n g s , i n c l u d i n g
town's f i r s t high s c h o o l (Second E m p i r e I I t a l i a n a t e ) and an
e l a b o r a t e High V i c t o r i a n Gothic Town H a l l (1871) donated by
Cyrus Wakefield and designed by John C . S t e v e n s , a r e no longer
extant.
Commercial, I n d u s t r i a l : S e v e r a l blacksmiths and wheelw r i g h t s a r e known t o have been working i n Waltefield i n 1844,
t h e i r shops along w i t h s e v e r a l t a v e r n s , probably l o c a t e d along
t h e Turnpike r o u t e . A bank and e i g h t s t o r e s a l s o o p e r a t e d i n
t h e p e r i o d . Cottage shoe i n d u s t r y predominated e a r l y i n t h e
p e r i o d , g i v i n g way by t h e end of t h e p e r i o d t o f u l l s c a l e
i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t i o n . No i n d u s t r i a l b u i l d i n g s of t h i s p e r i o d
a r e known t o s u r v i v e .
IX.
LATE INDUSTRIAL PERIOD
A.
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n Routes:
R a i l r o a d s remained focused a t Wakefield j u n c t i o n w i t h r e g i o n a l
highways. Extension of s t r e e t c a r l i n e s from Stoneham, Melrose,
Reading and Saugus c r e a t e s a d d i t i o n a l focus a t town c e n t e r by
e a r l y 20th c e n t u r y w i t h r o u t e s along Main, North, Water and
Albion S t r e e t s .
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
B.
Population:
Steady growth between 1870 (4,135) and 1915 ( 1 2 , 7 8 1 ) ,
i n t e r r u p t e d s i g n i f i c a n t l y only once i n t h e l a t e 1870s. Of
t h e 26% foreign-born p o p u l a t i o n i n 1905, I r e l a n d and Nova
S c o t i a t o g e t h e r accounted f o r about h a l f .
C.
Settlement P a t t e r n :
Expansion of suburban r e s i d e n t i a l development from North
Avenue r a i l r o a d a x i s w i t h a f f l u e n t neighborhoods along Prospect
and P l e a s a n t S t r e e t h i l l s around town c e n t e r and w o r k e r ' s
d i s t r i c t along Water and Vernon S t r e e t s . Secondary suburban
a r e a develops along Main S t r e e t a x i s i n Greenwood w i t h focus
a t Spring-Oak S t r e e t s , and i n Montrose along Lowell S t r e e t .
I n d u s t r i a l a c t i v i t y c o n t i n u e s t o expand around r a i l r o a d j u n c t i o n
a t Water S t r e e t along M i l l River a x i s .
D.
Economic Base:
I n t h e l a t e 1860s and e a r l y ' 7 0 s , Cyrus Wakefield remained
a c t i v e i n encouraging b u s i n e s s development. I n a d d i t i o n t o
h i s g i f t of t h e town h a l l , h e b u i l t two l a r g e commercial/
i n d u s t r i a l blocks o p p o s i t e i t . The Wakefield Block ( s t i l l
s t a n d i n g ) provided t h e f i r s t home f o r t h e Harvard K n i t t i n g M i l l s ,
and t h e p r e s t i g e o u s Henry F. M i l l e r & Son Piano Company
e v e n t u a l l y moved i n t o t h e a d j a c e n t 6 - s t o r y mansard b u i l d i n g
behind t h e town h a l l . I n t h e e a r l y ' 7 0 s , t h e town's f o r t u n e s
were a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t e d by t h e combined d i s a s t e r s of t h e
f i n a n c i a l p a n i c of 1872 and t h e d e a t h of Cyrus Wakefield, p o s t h m u s l y i n s o l v e n t , t h e following y e a r .
I n 1879 t h e Smith & Anthony Stove Company took over t h e
a i l i n g Franklin(nee Boston & Maine) Foundry and f o r t h e remainder
of t h e p e r i o d d i d a s u c c e s s f u l (and i n t e r n a t i o n a l ) t r a d e i n
cooking r a n g e s , f u r n a c e s , and h e a t i n g s t o v e s . The 1890s saw
c o n s i d e r a b l e new i n d u s t r i a l c o n s t r u c t i o n . Adjacent t o t h e
foundry, t h e Harvard K n i t t i n g M i l l s began i n 1896 t h e e x t e n s i v e
b r i c k complex which today dominates t h e Foundry S t r e e t i n d u s t r i a l
a r e a . About t h e same time, George Harrison invented and p a t e n t e d
t h e l e a d - l i n e d i r o n p i p e which i n t h e 1890s h i s company f u r n i s h e d
to major o f f i c e b u i l d i n g s i n Boston and elsewhere. Shoemaking
remained a dominant i n d u s t r y : L . B . Evans began t h e p r e s e n t
wood-frame f a c t o r y on Water S t r e e t i n 1894. The r a t t a n works
a l s o b u i l t new b u i l d i n g s i n t h i s decade.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
E. Architecture:
Residential: Neighborhoods southeast of the town center
around factories filled in with vernacular two family houses
and cottages, most simple Queen Anne and Colonial Revival
examples with gabled porches. Along Water Street, a few three
deckers,mstly frame buildings but a few in brick, were built.
The Greenwood section in the south of town began to be
developed with modest suburban Queen Anne, Colonial Revival
and Shingle Style houses while more well-detailed and ambitious
housing in the same styles was concentrated west of the town
center. Still, few highstyle and/or architect-designed houses
were constructed.
Institutional: Probably the most significant building
constructed in the period is the 1st Congregational Church, a
granite Richardsonian Romanesque design with an offset tower
(Hartwell and Richardson, 1890). Other important churches are
the Shingle Style/Queen Anne Greenwood Union Church (c. 1892,
architect unknown) and a stuccoed Craftsman church on lower
Main Street at
Street. In addition, several substantial
Renaissance Revival turn of the century brick schools survive.
The pagoda-like bandstand by Lake Quannapowitt probably dates
from the period.
Commercial: A number of important commercial buildings in
brick and stone were built at the town center in the period,
including the three-story Second Empire brick Wakefield Block
(which has lost its mansard roof), the Renaissance Revival Odd
Fellows Hall, a three-story High Victorian Gothic building (1875)
and several Georgian and Classical Revival structures dating
after the turn of the century.
Industrial: A wealth of late 19th and early 20th century
industrial buildings, most of them utilitarian designs in
brick, survives in Wakefield. Three and four stories tall,
these are concentrated just east of the town center and at
Wakefield Junction.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
X.
EARLY MODERN PERIOD
A.
(1915-1940)
Transportation Routes :
Abandonment of local trolley routes to town center by
1920s and improvement of existing roads as auto highways with
primary N/S Route 129 (Main-Water Streets) and E/W as original
Route 128 (Albion-New Salem-Lowell Streets).
B.
Population:
But for the five years between 1920 and 1925, Wakefield's
population in this period grew relatively slowly, in fact
declining in the 1935-40 period. Between 1920 and 1925, however,
the town experienced a sudden post-war housing boom as the
number of new residents grew by over 515 a year.
C.
Settlement Pattern:
Continued expansion of suburban residential area from
Wakefield Center along Main Street axis. Extensive affluent
neighborhood developed along Prospect Street hill and along
eastern shore of Lake Quannapowitt (Main Street) hill.
Secondary focus at Greenwood with nearly continuous connection
of development to Wakefield Center on Main Street. Local
commercial center emerges at Lowell-Vernon Street at Montrose
with residential expansion on surrounding highground. Commercial strip activity extends along Lowell Street axis at
Route 128 junction of Saugus River and outlet of Lake Quannapowitt by mid-20th century.
D. Economic Base:
Few new industries were begun in this period. Wakefield's
largest employers were the rattan works("Heywood-Wakefieldl2and
employing 1000 hands), and the Harvard Knitting Mills (800
operatives). Both had developed small competitors in the
production of reed furniture and knit goods. By 1940, L. B.
Evans was the oldest shoe manufacturing concern in the country.
Among new industries was the Neveroil Company, a manufacturer
of self-lubricating bearings.
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
E.
Architecture:
R e s i d e n t i a l : Very l i t t l e h i g h s t y l e Craftsman a n d o r
Historical
Revival r e s i d e n t i a l c o n s t r u c t i o n took p l a c e w i t h
t h e n o t a b l e e x c e p t i o n of two e l a b o r a t e Mission S t y l e stuccoed
houses b u i l t a t t h e c r e s t of Prospect S t r e e t . Probably
a r c h i t e c t - d e s i g n e d , t h e two houses may be t h e only such w e l l developed examples i n t h e n o r t h e r n Boston suburbs. While a
g r e a t many s i n g l e and two family Craftsman-derived houses were
c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e 1920s, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e Greenwood s e c t i o n ,
few even approach t h e Prospect S t r e e t houses i n p l a n o r d e t a i l .
I n s t i t u t i o n a l : S e v e r a l w e l l - d e t a i l e d b r i c k C o l o n i a l and
Georgian Revival s c h o o l s remain from t h e t e e n s and 1920s.
Commercial: One and two s t o r y b r i c k and c o n c r e t e s t o r e f r o n t s
began t o f i l l i n t h e town c e n t e r ; more small s c a l e commercial
b u i l d i n g took p l a c e along Main S t r e e t i n t h e Greenwood s e c t i o n .
Only a few imposing s t r u c t u r e s , among them a Beaux-Arts
C l a s s i c a l bank b u i l d i n g a t t h e c e n t e r , were b u i l t ; a few b u i l d i n g s e x h i b i t modest Moderne d e t a i l i n g , b u t most d i s p l a y
t r a d i t i o n a l c l a s s i c a l motifs.
XI.
SURVEY OBSERVATIONS
Wakefield has no town s u r v e y .
Two s m a l l gems a r e t h e pumping s t a t i o n of t h e Wakefield Water
Company (1883, on C r y s t a l Lake) and t h e B & M Wakefield Upper
S t a t i o n (1889, T u t t l e S t r e e t ) . Although t h e s i x s t o r y mansard
M i l l e r Piano Company f a c t o r y has been t o r n down, probably
w i t h i n t h e l a s t 20 y e a r s , most of Wakefield's o t h e r 1 9 t h
century i n d u s t r i e s s u r v i v e i n p a r t o r i n t h e i r e n t i r e t y ,
i n c l u d i n g t h r e e b u i l d i n g s of t h e r a t t a n works (1892, Water S t . ) ,
t h e L . B . Evans Shoe Company (1894, Water S t r e e t ) , and Harvard
K n i t t i n g M i l l s (1896, Foundry S t r e e t ) . The s m a l l wood-frame
Wakefield Center Depot ( c . 1870?, Water S t r e e t ) and t h e Neveroil
Bearing Company (29 Foundry S t r e e t ) a r e o t h e r s i g n i f i c a n t
s u r v i v a l s . P o t e n t i a l NR b u i l d i n g s : Wakefield Upper S t a t i o n
and Wakefield R a t t a n .
XII.
SOURCES
Eaton, Chester W . and Warren Eaton, e d s . , Proceedings of t h e
250th Anniversary of t h e Ancient Town of Reading, (Reading,
1896).
Eaton, L i l l e y , Genealogical H i s t o r y of t h e Town of Reading,
(Boston, 1874) .
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield
Eaton, Will Everett, History of Wakefield, Mass. (Wakefield,
1944).
Heywood-Wakefield Company. A Completed Century 1826-1926, the
Story of the Heywood-Wakefield Company, (Boston, 1926).
MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Wakefield