Good for what ailed you! Dr. Richardson’s Bitters

A philanthropist as well as a physician, Solon O. Richardson was also a savvy businessman, with a product that was much in demand. Read on to discover why!

Fascinating 1840 Broadside “South Reading”

Some things will have to speak for themselves. This broadside, printed in 1840, was found in the archives of the Library of Congress. Probably written by Lilley Eaton, no other information is presently known about this broadside. But we’re on the hunt… Its description of two churches and the pond that rivals Nahant in its…

Wakefield Park

Discover the history of ‘Wakefield Park,’ one of the earliest upscale real estate developments (called a ‘garden suburb’) in the Boston area.

Winter in South Reading, 1858-1859

by Nancy Bertrand A 19th Century Journal describes what may have been the town’s first Christmas tree. The custom of Christmas trees originated in Germany and was popularly introduced in England after Queen Victoria’s marriage to the German Prince Albert. In 1848, an image of the Royal Family with their Christmas Tree was presented to…

The West Ward Schoolhouse

The history of Wakefield’s beloved “Little Red Schoolhouse, which has housed generations of Wakefield’s young. One of the oldest two-room schoolhouses in Massachusetts.