South Reading

From WakWiki

The area now known as the town of Wakefield received its first European settlers in the first half of the 17th century. Most of the early settlers came from the nearby town of Lynn, which at that time encompassed the present town of Saugus, to the southeast of Wakefield. In 1639 the first residents received a land grant from the General Court and established Linn Village at the foot of Lake Quannapowitt.

The village grew sufficiently to seek the status of a town, and in 1644 became the southern part of the newly incorporated town of Redding (Reading).

In the first years of the 19th century the south parish of Redding began agitating for secession from Redding, and their establishment as a separate town. This was due in part to disagreement over war with Britain (the War of 1812). The residents of the First (south) Parish were strongly in favor, while the other two parishes very much opposed. Secession was approved and the community of 800 people incorporated on February 25, 1812 as the new town of South Reading. The north parish later seceded as well and became the separate town of North Reading in 1853.

In 1867 the town was considering a memorial hall or monument to commemorate Civil War soldiers. Industrialist and philanthropist Cyrus Wakefield gave the town a cash donation of $30,000 and a building lot at the corner of Main and Water Streets. The town accepted the offer, used the funds to build an elaborate new Town Hall, and in 1868 decided to honor Mr. Wakefield by changing the name of the town from South Reading to Wakefield.

References

• Wakefield : 350 years by the lake : an anniversary history / compiled by the Wakefield 350 Writing Committee ; edited by Nancy Bertrand, 1994, p4-15, 47-51, 75-76.
• Historical Marker on Wakefield Common