The Medford Historical Society on April 14 will host "The History of Tufts University," an event featuring a walking tour of campus led by Kyna Hamill (G '06), co−chair of the society's programming committee, and a lecture on Tufts' early history.
Anne Sauer, director of the Digital Collections and Archives at Tufts, will give the lecture in Barnum 104 after the tour. The talk will focus on how a young Tufts University fit in with its surrounding community, particularly Medford.
"I'll be speaking on the topic but drawing on photographs and other documents that we have in the archives that I will be showing in the presentation as well. This is also open to the Tufts community," Sauer said.
According to Hamill, the society typically organizes between six and eight events per year, including a bicycle tour of Medford and various lectures concerning the city's historical structures, all of which contribute to what she thinks is an important connection between Medford, Tufts and Somerville.
"It is important to situate the campus within the historical context and growth of both Medford and Somerville, since Tufts has been such an important institution in both communities since 1852," Hamill said in an e−mail to the Daily.
History Professor Sol Gittleman said the university's relationship with Medford and the surrounding communities has evolved over the years.
"Town relationships since the beginning of the 17th century have had their ups and downs," Gittleman said. "Right now, we have a terrific relationship with the city and Mayor [Michael] McGlynn, the best that I've seen during my time here."
Sauer echoed this sentiment. "Tufts is an interesting place, straddling both Medford and Somerville, and the university is always interested in helping the local communities, seeing as we are dependent upon them," she said.
According to Gittleman, the university has become more involved in the community through the Medford Historical Society.
"The Royall House on George Street is the oldest and most beautifully preserved Northern house with slave quarters in the United States," Gittleman said, adding that students and faculty are involved with preservation efforts.
In addition, part of the Underground Railroad ended in Medford at an area near the Cousens Gym, according to Gittleman.
"Since we've evolved and now have an anthropology department, there will be the whole history of Medford that will eventually be explored," Gittleman said. "There are still many opportunities for students to do something and learn something anthropological or archeological. We are also involved with cleaning up the Mystic River and the Malden River."
Sauer said the history event should expose some elements of the past that have since been obscured by development.
"I think it should be a really interesting opportunity for both members of the Medford Historical Society and the Tufts community to catch a glimpse of what Tufts looked like back then. It's easy to miss, now that the area is so built−up," Sauer said.
"It will give people an opportunity to see what a dramatic change it was to have a college built on this hill. It will also give students an opportunity to see how there is still evidence of that earlier time on campus." Sauer said.
"The purpose of the archives is to document the history of Tufts and the community, and this is a great way to get out there and show people what we've got."
