Long known as the Cradock House because it was once thought to have been built in 1634 for Matthew Cradock, the house is now attributed to Peter Tufts and is known to pre-date 1677. Many historians consider it the oldest all-brick house in America. It has also been called the Fort and the Garrison House because of its thick walls and portholes. In the late 1880’s, General Samuel Lawrence saved the Old Garrison from destruction by purchasing it as a wedding gift for his niece and remodeling the interior. In 1892, an image of the house was placed on the city seal of the newly incorporated City of Medford. The Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities then acquired and managed the house for the next fifty years. With encouragement from Joseph V. Valeriani and aid from the people of Medford and the Tufts family, the Medford Historical Society purchased the building in 1980. The Society and the City of Medford now maintain it, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
