This colorized photo is of the view looking south from Cyrus Wakefield’s mansion in the summer of 1886, 13 years after the death of Mr. Wakefield. The Wakefield mansion sat on his estate, located approximately on the current site of the Galvin Middle School.
Mr. Wakefield’s estate encompassed most of the land surrounded by Main Street, West Water Street and North Avenue. Historical descriptions refer to “an immense barn” behind the mansion, which appears to be the structure seen on the left in this photo. There were also greenhouses and orchards on the property. Crystal Lake is visible in the distance as well as Harts Hill on the left.
Mr. Wakefield made his fortune in the rattan furniture business with factories located on Water Street on the current site of Shaw’s supermarket. In 1868, the town changed its name from South Reading to Wakefield in appreciation of the industrialist’s gift of a new town hall.
After Cyrus Wakefield’s death in 1873, his wife, Eliza, continued to live on the estate until her death in 1877. The estate was left to their nephew, Cyrus Wakefield II, who in turn left it to his children.
In 1913, after much acrimonious debate, Town Meeting voted to purchase the property for $25,000 for a future high school. The mansion fell into disrepair and was razed in 1921. The new high school opened on the site in 1923.