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"Of the 58 structures in the origionally proposed district, all but 4 are
currently used as residences. Origionally 5 of the properties were residential with businesses on-site, those being: the home and shop of Medway’s first cabinet/coffin maker; the home and workshop of a chaise maker; a home with a livery stable on the premises; a boot shop and residence;
and the old Tavern house. Another 4 of the structures were strictly commercial sites initially: a tack shop (which in later years maintained its commercial nature, serving as an auction hall, antique shop, blacksmith shop and craft shop); the Morocco Tannery (with a clubroom on
the second level); a tailor shop; and another retail building (which served as an antique shop, jewelry store and fish market). In addition, one of the current residential structures is comprised of two individual buildings joined together: a small shoe factory and an old fire house barn.
The district also contains a church
which maintains its original functions to this day and a firehouse (now a
private residence), the original parsonage (now a private residence) and a boarding house built for mill workers as the
industrial revolution began to be realized in Medway."
Quote from the Historical Commission's application to have the Rabbit Hill District listed
on the National Register of Historical Places. |
Ralph Mann is listed as an owner of woodland on most of the early deeds
of homes along Highland and Milford Streets. He owned all of the land where houses at 2, 4, 6, 7, 10,
11, 15, 16, 18, 20 Milford Street now stand, and the land of houses at 5, 8, 10, 11, 12 Highland Street. Ralph
Mann married Eunice Partridge in 1783. They had 14 children – Abigail, Banoni, Clarissa, David Partridge, Elias,
Elijah, Eunice, James, Nancy, Paris, Patty and Polly twins, Polly (again), Rebekkah, and Timothy: 10 survived beyond childhood.
Ralph died at 92 years in 1820. After his death his heirs, sold land along the new road to Milford, and along Highland
Street. So in deeds written after 1820 listing Ralph Mann
as grantor, it was really his heirs who were selling the properties.
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Below is an interactive map of the Rabbit Hill area of Medway.
Click on an icon to learn more about that particular building/area.
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