Wakefield Town Hall, corner of Main and Water Streets, Wakefield, Mass.

This photo mashup shows Main Street looking north from Water Street. The impressive building on the corner is Wakefield's original town hall, built with funds donated by Cyrus Wakefield. The structure was completed in 1871, and in gratitude to Cyrus, the townspeople decided to change the town's name in his honor from South Reading to Wakefield. Unfortunately, this magnificent building was damaged by fire in 1950, and after several years of debate, the town decided to demolish it rather than restore it. It was torn down in 1958 and the site is now a parking lot.

Photo contest entry from Wakefield Memorial High School digital photography class

2011

Wakefield, MA : The authors