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Middleton Tramp House, 1839
38 Maple Street
Middleton, Massachusetts
“In the decades following the Civil War, thousands of itinerant men, ‘tramps,’ followed the railrose to points north in search of work. By the 1870’s, the problem of coping with the increasing numbers of tramps prompted the town to purchase a plot of land from A.A. Averill for $25, and to contract with George B. Flint to build a lock-up or ‘Tramp House’ for $355. The Tramp House was completed in 1878, and was used to temporarily shelter these homeless men. In the early 20th century, as the tramp problem diminished, the Tramp House was utilized as a jail and briefly as the Police Station.
The following Middleton persons and organization have generously contributed their considerable talents, time and materials to the restoration of the Tramp House.
William F. Cashman
Raymond A. Farnsworth
Gerald X. Gerrior
Henry A. Traget
North Shore Technical High School
Middleton DPW
George Nash
John O. Kunz”