Medford. 1 City (1990 pop. 57,407), Middlesex co., E Mass., a residential and industrial suburb of Boston, on the Mystic River; settled 1630, inc. as a city 1892. Wax, paper, clothing, and furniture are among its products. A shipping and shipbuilding center from the 17th to the 19th cent., Medford was also known for its rum. It is the seat of Tufts Univ. Several 18th-century buildings stand in the city.
2 City (1990 pop. 46,951), seat of Jackson co., SW Oreg., on Bear Creek; inc. 1884. It is a growing trade, shipping, and medical center in an agricultural area. Food processing, lumbering, and tourism are important. Manufactures include furniture, veneer, electrical equipment, and boats. Between 1836 and 1856 the area was the scene of a number of bloody conflicts between white settlers and Native Americans of Rogue River descent. Gold was discovered nearby in 1851. The gold-mining town of Jacksonville has been restored. Medford is the headquarters for Crater Lake National Park (see National Parks and Monuments, table) and Rogue River National Forest.
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