Medford historian Dee Morris resumes her popular walking tours with “A Rare Blend – Our Early Library and Its Neighbors,” a stroll around the Medford Public Library neighborhood. Back in 1875, Thatcher Magoun Jr. presented Medford with an amazing gift, his father’s High Street mansion, which became the city’s first library. The transformed building featured great books and a light-filled reading room. Nearby residents such as Samuel C. Lawrence, proprietor of Medford Rum, and Rev. Henry C. DeLong of the Unitarian Church, served as trustees. Librarian Mary E. Sargent dynamically reached out to the community, especially children. Amid all this success, Margaret O’Hare, Thatcher’s adopted daughter who lived across the street, was embroiled in legal battles with Magoun relations. Join the tour for some lively stories and more. Meet in the Local History Room inside the library.

The walking tour also will be presented at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 17.