When the original Boston and Lowell Railroad (B&L) was laid out in the 1830s, West Medford was mostly farmland. The route of the new railroad (one of the oldest railroads in North America) was built on land acquired from Peter Chardon Brooks, who sold a strip for the right-of-way plus a parcel for the station on High Street. Medford Gates station was open by 1838.[2] The name reflected the large gates built to warn passerby about the grade crossing. The Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) opened its Medford branch to Medford Square in 1847; the B&L station was renamed West Medford in the early 1850s.[3][4]: 64 A new station building was constructed in 1854.[5]
The adjacent High Street grade crossing, and the Canal Street crossing 0.2 miles (0.32 km) southeast, are the only grade crossings on the line south of Wilmington. Elimination of the High Street crossing was considered in 1932, but not implemented.[6] The depot structure, built in 1886, was demolished in the 1960s.[7][8] The decorative weathervane from the roof of the station was acquired by the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan in the 1950s.[9]
Until December 2020, a small number of Haverhill Line trains ran via the Wildcat Branch and the inner Lowell Line, making stops including West Medford.[10][11] Until May 2023, West Medford and Wedgemere were flag stops outside of weekday peak hours. Effective May 22, 2023, they were made regular scheduled stops at all times.[12][13][14]
In 2019, the MBTA listed West Medford as a "Tier I" accessibility priority.[15] As of November 2023[update], the MBTA plans to pilot a freestanding temporary accessible platform design at Beverly Depot in March 2024. If successful, West Medford would be one of the first four stations to receive a temporary platform while a full reconstruction is planned.[16]
MBTA bus: 94, 95
