This article was provided by the Medway Historical Society

Built in 1885, this building was a gift from the heirs of Lansing Millis for whom the town was renamed. Millis had passed away the previous year aged 61. The building was constructed as a railroad station, town offices and a town library. A library had been established in East Medway in 1878, and members of the library society paid dues for the use of it. In 1885, the library society donated its books and funds for the Millis Free Public Library in this building and it remained here until May 1964. The structure was then deemed unsuitable to hold the 12,000 volumes of books on the second floor due to termite damage and was immediately closed.

The stone structure has a steeply pitched roof with a wide overhang. 

Inscribed on the brownstone band is “W.14.8 m B.22.7m” to indicate the number of miles from the Millis station to Worcester and Boston, respectively.

This building still stands today in its original location [on Exchange Street]. 

Photos show the Millis Memorial building exterior and an interior view of the library around the time of its construction in 1885. Photo credit to the Images of America Millis book.

After the Medway Historical Society posted the above information on Facebook, several people commented saying they would like to see the building restored and shared their memories of the building. One commenter, who was a teacher in the building when it housed the Woodside Montessori Academy, recalled a day in Sept. 2012, when the structure was struck by lightning.  “One year, we were in a lesson when we heard a huge boom and saw a blinding flash--and bricks raining down on the train tracks.” She still has one of those charred bricks. 

Share your thoughts about the building on Facebook @MedwayMillisTownNews