Since its settlement in 1639, the town now known as Wakefield has enjoyed a rich and varied history. Wakefield Revisited celebrates the personality of this community. Featured are some of the town s most unforgettable characters; from 19th-century house painter Franklin Poole, who captured the town s character in a myriad of rare, precise oil paintings, to the fascinating strong women who played a major role in forging the personality of Wakefield. In these pages, the reader will visit nearly forgotten landmarks, buildings, and sites and rediscover the long-lost businesses and industries that made Wakefield the most enterprising community north of Boston. Capping it all will be images of celebrations, from Grand Army of the Republic marches to the high school relocation procession to the town s trademark Fourth of July parade, which has evolved into the largest Independence Day parade in Massachusetts."