Did You See That Huge Dog on Main Street?

Did you see that huge dog on Main Street this weekend? You likely did if you drove by the intersection of Main and North Streets after the utility box in front of the Bank of America was wrapped in the likeness of Jack, the beloved dog of an old town doctor.

This art box is the first in a series of boxes that will be wrapped in historic photos. Because of the cold temperatures on Saturday, the artist Franklin Marval was only able to finish two sides of the box. The hope is the work on this box can be completed if the weather is warm for a few hours or if a tent can be set up to keep the weather from the box while the other two sides are finished.

Currently, the street side has a picture of "Jack" who was the faithful companion of Dr. Arthur Mitchell, who came to Medfield at the age of 23 and served as Medfield’s beloved doctor for 48 years, according to a story in Medfield Patch by Town Historian Richard DeSorgher. 

During a storm of epic proportions, the young doctor fell into the floodwaters of a river, which we assume was the Charles. He was under the rapids and his lungs were filling with water when he saw, from the corner of his eyes, his faithful dog and companion, “Jack.” All he remembers was holding onto Jack for dear life and seeing the shore come closer and closer.

Reaching the river bank, he was able to grab onto tree branches protruding into the water and pull himself up onto the bank with Jack still by his side. The event he never forgot; nor the fact that it was Jack, who dove into the river after him. His life had been saved by his dog. Mitchell commissioned Monks to paint Jack and had it hung in his doctor’s office. In Mitchell’s will, the painting was left to his housekeeper, Mrs. Mary C. Haskell. It was later donated to the Medfield Historical Society. 

The Pleasant Street side of the box was done first and has a 1900 photo of the Monks Building (circa 1888) where it still stands, and looks much the same, today. 

Each utility box will have a QR code on it which will send curious passersby to the Medfield Historical Society for more information.  

Organizer Jean Mineo said she hopes the installation can be completed in the very near future but noted that cold weather makes the vinyl transfer brittle and it cracks and rips. 

Stay tuned to Patch for details and be sure to keep a lookout for Jack when you're uptown.