"College Acres" was a parcel of land acquired by Tufts University at the end of World War One. It was originally used to provide extra playing fields for university sports teams on the Medford campus.

Prior to the first World War, the area across from Cousens Gym, bordering College Avenue, was largely undeveloped. It was made up of an old brickyard, some abandoned clay pits, and the remains of a city dump. Tufts purchased the land at the close of World War I for the express purpose of expanding the school's athletic facilities. It was converted to playing fields for baseball, soccer, and lacrosse, practice fields for football and track, and drill and parade grounds for military units. Students came to call the area "College Acres," a name which would stick into the 1940's.

By 1950, some of the fields had been razed to make room for the addition of a parking lot directly across from Cousens Gym. Around the same time, one of the playing fields was renamed Alumni Field, and to this day is the location for many junior varsity sporting events.

As of 2000, "College Acres" consists of Alumni Field, the Stearns parking lot, a baseball diamond, and various other fields used for practice and competition by Tufts squads.

Source: LOH

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