History Chelsea, Massachusetts

1 history

1.1 settlement
1.2 role in revolutionary war
1.3 changing population
1.4 contemporary revitalization

history

old pratt house in 1908



the fitz public library in 1905


early settlement

the area of chelsea first called winnisimmet (meaning spring nearby ) massachusett tribe, once lived there. settled in 1624 samuel maverick, palisaded trading post considered first permanent settlement boston harbor. in 1635, maverick sold of winnisimmet, except house , farm, richard bellingham. community remained part of boston until set off , incorporated in 1739, when named after chelsea, neighborhood in london, england.

role in revolutionary war

in 1775, battle of chelsea creek fought in area, second battle of revolution, @ american forces made 1 of first captures of british ship. part of george washington s army stationed in chelsea during siege of boston.

on february 22, 1841, part of chelsea annexed saugus, massachusetts. on march 19, 1846, north chelsea, consists of present-day revere , winthrop established separate town. reincorporated city in 1857, chelsea developed industrial center , mid-century had become powerhouse in wooden sailing ship construction. century wore on, steam power began overtake age of sail , industry in town began shift toward manufacturing. factories making rubber , elastic goods, boots , shoes, stoves, , adhesives began appear along banks of boston harbor. became home chelsea naval hospital designed alexander parris , home soldiers.

a changing population

according local historical records, nathan morse, first jewish resident of chelsea, arrived in 1864, , 1890 there 82 jews living in city. however, chelsea major destination great wave of russian , eastern european immigrants, russian jews, came united states after 1890. 1910 number of jews had grown 11,225, 1 third of entire population of city. in 1930s there 20,000 jewish residents in chelsea out of total population of 46,000. given area of city, chelsea may have had jews per square mile of city outside of new york city.

chelsea square after great fire of 1908

on april 12, 1908, half city destroyed in first of 2 great fires devastate chelsea in 20th century. fire left 18,000 people, 56 percent of population, homeless. despite magnitude of destruction, take city 2 , half years rebuild , 5 years surpass extent of 1908 s infrastructure. city laid out differently after fire, wider streets , more access emergency vehicles. many of city’s residents left , never returned, opened door many immigrants living in boston “move up” chelsea. immigrants living in crowded tenements in boston’s west end, east , south ends, chelsea next stop on path of economic upward mobility.

by 1919 chelsea’s population had reached record level of 52,662, foreign-born residents comprising 46 percent of population. transitioned suburb industrial city, waterfront flourished, shipbuilding, lumberyards, metalworks , paint companies lined marginal street.

during 1930s first exodus of jews chelsea suburbs began. community prospered , grew, many wanted seek new opportunities in more affluent communities of newton , brookline. 1950s jewish population had decreased 8,000 , more people began establish roots in seaside towns of swampscott , marblehead, massachusetts.

after world war ii, chelsea began long, slow decline; between 1940 , 1980, population declined 38 percent. chelsea, however, lost more population other urban areas after 1950s because of elevated expressway built connect north shore boston, via mystic river bridge (later renamed boston mayor maurice j. tobin). highway planners failed foresee new route 1 north expressway damage city far more 1908 fire. hundreds of homes lost make way expressway cut city in half. resulting out-migration took many of small, local businesses, of capital and, seemingly, soul of city. historic homes abandoned, along industrial buildings, brownfields, salt piles , gas storage tanks dotting cityscape.

chelsea fire 1973



chelsea fire 1973 - rag shop district



chelsea, ma

in 1973, disaster struck again when second great chelsea fire burned 18 city blocks, leaving fifth of city in ashes. both fires originated in chelsea’s “rag shop district,” cluttered streets filled junk shops hawking scraps, metal, , combustible items. wood-frame buildings , three- six-family houses built tightly together, , caught fire.

a major shift took place in 1970s chelsea became center latino immigration. racial conflict , tension became regular part of life in chelsea. although hispanic population continued grow, city did not hire first spanish-speaking police officer until 1992. 1990s, chelsea both poorest , dangerous city in massachusetts.

by 1990, chelsea had collapsed economically , socially. crime rampant, not least among police , local government officials. population drain made way more immigrants, depleted city’s tax base. cost of running city , maintaining infrastructure did not decrease correspondingly so, in 1991, city suffered fiscal collapse.

the commonwealth of massachusetts enacted special legislation place chelsea receivership. first time since great depression, massachusetts city surrendered home rule , allowed state-appointed receiver control aspects of city government. governor william weld named james carlin first receiver followed lewis harry spence. city hall eviscerated, police , fire departments reorganized, management of public schools given boston university, , indictments handed down. mayor john “butchie” brennan , 2 former mayors found guilty of federal crimes.

fortunately, chelsea had no long-term debt publicly held; thus, solution problems explored in isolation of creditors.

contemporary revitalization

by summer of 1995, when state returned city hall people of chelsea, new government had been born, brought life panel of citizens charged drafting new city charter. new charter eliminated position of mayor, converting management of city mayor council–manager government system, city manager selected city council members. such, municipal government focused on improving quality of services provided residents , businesses, while establishing financial policies have improved city s financial condition. leaders more accountable , efficient, chelsea reversed long decline , entered period of population growth , economic development.

in 1998, city council s focused efforts earned chelsea distinction of being named 1 of 10 all-america city award winners national civic league in recognition of grass-roots approach solving problems. since earning honor, chelsea has claimed other victories. city weathered recession in 2000s , emerged finances intact, prompting chelsea s bond rating improve.

chelsea s skyline has been transformed construction of wyndham chelsea, built on lot junk cars once sat abandoned in wake of fire of 1973. opened in 2001, hotel chain first company make substantial investment in chelsea after receivership. city’s 2 main shopping centers, mystic mall , chelsea commons, have undergone major renovations well.

on july 28, 2014, tornado touched down in northern chelsea , made way neighboring revere. while there relatively little damage in chelsea, caused major damage in revere.