A changing population Chelsea, Massachusetts

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.