IMPORTANT EVENTS IN CHELSEA'S HISTORY

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DATE

EVENT

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1614

Captain John Smith explores Boston Harbor

1616

Unknown plague wipes out many Pawtucket and Winnisimmet Indians

1619

Death of Nanepashemet, last of the Indian Chiefs

1621

Winnisimmet visited by Myles Standish and the Plymouth men

1624

Settled by Samuel Maverick

1631

Chelsea Ferry established to Boston

1632-34

Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh and Pullen Point declared part of Boston

1633

Smallpox plague devistates Indian population in Winnisimmet and all of Northeast.

1641

Richard Bellingham appointed Governor of Massachusets

1641

First County Road built to Salem

1659

Cary House built by Richard Bellingham as a hunting lodge

1684

Winnepurkitt, the last of the Sagamore indians died

1693

First burial in old Revere Cemetary, Mary, wife of Capt. John Smith

1709

First free school - Thomas Cheever, teacher

1710

First church built in Rumney Marsh section of Chelsea

1734

Tide Mill established at foot of Mill St. by Thomas Pratt

1739

Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh and Pullen Point become Town of Chelsea on Jan.10.

1775

May 27th, The Battle of Chelsea Creek

1775-76

George Washington visited Chelsea on many occasions

 

1789

Dike and Dam at Island End River authorized

1803

Chelsea - Charlestown Bridge and Salem Turnpike built

1832

First Chelsea Post Office opened at Fenno's Corner

1834

Bridge to Chelsea Street East Boston built

1836

Chelsea Naval Hospital commissioned on January 7, 1836

1838

First Steam Railroad through Revere

 

1839

Bridge from Saratoga Street to Pullen Point built

 

1841

Panhandle becomes part of Saugus - February 22, 1841

1846

Rumney Marsh and Pullen Point become North Chelsea, March 19, 1846

1848

Abraham Lincoln visits Chelsea - September 19, 1848

1849

Grand Junction RR and connection to with Eastern RR built

1852

Pullen Point set off from North Chelsea, becomes Winthrop

1855

Meridian Street Bridge to East Boston built

1857

Chelsea becomes a city on March 13, 1857

1857

First Horse Railroad in Chelsea, May 26, 1857

1859

Lynn and Boston Street Railway built

1867

Water turned on in Chelsea for the first time, November 26th

1868

Water from the street pipes turned on in Prattville, August 11th

 

1871

Train wreck in North Chelsea (Revere) kills 29 and injures 57 on August 26, 1871

1871

Name of North Chelsea changed to Revere

1875

Boston Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad built - July 29, 1875

1886

The Chelsea Gazette publishes its first edition on April 3, 1886

1888

First electric trolley in Massachusetts at Revere Beach

1890

The Chelsea Record begins publication on December 17, 1890

1895

Revere Beach Parkway began

 

1898

Prattville School opens for first fall semester

1908

The Great Chelsea Fire

1908

The Board of Control began its regime, June 4, 1908

1909

The Chelsea Flood

1912

President Taft visits Chelsea, September 19, 1912

1915

Revere becomes a city

1917

Chelsea sends it first group of men to WW1, September 19, 1917

1918

Influenza Epidemic strikes Chelsea

1924

Chelsea celebrates its 300th anniversary

1934

The state assumes management of the Soldiers' Home

1950

The New Mystic Bridge opens on February 25, 1950

1969

Chelsea Waterfront nearly destroyed by Gulf Oil Farm fire on January 3, 1969

1971

Carter School completely destroyed in the 4th suspicious school fire

1973

The second Great Chelsea Fire on October 14th

1974

Fire levels two more city blocks around American Barrel

1978

New Year's Eve fire kills veteran firefighter, two children and babysitter

1989

Boston University assumes administration of the Chelsea School System

 

1991

State Receivership suspends charter and assumes control of city government

1994

Receivership ends and a city manager form of government is instituted

1996

School year opens with seven new schools on four different sites

 

1998

Chelsea awarded All-American City status by the National Civic League