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 History Once upon a time... All six communities share a rich history going back well over 350 years. The first inhabitants of the area were Native Americans of the Massachuset Tribe. Winthrop and Chelsea were originally part of an area called Winnesimmet. Along with Rumney Marsh (which would later become Revere), the area was annexed by Boston in 1634 and became the grazing area for farm animals of the rapidly growing Boston colony. A few years later, the first country road in North America stretched across Rumney Marsh from the Winnesimmet Ferry to Olde Salem. In 1637, Pullen Point (which would later become Winthrop) was divided into 15 parcels of land which were given to prominent men in Boston with the stipulation that each must erect a building on his land within two years. One of these early houses, built in part during the first half of the 1600s, was the home of Governor Winthrop's son Deane, who lived there until his death in 1703. A registered National Historic Site, it is one of the oldest frame houses in the country that is still occupied. In 1739, the area that is now Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop withdrew from Boston and became the Town of Chelsea. The desire for more local control resulted in Revere and Winthrop seceding from Chelsea in 1846 to become North Chelsea. Shortly thereafter, in 1852, Winthrop was incorporated as a town in its own right, named after the first Governor of Massachusetts, John Winthrop. That same year Chelsea became a city. Revere was incorporated as a city in 1915 and named after the famous patriot Paul Revere. The completion of the Narrow Gauge Railroad in 1875 and the Eastern Railroad (later to become the Boston & Maine) in 1938 signaled rapid population growth and the development of Revere and Winthrop beaches as a summer resort. Revere Beach opened in 1896 as the first public beach in the nation. It soon became world-famous with its many attractions, amusements, dance halls and eateries. Although hurricanes and blizzards have destroyed much of the Revere Beach of old, many visitors still enjoy the beautiful, crescent-shaped shore. Chelsea was transformed by the Industrial Revolution from a pastoral suburb to a bustling manufacturing center. The city flourished, and its ethnically diverse population boomed. Undaunted by massive fires in 1908 and 1973, the citizens rebuilt their city each time with zeal and determination. Today, the pride of Chelsea is evident in its all-new schools and its nationally recognized status in a landmark partnership with Boston University. Everett was originally a part of Malden known as South Malden and was first settled in 1643. It was a prosperous farming community for about 150 years. Communication with Boston improved with the building of rails, bridges and roads, such as the Newburyport Turnpike in 1804 (now Route 1), which connected Saugus, Chelsea and Everett to Boston. By 1885 Everett had changed from an agricultural to an industrial community with 44 manufacturing establishments. The Mystic Iron Works, built in 1926, featured a furnace that cost $5 million, one of the largest in the country. Everett was incorporated as a town in 1870 and as a city in 1892. It is named in honor of the illustrious orator, statesman and scholar Edward Everett. A blue-collar, working-class community, Everett has served as a gateway city to immigrants for most of its history. Further up Route 1, Saugus is home to many of New England's finest restaurants and stores. But just a short distance from the highway, the town retains its historical roots. The first settlers arrived in Saugus in 1629, and it was incorporated a town in 1815. Its 200-year-old Town Hall is on the National Historic Register, as is the Saugus Iron Works, the site of the first integrated iron works in North America, circa 1646-1668. Saugus Iron Works includes the reconstructed blast furnace, forge and rolling mill and a restored 17th-century house. The site's enclave setting on the Saugus River, featuring an open-air museum with working waterwheels, evokes a unique experience for thousands of visitors each year. These resources demonstrate 17th-century engineering and design methods, iron-making technology and operations, local and overseas trade, and life and work in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Five islands in Boston Harbor, connected and extended by over 150 years of filling operations, make up the neighborhood of East Boston. Development of the area for homes and businesses began in the 1830s. East Boston's harbor location enabled it to become a center for shipbuilding and other marine industries, and some of America's most famous clipper ships were built here. East Boston began to grow and prosper as a shipbuilding center virtually as soon as the neighborhood's first ship was launched in 1839. Shipbuilding and servicing industries came to line East Boston's waterfront, helping make Boston one of the leading ports in the country. Even after the age of wooden sailing ships passed, East Boston remained a transportation hub and is home to Logan Airport, the eighth-busiest in the country. Today, all six communities provide a great place to live, work and visit. All are close to downtown Boston, yet a world away.
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