History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, USA

Journey back in time to Chelmsford, Massachusetts, USA

• 1633 - Chelmsford is settled
  
  Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
  
  
• 1655 - Chelmsford is incorporated
  Founded by settlers from Concord. The area currently encompassed by Chelmsford, Lowell, Westford, Carlisle and to a certain extent Dracut, were all originally part of Chelmsford. Westford seceded in 1729. Carlisle fully became a part of Concord in 1780, seceding from that town in 1805. Lowell would ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  The Bartlett House, Chelmsford, Mass. - Built in 1692
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• 1825 - Ralph Waldo Emerson opened a school in Chelmsford in 1825, closing it after a few months to take over his brother's school in Roxbury
  
  wikipedia.org
  
  
• 1839 - Chelmsford
  Chelmsford, Massachusetts
  Middlesex county. On the south side of Merrimack river, and connected with Dracut by a bridge.—First settled, 1753. Population, 1837, 1,613. It lies 25 miles N.W. from Boston and 4 S.W. from Lowell. Chelmsford abounds in limestone and granite; considerable of the latter is...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1845 - CHELMSFORD. [Pop. 1,697. Inc. 1655.]
  This town was named from Chelmsford in England, and originally included the town of Westford, and the settlement of the Pawtucket tribe of Indians called Wamesit, now the city of Lowell.
  
  The Middlesex Canal joins Merrimack River in this town; but its business has been much diminished by t...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1848 - Chelmsford
  In 1652, about twenty persons from Woburn and Concord petitioned the general court for liberty to examine a tract of land “lying on the other (west) side of Concord river.” This request was granted; and having, by a committee, examined the land, and having found others, to the number of thirty nine ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1854 - Chelmsford
  Chelmsford, a post-township of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, 23 miles N. W. of Boston. Population, 2097.
  A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.
  
  
•  1874 - Earthquake
  Citizens of Chelmsford, Mass. report a perceptible shock of earthquake at that place on Sunday noon, which shock shook buildings and caused considerable alarm.
  genealogybank.com
  Philadelphia Inquirer
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  January 27, 1874
  
  
• Chelmsford Massachusetts, 1890
  Chelmsford is an ancient and pleasant town in the northern part Middlesex county, about 26 miles northwest of Boston. Tyngsborough, Dracut and Lowell bound it on the north; the latter with Billerica on the east; Carlisle on the south; and Westford on the west. The Merrimack River forms the line alon...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1895 - Chelmsford
  Chelms'ford, a post-township of Middlesex co, Mass, about 24 miles N.W. of Boston, is bounded on the N. by the Merrimac River. It is intersected by the Old Colony Railroad, and contains villages named Chelmsford, North Chelmsford, South Chelmsford, Centre Chelmsford, East Chelmsford, and West Chelms...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  All Saints Episcopal Church
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• 1901 - Chelmsford was the birthplace of the Chelmsford Spring Co. in 1901, which later became the Chelmsford Ginger Ale Company, acquired by Canada Dry in 1928.
  The ginger ale plant, rebuilt in 1912 after a disastrous fire consumed the original plant, stood on Route 110 until its demolition in 1994.
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  Square, Chelmsford, Mass., 1905
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  Capt. Wm. Fletcher Place (200 years old) Chelmsford, Mass. (1907)
  
  "William Fletcher was born in 1622 in England, to Robert and Sarah Fletcher, possibly in Yorkshire. He was one of five children, and in 1630, the family migrated to America as part of the Winthrop Fleet. They settled in Concord, Massachusetts where Robert was said to be a "wealthy and influential man." On October 7, 1645, William married Lydia (Fairbanks) Bates, the widow of Edward Bates. They had 8 children together; Lydia... Read MORE...
  
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  High School, No. Chelmsford, Mass.
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  Congregational Society Church
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• 1916
  Chelmsford, a post-village and township (town) of Middlesex co., Mass., 24 miles NW. of Boston, is bounded on the N. by the Merrimac River. The town is intersected by the New York, New Haven and Hartford R. It has manufactures of worsteds, boxes, etc. Pop. of the town in 1900, 3984.
  Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher
  
  
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  View on Centre St., No. Chelmsford, Mass.
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  Second Congregational Church, No. Chelmsford, Mass.
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  Princeton Lounge, Rt. 3, No. Chelmsford, Mass.
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  Mrs. Nelson's Candy House
  
  "[August 18, 2009] ...Mrs. Nelson’s Candy House in Chelmsford MA was started 55 years ago by the Nelson family, and has been owned by veteran candy maker Arthur Mapes and his family since 1984. Originally the cheery barn red you see in the vintage post card, the store has been repainted white, but still has the monogrammed awnings and distinctive sign out front..." retroroadmap.com
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