History of Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA

originally called Winnisimmet

Chelsea, Massachusetts
Suffolk county. This town was formerly a ward of Boston. Incorporated, 1738. Population, 1837, 1,659. The centre of the town lies from Boston about 3 miles N.E., across Charles river, and 3 miles E. of Charlestown. The manufactures of Chelsea consist of upholstery, stone ware, snuff, segars, wood and copper engravings, carriages, bricks, vessels, salt, boots, shoes, &c;—annual value, about $90,000.
The United States Marine Hospital in this town is on a large plot of ground, in a delightful and airy situation, and affords a comfortable retreat for sick and disabled seamen. Point Shirley, extending southeasterly, forms the northern part of Boston harbor. Winnesimet Ferry, leading from the foot of Hanover street, in Boston, to this town, is probably the oldest establishment of the kind in America. The first grant was given to Thomas Williams, in 1631. The distance across the Charles river is about a mile and a half. Neat and commodious steam-boats are continually ...

Chelsea (numbered 4) was formerly a part of Boston, and was called Romney's Marsh. Its Indian name was Winnesimet.

The inhabitants were chiefly gathered around the first church, on the road to Lynn, until the increase of Boston, .and the establishment of steam ferry-boats, induced many from Boston to settle around the ferry, where is now the largest village.

The only public buildings, except churches and schoolhouses, are the United States Hospitals ; and the chief business, next to farming, is brickmaking.

The southern extremity of Chelsea, ending in Point Shirley, (so called from one of the colonial governors of Massachusetts,) forms one of the defences of Boston Harbor against the ocean.

Chelsea, a post-township of Suffolk county, Massachusetts, 5 miles N. E. of Boston. The United States marine hospital in this township has a beautiful and commanding situation. The village contains a bank and 2 newspaper offices. Population, 6701.

From the Boston Traveller.

Thursday night, the city of Chelsea was visited by one of the most destructive fires which has ever taken place there, and which resulted in a large loss of property.

At about 12 o'clock, fire was discovered issuing from a closet in a dwelling house, No. 162 Cedar street, which was one of a block of about twenty-four houses. The fire spread quickly, and soon the building was in flames. An alarm was given, the firemen were prompt on the ground, but scarcity of water prevented their immediate action, and in the meantime the flames gained an alarming headway, and soon the entire building, which is three stories in height, was enveloped in flames. The flames then ran through into house No. 160, which suddenly took, was speedily enveloped, and soon entirely gutted.

The buildings were of brick, three stories in height, and very fine edifices. We have obtained the following list of the parties who were rendered houseless by this disastrous fire:

No. 138 ...

CHELSEA, a township in Suffolk co., in Massachusetts, 4 m. NE of Boston. Pop. 2,290.