History of Waltham, Massachusetts, USA

1634 - Waltham is settled

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1738 - Waltham is incorporated

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

General Henry Knox and his troops passed through Waltham, Massachusetts in the winter of 1775-76 with a load of 59 cannons pulled by teams of oxen.
The cannons were captured from the British at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. They were transported from Lake Champlain to Dorchester Heights, Massachusetts and used by George Washington's army on March 17, 1776 (Evacuation Day) to free Boston from British control during the American Revolutionary War.

General Henry Knox Trail - Historic Marker reads:
"Through this place passed General Henry Knox in the winter of 1775-1776 to deliver to General George Washington at Cambridge the train of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga used to force the British army to evacuate Boston."


Read more about Henry KNOX

1812 - May 4 - Nine inches of snow fell at Waltham, MA

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1813 - February 23 - 1st US raw cotton-to-cloth mill founded in Waltham, Mass

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1816 - July 8 - Frost in Waltham, MA

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1839 - Waltham
Waltham, Massachusetts
Middlesex county. This is one of the many beautiful towns which environ the capitol of New England. It is 10 miles W. by N. from Boston and 9 S.E. from Concord. It was incorporated in 1737. Population, 1830, 1,859; 1837, 2,287.

The surface is moderately level, with some elevations. "Prospect Hill," 470 feet above the level of the sea, presents a delightful view of Boston, its harbor, and the adjacent towns and country. The soil is generally not very fertile, but is rendered productive by industry. "Waltham Plain" is a beautiful tract of land, under a high state of cultivation. It is about two and a half miles in length, and a mile in width. On the road over this plain is a continuous village, containing many handsome dwellings and beautiful gardens; among the number, that of the Hon. Theodore Lyman is pre-eminently beautiful. Mr. Lyman's garden, of many acres in extent, decorated with almost every variety of fruit tree, shrub and flower, both native and... Read MORE...

1845 - WALTHAM. [Pop. 2,504. Inc. 1738.]
Waltham was formerly the western part of Watertown.

This town is built on Charles River, which furnishes water power for several important cotton factories. Its manufactures are various and valuable.

The main village is built on a plain, although the Waltham Hills are .considerable elevations.

Distance from Concord, 9 miles; from Boston, 10.
An Elementary Geography for Massachusetts Children by William Bentley Fowle and Asa Fitz, 1845
Get it HERE!

1848 - Waltham
This town was incorporated January 4th, 1737-38; previous to this time it was the western precinct of Watertown. It appears that there was considerable difficulty between the eastern and western parts of Watertown for a long period. As early as 1692 the town endeavored to select a place for a new meeting house, which should be “most convenient for the bulk of the inhabitants.” The same year, at the request of the selectmen, the governor and council appointed a committee to consider and report upon the subject. This committee advised the town to settle the Rev. Henry Gibbs, who had preached to them for several years, and build a meeting-house between the house of widow Stearns and Whitney’s Hill, in which the whole town should worship. This house was built here, and completed in February, 1696. It was not satisfactory to some parts of the town, and Mr. Gibbs refused to preach in it. In August, the same year, the church chose Rev. Samuel Angier to be their pastor, and a majority of the... Read MORE...

1854 - Waltham
Waltham, a beautiful and flourishing post- village of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, on the Fitchburg railroad, 10 miles W. by N. from Boston. It is built principally on one extended street, upwards of a mile in length, and contains numerous stores, several fine churches, and a bank. Many of the inhabitants do business in Boston. Prospect Hill, nearly 600 feet in height, a short distance from the village, affords an extensive view of the surrounding country with Boston and its harbor seen in the distance. Population of the township in 1830, 1857; in 1840, 2504, and in 1850, 4464.
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.

1854 - The Destructive Gale - Its Effects at the East.
...In Waltham, the car-house of the Fitchburg Railroad Company, 70 feet in length, was totally demolished...
The New York Times
New York, New York
March 21, 1854

1854 - October 1 - The watch company founded in 1850 in Roxbury by Aaron Lufkin Dennison relocates to Waltham, Massachusetts, to become the Waltham Watch Company, a pioneer in the American System of Watch Manufacturing.

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Read more about Aaron Lufkin DENNISON

1884 - Waltham is incorporated as a city

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

Waltham Massachusetts, 1890
WALTHAM, the " City of Watches," is situated in the southeasterly section of Middlesex County, 10 miles west of Boston, with which it is conveniently connected by a branch and main line of the Fitchburg Railroad, and by the Central Massachusetts Railroad. The outlying villages are Bleachery, Chemistry, Robert's Crossing (railroad stations) and Prospectville. Other stations are Stony Brook, Beaver Brook and Clematis Brook, on the first road; and the latter and Hammond Street on the second, with "Waltham" on both. The latter is the post-office.

The city boundaries are Lexington on the north, Belmont on the northeast and east, Watertown on the southeast, Newton on the south, and Lincoln on the west. The assessed area. is 7,560 acres; of which over 1,000 are forest, containing chiefly, oak, cedar and. spruce. Apple, pear, peach and quince trees are numerous on the farms. A range of low hills marks the northeastern border, while the southwestern section is largely occupied with wooded... Read MORE...

1895 - Waltham
Waltham, a beautiful city of Massachusetts, in Middlesex co., is situated on both banks of the Charles River, and on the Fitchburg Railroad, 10 miles W. of Boston. It contains several fine churches, the New Church Institute of Education, a national bank, a savings-institution, water works, electric lighting and gas-works, and printing-offices which issue 1 weekly and 3 daily newspapers. The first cotton-mill in the United States in which all the operations were performed under one roof was erected here about 1814. Waltham has now a large cotton-factory and bleachery- and dye-works which employ about 2000 hands. Here is also a manufactory of watches,—the largest in the Union,—employing nearly 3000 men and women. These watches have a high reputation. Prospect Hill, near here, is about 480 feet high, and affords an extensive view of the surrounding country and of Boston. Pop. in 1880, 11,712; in 1890, 18,707; in 1894 (estimated), 21,000.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1906
Waltham, a city of Middlesex co., Mass., is situated on both banks of the Charles River and on the Boston and Maine R., 10 miles W. of Boston. It contains the Waltham New Church School, the Notre Dame Normal Training- School, a school for the feeble-minded, a nurses' training- school, a home for aged women, etc. The first cotton-mill in the United States in which all the operations were per formed under one roof was erected here about 1814. Waltham is surpassed by few places in the world in the extent of its watch-making industry. Other manufactures an those of cottons, knitted goods, watch-makers' tools, auto mobiles, bicycles, etc. The city has also a large bleachery and dye-works. Prospect Hill, in the city public park, is about 480 feet high, and affords an extensive view of the surrounding country and of Boston. Pop. in 1880, 11,712; in 1890, 18,707; in 1900, 23.481.
Lippincott's New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns ... in Every Portion of the Globe Publisher J.B. Lippincott Company, 1906

There are plenty of places to go and things to do in Waltham. Here's a list to get you started:
Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation: Learn about the industrial history of Waltham and its impact on the nation. This museum is housed in the historic Boston Manufacturing Company textile mill and features fascinating exhibits on the Industrial Revolution.

Gore Place: Explore this beautiful historic estate and its Federal-style mansion. You can take guided tours of the mansion and enjoy the lovely gardens and walking trails.

Prospect Hill Park: This park offers stunning views of the Boston skyline. It's a great spot for a picnic, hiking, or just relaxing in the outdoors.

Waltham Common: A central gathering place in the city, Waltham Common hosts various events and concerts throughout the year. It's also a nice spot to take a leisurely stroll.

Rose Art Museum: Located on the campus of Brandeis University, this museum features contemporary art exhibitions. It's free to the public and offers a diverse range of artistic experiences.

Waltham Watch Factory... Read MORE...