Timeline of Somerville, Massachusetts

Prior to 19th century

1630 - Charlestown settled.

1631 - Colonial Governor John Winthrop granted 600 acres of land known as Ten Hills Farm.

1703 - Windmill built (approximate date).

1756 - Powder House in use.

1776 - Grand Union Flag raised at Continental Army fortifications atop Prospect Hill.

1800s–1860s

1803 - Middlesex Canal in operation.

1804 - Old Cemetery established.

1821 - Middlesex Bleachery and Dye Works established.

1834 - Ursuline Convent Riots.

1835 - Boston & Lowell Railroad begins operating.

1842

Town of Somerville separates from Charlestown.

Population: 1,013.

1844 - First Congregational Society formed.

1851 - American Tube Works established.

1852

Somerville City Hall built.

High School opens.

1853

First Orthodox Congregational Church organized.

First Universalist Society organized.

1854

Tufts College opens.

Union Glass Company established.

1856

First Methodist Episcopal Church organized.

Round House built.

1863 - Broadway Orthodox Congregational Church organized.

1864 - Circulating Library in business at Tufts' apothecary (approximate date).

1866

Emmanuel Episcopal Church built.

Somerville Carriage Repository and Manufactory established.

1867 - Perkins Street Baptist Church dedicated.

1869 - Morse Grammar School built.

1870s–1890s

1870

Somerville Journal newspaper begins publication.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church built.

Boston and Lowell Railroad connected through West Somerville to the Lexington Branch.

1871

City incorporated.

Somerville Samaritan Society organized.

1872

Somerville city government inaugurated.

City seal design adopted.

Population: 16,000 (approximate).

1873

Public Library established.

Luther V. Bell School built.

Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church organized.

1874

West Somerville Baptist Church organized.

West Somerville Congregational Church organized.

Sprague & Hathaway Portrait Copying House established.

1876 - Somerville Citizen newspaper begins publication.

1886 - Third Universalist Church established.

1890

Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church built.

North Packing Company established.

Population: 40,152.

1891 - Somerville Hospital founded.

1892 - McLean Hospital relocates to Belmont.

1898

Somerville Historical Society incorporated.

Historic Festival.

1899

Forthian Club for women organized.

First Unitarian Church built.

20th century

1901 - Lyndell's Bakery relocates to Somerville.

1903 - Prospect Hill Monument built.

1909 - West Somerville Branch Public Library opens.

1910 - Population: 77,236.

1914

Somerville Theatre built.

Public Library central building constructed.

Economy Grocery Store opens.

1915 - Pageant of World Peace.

1916 - First Universalist Church built.

1922

50th anniversary as city.

Population: 95,000 (approximate).

1928 - Northern Artery constructed.

1935 - United States Post Office–Somerville Main built.

1936 - Mystic Valley Parkway constructed.

1941 - The Rosebud (diner) built.

1968 - Havurat Shalom founded.

1972 - City seal redesigned.

1973 - Steve's Ice Cream opens.

1980 - Assembly Square Mall opens.

1981

Sister city relationship established with Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.

Bertucci's pizzeria opens.

1983 - Somerville Community Access Television founded.

1984 - Davis (MBTA station) opens.

1985 - Alewife Linear Park established.

1987

Brickbottom Artists Association active.

Mixit Print Studio established.

Joseph P. Kennedy II becomes U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 8th congressional district.

1988 - Somerville Museum opens.

1990 - Mike Capuano becomes mayor.

1991 - Candlewick Press established.

1998 - City website online (approximate date).

1999

Dorothy Kelly Gay becomes mayor.

Leverett Circle Connector Bridge opens.

Somerville Open Studios begins.

Mike Capuano becomes U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 8th congressional district.

21st century

2002 - P.A.'s Lounge opens.

2003

Won-Buddhist temple opens.

GreenGoat in business.

2004 - Joseph Curtatone becomes mayor.

2005

Union Square Main Streets organized.

Union Square farmers' market begins.

Sikh Sangat Society Boston and Harry Potter Alliance headquartered in Somerville.

2006 - Honk! music festival begins.

2007 - Highland Kitchen restaurant in business.

2009 - Sister city relationship established with Tiznit, Morocco.

2010

Population: 75,754.

Sister city relationship established with Nordeste, Portugal.

2014 - Legoland in business.