# Timeline of Somerville, Massachusetts

The following is a timeline of the history of Somerville, Massachusetts, US.

## 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).
* 1714 - Peter Tufts House built.
* 1756 - Powder House in use.
* 1776 - Grand Union Flag raised at Continental Army fortifications atop Prospect Hill.

## 19th century
### 1800s–1860s

* 1803 - Middlesex Canal begins 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.
** Somerville 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.
* 1900 - Population: 61,643.

## 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.
* 2022 - Katjana Ballantyne becomes mayor.