Chelsea’s Land Evolution

The present day industrial activities along Chelsea Creek mask the area’s rich agricultural past. The land in and around the Chelsea waterfront was first used by Native Americans who lived near the water during warmer months, where they hunted and harvested fish and shellfish. In the early 1600s, Europeans began to build permanent settlements in the vicinity of the planning area. Throughout the Colonial Period and through the years following the American Revolution, the area was largely farm and pasture land. A tide mill was built near the head of Chelsea Creek in 17211 and the tenant farmers in the area supplied milk and hay to Boston residents and supplied livestock, shellfish, and produce to outgoing vessels. During the Industrial Period, the Chelsea waterfront supported the growing shipbuilding industry, but shipbuilding was eventually displaced by freight, heavy industry, and warehousing of goods such as lumber and coal as the railroads developed. The industrial, manufacturing, and maritime uses of the waterfront persisted through World War II. With the development and expansion of Logan Airport following World War II, the waterfront also became the site of uses that supported airport operations.