Three Historic Milestones Intersect in 2026

By John J. Henry

In 2026 the City of Revere will mark three historic milestones which converge in our history: first, the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776; second, the 180^th anniversary of the founding of the Town of North Chelsea, (now Revere and Winthrop), in1846; and third; the 60^th anniversary of the resumption of the Mayor-City Council form of local government in Revere in 1966.

Leading up to our Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776 members of our local militia were a part of the initial provincial army that participated in numerous early battles of the American Revolutionary War, including the Battle of Monotony (now Arlington), which was an important battle and part of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, in April of 1775;and the Battle of Chelsea Creek which took place in Chelsea Creek and in our adjoining marshlands in May of 1775.

On July 4^th, of this year, the United States will joyfully celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776, one of the most groundbreaking events of our history leading to the birth of the thirteen United States of America. At that time the population of the Rumney Marsh and Pullen Point sections of Chelsea (now Revere and Winthrop) was approximately 450 residents.

On March19th, 1846 the Town of North Chelsea, with a population of approximately 818 residents was established, when both Rumney Marsh (now Revere) and Pullen Point (now Winthrop) sections of Chelsea officially separated from the Town of Chelsea. This anniversary marks the moment when North Chelsea gained its own distinct local governmental identity.  The first Town Meeting of North Chelsea took place in April of 1846 and voted to approve the 1846 town budget expenses in the amount of $ 2,500 dollars.  The Town of North Chelsea’s name was changed in honor of Paul Revere in 1871 and became a city in 1915; the 1846 incorporation represents the 180th anniversary of the formal birth of our community as an independent political entity within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

It also serves as a reminder of our shared roots with the Town of Chelsea and Pullen Point (which later split off from North Chelsea in 1852 to become the Town of Winthrop).

While Revere became a city in 1915 with a Mayor-City Council form of government, thirty-five years later in 1950, it briefly experimented with a (City Manager-City Council) governmental system from 1950-1965. In 1964, the voters of the City of Revere chose to return to (Mayor-City Council) governmental system, which officially commenced in January of 1966. This 60^th anniversary marks six decades under the Mayor- City Council form of government, which provides for an elected legislative branch of government, the City Council, as well as an elected Chief Executive Officer, the Mayor, both branches of the government are directly accountable to the electorate.

These three seminal anniversaries represent the pillars of our governmental heritage of independence, which created our national government and the founding of our early town government, and also remind us of the many generations of the leaders and residents of our community who shaped Revere’s history over all these many years.

(John J. Henry served as City Clerk of the City of Revere for 32 years from 1977 to 2009. He has written numerous articles about Revere and its people.)