Brief History of Boston ======================= 1600's Mortal History *1600 Europe becomes interested in New England for commercial use *1620 Puritans arrive at Plymouth *1620-1630 Other English settlers arrive and set up colonies (Gloucester, Cape Ann, Naumkeag) *1630 Puritan John Winthrop establishes Boston as the capital of the Bay Colony established by Massachusetts Bay Company. Principal occupations include farming, lumbering, and fishing. *1640 The current population of Boston in 1,200 *1650 The current population of Boston is 2,000 *1675-1676 King Philip's War *1680 The current population of Boston is 4,500 *1690 The current population of Boston is 7,000 *1692 Salem witch trials 1700's *1700 Massachusetts grows rapidly. Mills are built on the rivers. Settlements are established in the interior. Seaports grow and overseas trade is active. Triangular trade routes are established between Massachusetts, the Caribbean Islands, and West Africa. *1770 Boston Massacre results from opposition to taxation by British with Molasses Act, Sugar Act and Stamp Act *1773 Boston Tea Party *1775 Battle of Breed's Hill (Bunker Hill). Current population of Boston is 16,000 *1776 Evacuation of Boston and end of fighting on Massachusetts soil. *1795-98 State House built. The town votes to move the workhouse and almshouse away from Park Street. 1800's Boston's population is 24,937. *1807 The town agrees to let a private group fill in Mill Pond. *1821 Beacon Street opens (called Mill Dam at this point). *1822 Boston assumes city form of government. *1830 Cows prohibited from grazing on Boston Common. *1846 Josiah Quincy Jr. elected mayor. *1857 The state begins filling and developing the Back Bay area. *1865 Civil War is fought. *1866 Leveling of Fort Hill is begun. *1870 Boston becomes hub for suburban areas. Population 250,526 *1872 Atlantic Avenue is created with landfill. Great Fire in the commercial district. *1889 The first electric streetcar operation in Boston begins. *1890 The use of Castle Island as a park is approved by U.S. Congress. *1892 Boston creates a building height limit of 125 feet. 1900's *1900 The current population of Boston is 560,892. Boston eliminates the last horsecar line of the Elevated Railway. *1901 Elevated line open from Sullivan Square to Dudley Square. *1905 John Fitzgerald elected mayor. *1912 Subway lines from Park Street to Harvard Square open. *1917 U.S. enters W.W. 1. *1922 First motorbus route created. *1929 The stock market crashes. *1930 Great Depression takes hold of the country. The Sumner Tunnel and Storrow Drive construction is completed. *1940 Current Boston population is 770,816. *1941 U.S. enters W.W. 2. *1947 The Boston Elevated becomes the Metropolitan Transit Authority. *1958 Demolition of the West End is initiated. The Central Artery is completed. *1960 Current population is 697,197. *1960-1969 Extensive renewal project for downtown is begun. Skyscrapers are built including Prudential Center, Government Center and John Hancock building. *1969 A march protesting the Southwest Expressway is held by People Before Highways. *1970 The current Governor Sargent puts a moratorium on highway construction. *1974 Boston School desegregation is ordered by the Federal Government. *1975 The elevated line from Haymarket to Everett is no longer in service. *1980 Proposition 2 1/2 passes. *1983 Mayor Flynn elected. *1987 New York stock exchange crashes. *1991 Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project approved by Federal Highway Commission. *1995 Third Harbor Tunnel opens.