Fred Merriam

Chelmsford Revisited Fred Merriam

Chelmsford, a suburban town of about 34,000, is located 22 miles northwest of Boston. Named for Chelmsford in Essex, England, it received its charter in May 1655. Until railroads and streetcars arrived in the late 1800s, South Chelmsford, East Chelmsford, and Chelmsford Center were primarily agricultural with the support of blacksmiths, carpenters, general storekeepers, millers, sawmill operators, and wheelwrights. These vintage photographs transport readers back in time to stroll Central Square, to discover a millpond that no longer exists, and to see the evolution of Center Common. Discover which farm was later subdivided into a familiar neighborhood, find out where the lumber came from, view homes the way they looked more than 100 years ago, and learn about Chelmsford's past residents and their places of worship.