Local news- Press Release
City of Newton Massachusetts - Happy 150th Anniversary to the City of Newton 11 January 2024 ( news )
City of Newton , state Massachusetts ( By Press Release office)
Jan 11,2024
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The year 2024 marks Newton’s 150th year as a city . Of course , Newton had a long history before 1874: The city sits on land of the country’s Native people , who have lived in this region for more than 12 , 000 years . The first English colonists arrived here in the 1630s , soon
after establishment of the Massachusetts Bay colony , and settled part of a large territory that included Watertown and Cambridge . In 1691 , the town’s official name became Newton .
By 1873 , Newton’s population had risen to 17 , 800 . The town had nine blacksmiths , two billiard saloons , three dentists , and 18 dressmakers . It had four fish markets and four telegraph offices , and 28 churches ( but no synagogues ) . Some citizens thought the town had become too large for direct democracy . Newton’s future was put up for a vote . Some influential citizens , including William Jackson ( who lived at what is now the Jackson Homestead ) and former Governor William Claflin , believed a new city government would raise taxes and breed political corruption . But others were more optimistic . James F . C . Hyde led the forces in favor of the change to city government and petitioned the state legislature for a city charter . Others favored annexation to Boston , the path taken by towns such as West Roxbury and Brighton .
In a special election held in October 1873 , Newton voters ( all male , of course , as women did not yet have the right to vote ) approved the charter by a vote of 1224 to 391 . Newton officially became a city on January 5 , 1874—Inauguration Day . Its first mayor , elected by an almost unanimous vote , was James F . C . Hyde . According to the Boston Globe , after the mayor - elect was announced , a "crowd of jubilant citizens"; formed a spontaneous parade through Newton ' s villages . In addition to the mayor , there were six Aldermen plus a Common Council with two men each for six wards . As Newton ' s population grew , more wards were added , and the legislature ' s name changed to the City Council , but the basic form of government chosen 150 years ago is still in place .
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