Revere (, ) is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Located approximately northeast of Downtown Boston, Revere is the terminus of the MBTA Blue Line, with three stations located within the city: Wonderland, Revere Beach, and Beachmont. The city borders Massachusetts Bay, and was the site of the Battle of Chelsea Creek. Revere Beach, a three mile (4.8 km) stretch of beach on the city's eastern coast, is the oldest public beach in the United States.

Revere is one of the oldest communities in the United States. Originally known as Rumney Marsh, present-day Revere was part of Boston from 1632 until 1739, when it became part of Chelsea. In 1852, part of North Chelsea was established as the town of Winthrop. In 1914, the Town of Revere voted to become a city. It was incorporated as the City of Revere with the inauguration of its first mayor on January 4, 1915. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 62,186 inhabitants.

History

The area's earliest known inhabitants were Native Americans belonging to the Pawtucket tribe and were known to colonists as the "Rumney Marsh Indians." Nanepashemet, known to colonists as "Sagamore George," was the leader, or Great Sachem of the Pawtucket Confederation of Abenaki People of Lynn (which at that time included present day Revere). One branch of Nanepashemet's family is thought to have taken "Rumney Marsh" as their surname.

In 1616, an epidemic, probably smallpox, swept the region, killing thousands in its wake.

On September 25, 1634, Rumney Marsh was annexed to Boston, which had received its name only four years earlier. Winnisemmet (current Chelsea) and Pullen Point (current Winthrop) were also annexed to Boston.

Rumney Marsh was originally divided and allotted to twenty-one of Boston's most prominent citizens. By 1639, the original allotments had been consolidated into seven great farms. Farming was the principal industry of Winnisemmet, and Rumney Marsh in particular.

The first county road in North America stretched across Rumney Marsh from the Winnisemmet Ferry to Olde Salem in 1641.

During King Philip's War (also known as Metacomet's War), which lasted from 1675 to 1678, the local Native Americans were forcibly removed to what is now Deer Island, where half of those imprisoned died of starvation or exposure. Some were enlisted to help the colonists defeat other native tribes.

In 1739, Rumney Marsh, Winnisemmet and Pullen Point were set off from Boston and established as the Town of Chelsea. The largest of the three settlements, Rumney Marsh (later to become North Chelsea) was selected as the Town Center.

In 1775, the area played a small role in the American Revolution during the Battle of Chelsea Creek, one of the first naval battles of the revolution. On March 24, 1871, a petition went into effect, changing the name of North Chelsea to the Town of Revere in honor of Paul Revere (1735–1818), the son of an immigrant who took part in the American Revolutionary War. Paul Revere had gained popularity after the publication of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1860 poem "Paul Revere's Ride".

Later in 1871, Revere was the site of The Great Revere Train Wreck of 1871, the deadliest railroad incident in Massachusetts history up to that point, when the Eastern Railroad's "Portland Express" slammed into the back of a stopped local commuter train at Revere Station.

Revere may be most well known for its beach. In 1896, Revere Beach became the first public beach in the United States.

On November 2, 1914, the Town of Revere held its final town meeting, as voters had chosen to become the City of Revere. Revere became a city with the inauguration of its first mayor, Arthur B. Curtis, on January 4, 1915. A detailed account of the occasion is given in The History of the Town of Revere as Compiled by Benjamin Shurtleff, 1937:<blockquote>"Selections were rendered by the Shubert Male Quartet. Mr. Theodore W. Gillette read an historical essay. Miss Anna George, a Beachmont school teacher, sang "The Sword of Bunker Hill," and George Arthur Sackett recited "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere." This poem was previously recited when North Chelsea changed her name to Revere and then again, in 1899, at the dedication of the town hall. In the evening from 8.30 to 9, a reception to the Mayor was held, and then followed a grand ball and banquet. The grand march, headed by the Mayor, started at nine o'clock; and it was long toward two on Tuesday morning before the party broke up." It was the first tornado to hit Suffolk County since the National Weather Service began keeping records in 1950.

History of Immigration

"In 1637 the Massachusetts General Court adopted an order that no person or town should receive or entertain a newcomer for more than three weeks without permission. In addition to the desire to keep their colony Puritan, they were also concerned with the immigration of paupers. In subsequent years a law was passed that restricted the immigration of 'lame, impotent, or infirmed persons.' Hardly any immigrants came to Massachusetts during the second half of the 17th century."

Between 1837 and 1840, the population nearly doubled due to the second major wave of immigration into the area.

"During this period of time more than 750,000 Irish, British and German immigrants arrived in America; and another 4.3&nbsp;million immigrants came from these countries during the next 20 years. Of the total number of immigrants to America during the second wave, 40 percent were from Ireland, escaping poverty and famine in their native country."

Revere's first Jewish congregation was established in 1906, when the Temple B’Nai Israel was founded. The second was established ten years later when "Congregation Tiffereth Israel purchased the Methodist Episcopal Society's church at the corner of Shirley and Nahant Avenue."

As of 2010, 27% of the residents of Revere were born outside of the United States. Many of them originate from North Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The 2010 percentage of foreign born residents is twice that of 1990.

In May 2017, the city was host to its first Moroccan Cultural Day celebration, which took place on Shirley Avenue. The city's Moroccan community was estimated to account for at least 10% of the population, as of May 2019. Following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the community organization, "Moroccan American Connections in Revere" (MACIR) supplied the city with hand-made protective masks.

Geography and transportation

Revere borders the towns of Winthrop to the southeast, the city of Chelsea to the southwest, the Boston neighborhood of East Boston to the south, Everett and Malden to the west, Saugus and Lynn to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (40.98%) is water.

The completion in 1838 of the Eastern Railroad (later the Boston & Maine), and in 1875 of the Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad, signaled the beginning of rapid population growth for the town and the development of the beach as a summer resort.

The MBTA Blue Line terminates in Revere, with stops at Wonderland, Revere Beach, and Beachmont.

U.S. Route 1 and state highways

1A,

16,

60,

107, and

145 run through Revere.

Climate

Throughout the year in Revere, temperatures generally range from 23&nbsp;°F to 82&nbsp;°F, rarely dipping below 9&nbsp;°F or exceeding 91&nbsp;°F.

Rainfall is consistent year-round in Revere, with October typically being the wettest month, averaging 3.9 inches, and January being the driest, with an average of 2.3 inches. Snowfall spans about 5.0 months, from November 12 to April 10, with at least 1.0 inch of snow over a 31-day period. January tends to see the most snow, averaging 8.3 inches.

The perceived humidity in Revere varies significantly by season. Muggy conditions persist for about 3.3 months, from June 11 to September 21, where comfort level is considered muggy, oppressive, or miserable at least 10% of the time. July sees the most muggy days, with around 10.2 days fitting this description.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Revere had a population of 62,186. The median age was 37.3 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.9 males age 18 and over.

There were 23,050 households in Revere, of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.2% were married-couple households, 22.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 30,541 || 49.1%

|-

| Black or African American || 3,258 || 5.2%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 425 || 0.7%

|-

| Asian || 3,483 || 5.6%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 29 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 14,838 || 23.9%

|-

| Two or more races || 9,612 || 15.5%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 23,175 || 37.3%

|}

Following the 2020 United States census, Revere became the fastest growing city in Massachusetts.

2019 American Community Survey

According to the 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, the median household income in the city was $62,568, and the median family income was $72,656. Males had a median income of $36,881 versus $31,300 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,587. About 10.2% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local

The City of Revere elects a mayor, city council, and school committee. The mayor is elected to a four-year term and also serves as chair of the school committee. The current mayor of Revere is Patrick M. Keefe Jr. The Revere City Council is made up of eleven members, five at-large councilors and six ward councilors. Revere also elects its own school committee, which is made up of seven members total.

{| class="wikitable"

|+2023-2024 Revere City Council State Senator Lydia Edwards, First Suffolk and Middlesex District, represents Revere in the Senate.

Economy

Economic development

In 2018, the City of Revere announced the launch of 'Next Stop, Revere' the city's first comprehensive master plan in over 40 years, in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. 'Next Stop, Revere' involved input from residents, officials, and community partners, and outlined a vision for the next 10–20 years of the city's future. A main focal point of this plan involved economic development. A number of goals were outlined including developing Revere's workforce, supporting small businesses, attracting science and technology industries, supporting industry, and supporting local entrepreneurs.

Employment

According to the City of Revere's 2021 Budget proposed by the mayor's office, the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable"

|+Largest Employers

!#

!Name

!Nature of Business

!# of Employees

|-

|1

|Market Basket

|Supermarket

|210

|-

|2

|Mass General Hospital

|Medical

|200

|-

|3

|Price Rite

|Supermarket

|183

|-

|4

|Lighthouse Nursing

|Nursing

|182

|-

|5

|Target

|Retail

|170

|-

|6

|Stop & Shop (Squire Road)

|Supermarket

|150

|-

|7

|Annemark Nursing (closed 2021)

|Nursing Home

|135

|-

|8

|Showcase Cinema (closed 2020)

|Cinemas

|103

|-

|9

|OceanAir

|Shipping/Logistics

|100

|}

Neighborhoods and sites of interest

thumb|Beachmont in 2025, viewed from Revere Beach.

Revere is home to several distinct neighborhoods and districts:

Beachmont

Beachmont is Revere's most easterly neighborhood, situated between Revere Beach Boulevard and East Boston's Orient Heights. It is home to a diverse ethnic population and a mixture of single and multi-family homes, apartments, and local businesses.

Broadway

Broadway is Revere's central civic, commercial, and travel artery. It is home to a variety of small businesses, residences, and public buildings like Revere City Hall. It is accessible from all sides of the city and is a popular route for those traveling to neighboring municipalities like Saugus, Lynn, and Chelsea.

Oak Island

Oak Island is located near the Point of Pines and the end of Revere Beach. It is primarily home to single and multi-family homes and neighbors Revere's marsh and wetlands.

Point of Pines

Point of Pines is located at the end of Revere Beach and is primarily home to single and multi-family homes. Residents of the Point of Pines neighborhood have access to their own private portion of Revere Beach.

Revere Beach Boulevard

Revere Beach Boulevard runs directly along Revere Beach. It is home to a mixture of apartment complexes, restaurants, and single-family homes. New development along the beach has also brought the rise of luxury apartments and fine-dining restaurants to the district.

Revere Street

Connecting Broadway to Revere Beach, Revere Street is a main travel artery for those commuting across both sides of the city. It is home to a number of local businesses restaurants, barbershops, and convenience stores. The beach remained a popular summer destination, growing in popularity and gaining a wide array of amusement rides and attractions until the middle of the 20th century. A steady decline in popularity was met with a finishing blow during the Blizzard of 1978, as many of the remaining businesses and infrastructure were destroyed.

The beach was the focus of a major revitalization effort throughout the 1980s and was officially reopened in May 1992. It now boasts high-rise housing units, a re-sanded beach, restored pavilions, and a renovated boulevard. Revere commemorated the centennial of the first opening of Revere Beach on the weekend of July 19, 1996.

The Revere Beach Reservation Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. This was expanded upon when the Revere Beach Reservation was listed in 2003.

Rumney Marsh Reservation

The Rumney Marsh is a Massachusetts state park occupying 600 acres within Revere and the town of Saugus.

Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

Revere has several places listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<gallery>

Church of Christ Revere MA 03.jpg|Church of Christ

Immaculate Conception Rectory Revere MA 03.jpg|Revere History Museum (Former Immaculate Conception Rectory)

Mary T Ronan School Revere MA.jpg|Mary T. Ronan School

The Boulevard, Revere Beach, MA.jpg|Revere Beach Reservation

Pier Dancing Pavilion, Revere Beach, MA.jpg|Revere Beach Reservation Historic District

RevereMA CityHall.jpg|Revere City Hall and Police Station

Rumney Marsh Burying Ground HS Revere MA 01.jpg|Rumney Marsh Burying Ground

Winthrop Parkway Revere MA.jpg|Winthrop Parkway

Revere Beach Parkway Eastbound at Everett Ave, Everett MA.jpg|Revere Beach Parkway

</gallery>

Other Historic Sites

Kelly's Roast Beef

225px|thumb|View of the [[Kelly's Roast Beef location at 410 Revere Beach Boulevard]]

Kelly's Roast Beef is a fast food eatery founded in Revere in 1951. Its main location is along the Revere Beach shoreline. Kelly's claims to have invented the modern roast beef sandwich, saying it was unknown as such before they introduced it in 1951.

Necco Factory

Considered the oldest continuously operating candy company in the United States at the time of its 2018 closure, Necco was best known for its namesake candy, Necco Wafers, its seasonal Sweethearts Conversation Hearts, and brands such as the Clark Bar and Haviland Thin Mints. The company maintained headquarters at 135 American Legion Highway in Revere, where it offered tours of the facilities.

Revere Post Office

From 1934 to 1943 murals were produced in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department. The intended purpose of the murals was to boost the morale of the American people from the effects of the Depression. Competitions that determined commissioned works were open to all artists in the United States. division. Muralist Ross Moffett painted the mural The First Store and Tavern in 1939 at the U.S. Post Office in Revere.

Revere Public Library

The Revere Public Library is a Carnegie library established in 1903.

Slade Spice Mill

Slade Spice Mill is a tide mill that played a small role in the Revolutionary War. Later, it became the origin site of the D & L Slade Spice Company which was, at its peak, the largest spice company in New England.

Wonderland Greyhound Park

Wonderland Greyhound Park was a greyhound racing track located in the city owned by the Westwood Group. It was constructed on the site of the former Wonderland Amusement Park. Wonderland opened on June 12, 1935, and formerly offered 361 performances during its 100-day, April to September racing period. Parimutuel wagering was legalized by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1934. The Park opened the following year and offered greyhound racing from June 1935 until September 2009. It ran its last program on September 18, 2009, as a result of a statewide referendum that banned greyhound racing. The future of the land is uncertain.

Notable people

  • Chris Alba, harm reduction advocate
  • Horatio Alger Jr., author
  • Elliot Aronson, psychologist
  • Ray Barry, ice hockey player
  • Elizabeth Bishop, poet
  • Freddy Cannon, musician
  • John Cazale, actor
  • Robin Christopher, actress
  • Katherine Clark, U.S. House Minority Whip, former Massachusetts state senator and state representative
  • Billy Conigliaro, professional baseball player
  • Tony Conigliaro, professional baseball player
  • Glenn Danzig, singer-songwriter
  • James DeAngelis, comedian, actor, and YouTuber
  • Adio diBiccari, sculptor
  • Jim Del Gaizo, professional football player
  • Gerald Jordan, businessman
  • Bill Macy, actor
  • Frank J. Mafera, inventor
  • Joseph Malta, soldier
  • Gino Martino, professional wrestler
  • Roland Merullo, author
  • Zack Norman, actor, producer, and financier
  • James Porter, Catholic priest and convicted pedophile
  • James Sokolove, attorney
  • Beverly Swerling, novelist
  • Mike Vincenti, judoka
  • Henry Waitt, cigar manufacturer
  • Next Stop Wonderland is a 1998 film referencing Revere's MBTA station, Wonderland, in its title.
  • The X-Files makes reference to Revere in the episode "Paper Hearts."
  • Stephen King makes reference to Revere Beach in his 2011 novel, Misery.
  • The 2015 film based on the book Black Mass, starring Johnny Depp, was filmed on location at Revere Beach. The beach was staged to take on the appearance of Miami Beach.
  • The 2021 film Free Guy, starring Ryan Reynolds was filmed on Revere Beach.

Sister city

Former mayor Brian Arrigo signed a sister city agreement on Tuesday, August 2, 2016, with former mayor Shoji Nishida of Date, Fukushima.

References

  • Official website
  • Revere Chamber of Commerce