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History of Malden
It's hard to imagine now, but over 300 years ago, English scouting parties moved cautiously through an unknown wilderness. Today, the wilderness has evolved into the bustling city of Malden. In 1629, a section of hilly woodlands north of the Mystic River, was purchashed fromn the Pawtucket Indians, and called Mystic Side. It was incorporated into the township of Charlestown. But by 1649, residents of Mystic Side had petitioned the General Court to let them form a separate township, to be called Malden. The town was named after a community of the same name in Essex, England. Some of the most prominent citizens of Malden, Massachusetts had emigrated from that English town.
By the early eighteenth century, Malden Village was, according to an English visitor, "fruitful and well cultivated, being entirely cleared and enclosed with stone fences." In order to survive, the citizens of the new village had to be resourceful.
Besides engaging in farming, they were also fishermen on the Mystic River, and worked as woodsmen in north Malden. Inhabitants numbered aound 1000 at the time. During the revolutionary period, citizens of Malden were early activists in the struggle against the oppression of England. In 1770 they voted to stop using tea until the notorious Revenue Acts were repealed.
In fact, Malden was the first town in the Commonwealth to petition the Colonial Government to secede from England.
By 1882, Malden had swelled in population to over 12,300 and in the process became a city. Today, Malden, which comprises an area of 4.8 square miles, has a poplution of about 53,833. It supports more than 800 businesses and over 50 distinct types of products are made here. Among these are: computer printers, women's wear, fire hoses, mattresses, name plates, paper boxes, aluminum windows, food, furniture, toys, inks, and chemicals.