Waltham is commonly nicknamed the “watch city” because of one famous factory. In 1854, the Waltham Watch Company was the first company to make watches on an assembly line, producing over 35 million watches before closing its doors in 1957.
In part with this factory, Waltham was also well-known as an early center for the labor movement and a significant contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. This city is home to many famous inventions that Americans use every day, including the first production of the motorcycle and the first integrated textile mill in the United States.
Waltham stretches across the Charles River and contains several dams that are used to power these famous factories. Today, Waltham is very urban, made up of several villages with a downtown area called the Waltham Common. Highlights include the historic Polaroid building and plenty of tech startups. In fact, Waltham is the center of the 128 Technology belt highway that surrounds Boston.
Waltham is a great place to call home. Unfortunately, these conditions also make the area susceptible to many pests like insects, rodents, termites and ticks.