Originally called Winnisimmet, a Massachusett tribe word for “good spring nearby,” Chelsea was settled in 1624. It was considered the first official settlement of Boston Harbor. Over the following years, Chelsea became a part of Boston, but it eventually broke off into its own town in 1739.

By the early 20th century, Chelsea was the destination for a “great wave” of Russian and Eastern European immigrants. Unfortunately, a devastating fire wiped out two-thirds of the town in 1908, which left more than half the city’s residents homeless. Many immigrants left and never returned, which allowed for Bostonites to relocate to Chelsea.

Although Chelsea is the smallest city in Massachusetts in terms of square miles, its urbanized community holds more than 35,000 diverse residents today from all different cultures.

Its downtown skyline is full of tall, sleek buildings to accommodate apartment housing and businesses alike. But because of the town’s location on the coastline, pests like ants, roaches, rodents, and much more are all too common around residents’ homes.