ORIGIN

OF

THE CITY OF BOSTON,

BoSTON received its name by an order of the Court of Assistants passed September 17 (7, O. S.), 1630, “that Trimontaine shalbe called Boston; ” and was incorporated as The City of Boston, February 23, 1822, by St. 1821, c. 110, adopted March 4, 1822. This act was revised by St. 1854, c. 448, commonly called the City Charter, adopted November 13, 1854.

BRIGHTON was incorporated a Town, February 24, 1807, by St. 1806, c. 65, and annexed to Boston, January 5, 1874, by St. 1873, c. 303, accepted October 7, 1873.

CHARLESTOWN was settled July 4, 1629; was incorporated a City, February 22, 1847, by St. 1847, c. 29, accepted March 10, 1847; and was annexed to Boston, January 5, 1874, by St. 1873, c. 286, accepted October 7, 1873.

DoRCHESTER received its name by an order of the Court of Assistants, passed September 17 (7, O. S.), 1630. It was annexed to Boston, January 3, 1870, by St. 1869, c. 349, accepted June 22, 1869.

RoxBURY received its name by an order of the Court of Assistants, passed October 8, 1630. It was incorporated a City, March 12, 1846, by St. 1846, c. 95, accepted March 25, 1846; and annexed to Boston, January 6, 1868, by St. 1867, c. 359, accepted September 9, 1867.

WEST RoxBURY was incorporated a Town, May 24, 1851, by St. 1851, c. 250; and annexed to Boston, January 5, 1874, by St. 1873, c. 314, accepted October 7, 1873.

The City Seal was adopted by “An Ordinance to Establish the City Seal,” passed January 2, 1823, which provides “That the design hereto annexed, as sketched by John R. Penniman, giving a view of the City, be the device of the City Seal; that the motto be as follows, to wit: ‘Sicut patribus sit Deus nobis'; and that the inscription be as follows: — • Bostonia condita, A.D. 1630. Civitatis regimine donata, A.D. 1822.’” The motto is taken from 1 King's, viii. 57. The seal as it then appeared is shown above. The seal as it was afterwards changed, and has ever since continued to be used, first appeared on page 221 of the volume of laws and ordinances, commonly known as the “First Revision,” published in 1827, and is continued as the City Seal at the present time by Revised Ordinances of 1898, Chapter 1, Section 5, which provides that “The seal of the City shall be circular in form ; shall bear a view of the City; the motto “SICUT PATRIBUS SIT DEUs NoPIs,’ and the inscription, “BOSTONIA CONDITA, A.D. 1630. CIVITATIS REGIMINE DONATA, A.D. 1822,” as here with set forth.” The seal as changed in 1827, and as it has ever since appeared, is shown opposite the title page.