Ned Martin(II)
- Actor
- Writer
- Editor
Lynn was first settled in 1629 and was officially incorporated in 1850.
Colonial Lynn was a major part of the regional tannery and shoe-making
industries which began in 1635. The boots worn by Continental Army
soldiers during the Revolutionary War are thought to have been made in
Lynn. The shoe-making industry drove urban growth in Lynn into the
early nineteenth century. This historic theme is reflected in the city
seal, which features a colonial boot. Despite industrial expansion in
the early 20th century, Lynn began to decline in the latter half of the
century. Much like what was happening to many other older urban centers
in Massachusetts, the city was plagued by an increase in crime. In the
very early 1990s, the city of Lynn created an advertising campaign to
improve the city's image. This was the "City Of Firsts" campaign. Among
the numerous Lynn Firsts that are claimed, include: First American jet
engine Lydia E. Pinkham - First woman in advertising (and first woman
in mass-marketing) First baseball game played under artificial light
First dance academy in the U.S. First tannery in the U.S. First air
mail delivery in the U.S. In the early 2000s, a number of new
development projects in Lynn have led to buzz that the city is
experiencing a renaissance. Industrial buildings formerly left vacant
have been bought and converted into loft spaces by real estate
developers, and eagerly snapped up by young home buyers who enjoy the
urban lifestyle of Boston proper but can't afford the higher prices of
lofts in Boston's South End and similar neighborhoods. The city itself
is supplementing this resurgence by investing in antique lighting, new
sign-age, brickwork and the building of a new multipurpose municipal
football stadium. In addition, semi-pro baseball (The North Shore
Spirit) can be enjoyed in Lynn at the newly renovated Fraser
Field.