By Adam Swift
Chelsea has continued its celebration of its 400th anniversary into 2025, but is already preparing for its 500th anniversary in 2124.
On Monday afternoon, City Manager Fidel Maltez, City Solicitor and Chelsea 400 Chair Cheryl Watson Fisher, and Chelsea Chamber of Commerce Director Jen Hassell filled and sealed a Chelsea time capsule that will sit in the city manager’s office and be opened during the Chelsea 500 celebration a century from now.
The time capsule includes a number of programs, banners, and mementos from the Chelsea 400 celebrations over the past year, including several issues of the Chelsea Record covering the events.
During the Chelsea 400 committee meetings, Hassell said Fire Chief John Quatieri came up with the idea for the time capsule.
“This will give the next committee celebrating the 500th anniversary of Chelsea an idea of what we had and how we put this event together,” said Hassell.
Maltez praised everyone who worked on the Chelsea 400 celebration and talked about what made 2024 a special year for the city.
“We did things that Chelsea hasn’t done in a long, long time, whether it was a parade in the rain or a 5K that was an outstanding success … it was just one event after another,” said Maltez. “Chelsea is a small city, but man, is it mighty, and we play an outstanding role in the region, we provide a lot of benefits for the region, but we also bring with us a lot of history.”
Chelsea’s history is the history of people who have survived hardships, from major fires to receivership, Maltez said.
“We haven’t just survived it, we are stronger because of it, and I am so excited to see what is going to happen in 2124,” he said. “Chelsea is, it might be in a spaceship at that point; but what we are doing today is acknowledging all of the work over this past year.”
When plans for Chelsea 400 got underway, Maltez said a lot of people had worried looks on their faces.
“It was a lot of work to close half of Chelsea for the parade, it was a lot of work to have fireworks, the first fireworks in Chelsea in a long time,” Maltez said. “It was an amazing amount of work that you all put together, and guess what, we’re not stopping. We’re just getting started.”
City Council President Norieliz De Jesus said she was grateful to be part of the team that put together the past year’s celebrations. “Last year we accomplished so much, we have so many great plans for this new year,” she said. “I’m excited for all the great work that is coming, and let’s continue to be the strong, united Chelsea.”