It has been already stated that in 1818 land was purchased in Cambridgeport for an almshouse. A brick house was erected on it, which was first occupied in September, 1818. It was burned July 20, 1836, and temporary provision for the town's poor was made in a building on the north side of Main Street nearly opposite Osborn Street. This building was occupied until 1838, when the inmates were removed to a new brick almshouse on land on Charles River between Western Avenue and River Street, now a part of the Riverside Press.
The efforts to develop the growth of the town which were made in the early days of our independence have already been described. They were upon a scale of magnitude which, when we consider the circumstances under which they were accomplished, was surprising. Bridges, avenues and streets, turnpikes, and canals, all were directly in that interest. The population in 1790 was 2115. In 1810, notwithstanding the fact that Brighton and West Cambridge had in the mean time been set off, the census showed 2323 inhabitants. In 1840, there were 8409, and in 1850 there were 15,215. There must have been therefore in Cambridge in 1846 six times as many inhabitants as there were in Cambridge, Brighton, and West Cambridge in 1790. This growth was at a rate nearly three times that of the State at large during the same period. This prosperity resulted from protracted peace, and freedom from great political excitement. For many years after the organization of the state government there were but few events which interfered with it. It is true that the insurrection termed Shays's Rebellion, in 1786, paralyzed for the time being the progress of western Massachusetts, but Cambridge declined to participate in the convention which was called by those who inaugurated this movement. In 1807, too, there was a period of serious business
