Waltham

City in Middlesex County, east Massachusetts; population (2000 est) 59,200. It is situated on the Charles River, 14 km/9 mi west of Boston. Industries include electronic research and development, agricultural and pharmaceutical research, and the making of precision instruments, machinery, cameras, electronics, and fabricated metal products. Waltham was separated from Watertown, Massachusetts, and incorporated as a town in 1738.

Waltham was settled in 1634. The river powered early gristmills and paper mills which were established from 1779 onwards. In 1813 Waltham became the site of the Boston Manufacturing Company established by US industrialist Francis Lowell, who developed the power loom. The company was the first textile mill to complete the process of making cloth from raw cotton under one roof. The first industrial strike in the USA took place at Waltham in 1820. The Waltham Watch Company (1854), one of the world's largest timepiece manufacturers, was based here for many years. In 1885 the first training school for nurses was established. Other industries were bleaching, the manufacture of crayons and an early car factory, the Metz company which made cars from 1898 until the 1920s.

Waltham has 108 entries on the National Register of Historic Places including factories, houses, and churches. Waltham Museum dates from 1971. Educational institutions include Brandeis University (1948), which contains the Rose Art Museum, and Bentley College (1917). The Charles River Museum of Industry (1980) celebrates the American Industrial Revolution.