Template:Wp-Swampscott, Massachusetts-History

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The area around Swampscott was inhabited by indigenous people for tens of thousands of years prior to European arrival. The Naumkeag or Pawtucket, speaking an Eastern Algonquin language related to Massachusett, controlled land extending from the Charles River to the Merrimack River at the time of European exploration. Wood's New England Prospect lists "Swampscot" as a noted habitation in 1633 before extensive European settlement. According to an early twentieth century source, the name "Swampscott" is variously said to mean "at the red rock", "broken waters", or "pleasant water place".

Swampscott was first settled by Europeans in 1629, as the eastern part (Ward One) of Lynn, and was set off and officially incorporated in 1852. In 1857, a piece of the far western end of Salem, then known as the "Salem Finger", became part of Swampscott. A beach town north of Boston, measuring and abutting Salem, Marblehead and Lynn, Swampscott was an important destination for the wealthy at the beginning of the 20th century. While Revere Beach, which lies just several miles down the road, has the honor of technically being America's first public beach, Swampscott was the de facto first resort town. Lynn was the divider between the poor beach and the rich resort town.