 The city of Lowell was incorporated in 1826, originally part of Chelmsford, and was rapidly industrialized, with construction of mills and industrial infrastructure begun in 1822.In the following decades the population grew rapidly, and the city built schools in the neighborhoods to serve the population.The Colburn School was built in 1848, named for Warren Colburn, a superintendent of the Merrimack Manufacturing Company, and originally provided single classrooms for grades 1-3 on the ground floor, and 4-8 on the upper floor.