Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/3/)
Members of the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes traveled to take part in the celebration fo the 250th anniversary of the Treaty of Watertown (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Hundreds packed a theater in Watertown on Saturday to celebrate an event that took place 250 years before. The town was the site of the signing of the United States’ first treaty with a foreign nation — the Treaty of Watertown. Descendants of the signers of the document from the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes emphasized that the agreement that was forged as a wartime alliance also created friendships and provided rights and protections for the signers that are still important in 2026.
A pole struck by a vehicle lies on top of power lines on Main Street. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
A vehicle struck a utility pole on Main Street, snapping it in half and cutting off power for several hundred customers on Monday around noon.
Watertown City and State officials appeared before a joint committee at the State House on Jan. 27, 2026, to discuss the City’s Home Rule Petition. Pictured, from left, Steve Owens, George Proakis, John Lawn, Earl Smith, and Mark Sideris.
The City of Watertown’s effort to prevent a tax hike for residential property owners, which could be as high as 18%, cleared a major hurdle when it was approved the the House of Representatives on Beacon Hill.
Watertown residents will see an increase of 4.5% in both the water and sewer rates for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2026, which is slightly higher than forecasted a year ago. However, the future increase could be significantly higher than projected due in part to an error made calculating future year revenues.
The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:
Please make sure the Community Preservation Act (CPA) Turning 10 celebratory public hearing is on your calendar.
To my Watertown friends and neighbors:
Senator Will Brownsberger is running for re-election and I enthusiastically support his continued service as our State Senator. Over many years of public service, Senator Brownsberger has earned the trust of our communities through thoughtful leadership, accessibility, and an unwavering dedication to serving his constituents.
The Charles River Regional Chamber will host a pair of debates with candidates running to represent Watertown in the State House. The 10th Middlesex House debate with John Lawn and Alison Leary takes place on July 21, and the Suffolk and Middlesex State Senate debate will be on Aug. 10. See more information from the Chamber, below.
The Arts Market returns to Watertown on Aug. 8, and it will be bigger than ever! Volunteers are needed to help the market run, including set up before, break down after, and during the market. See more information in the announcement from the Arts Market, below.
The following announcement was provided by the Pigsgusset Intiative:
The Watertown Free Public Library, together with the Upstander Project and the community-based Pigsgusset Initiative, will host a conversation about Indigenous Views on the Origins of the American Revolution on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Watertown Savings Bank Room at the library. The event will include drumming, a short documentary film screening, and a panel discussion. This event is free and open to the public, and attendees are strongly encouraged to register online at watertownlib.org/events.
During the week of June 13-17, sidewalk work will continue in the areas of Elton Street, Winsor Avenue and Langdon Avenue. Drainage work will take place between Bates Road and Spruce Street, while tree trench installation will take place from Stearns Road and Spruce Street.
See the lone home sold this week in Watertown was a townhouse.
The Parker Annex Building (Courtesy of City of Watertown)
The City Council will not be meeting it the usual place on July 14. The meeting will be held in the Parker Building at 7 p.m. The meeting includes a votes to set next year’s water and sewer rates, on proposed changes to the Noise Ordinance, and a presentation about the City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.