Around Town

Rocker Tells Bruce Springsteen About His Watertown Origins on Stage at Gillette Stadium

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During Bruce Springsteen’s recent concert at Gillette Stadium, one of the members of the E Street Band revealed that he was born not just in the Boston area, but in Watertown. During the band’s performance of “Glory Days” the band asked the crowd “Do you want to go home?” to which guitarist Steven Van Zandt responded, “You know, I was born here,” according to a report on Boston.com. Springsteen responded, “In Boston?” And, Van Zandt specified, “Yeah, Watertown!” 

According to the report, he spent his first several years before moving to New Jersey.

Around Town

See How Labor Day Impacts Watertown City Facilities & Services

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Watertown LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. Multiple City-run facilities in Watertown will be closed on Monday for Labor Day, and the holiday will impact trash and recycling pick-up. The City of Watertown announced:

Watertown City Hall and Senior Center are closed in observance Labor Day, on Monday, September 4, 2023. Please note: Trash and recycling pickup is delayed one day. The schedule is Tuesday, September 5 – Saturday, September 9, 2023.

Around Town

Our History: Mercy Otis Warren, “The Muse of the Revolution”

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Copy of John Singleton Copley’s portrait of Mercy Otis Warren that hangs in the Edmund Fowle House (Courtesy of Joyce Kelly)

The following story is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Historical Society board member Mary Spiers who served as the Recording and Corresponding Secretary, and retired from the board last month but is still a volunteer. She wrote this article for our April 2014 newsletter, “The Town Crier”.)

I have to credit the blizzard of February, 2013 for the inspiration to pick up a copy of Snow-Bound by John Greenleaf Whittier and thereby find this nugget of historical gold on Mercy Otis Warren. I also utilized the library at the Massachusetts Historical Society to research Mercy’s poems.

Mercy Otis Warren born in 1728, who we think of today as “the Conscience of the American Revolution” and a “Founding Mother,” is the graceful lady in the blue dress in the John Singleton Copley iconic portrait of her that hangs in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. A copy hangs on the walls of the Edmund Fowle House, now home to the Historical Society of Watertown.

Around Town

Watertown Resident Hopes to Get A Second Wish to Visit Disney

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Watertown’s Brian Manning hopes to get A Second Wish. When Watertown resident Brian Manning first went to Disney World he faced a seizure that left him hospitalized. Years later he is hoping to make his return with help from the organization A Second Wish By Demetrius. A Second Wish By Demetrius is dedicated to impacting the lives of children ages 6 to 18 with life threatening illnesses by helping them grant a wish of their choices. Previous wishes granted have ranged from traveling to Disney World to meeting various professional athletes and celebrities.

Around Town

Watertown-Based ZANGÉR Boston Youth Chorale Seeks New Singers

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The ZANGÉR Boston Youth Chorale performed at the ACEC in Watertown in May. (Courtesy of Zanger). The following announcement was provided by the ZANGÉR Boston Youth Chorale:

ZANGÉR Boston Youth Chorale announces its rehearsal schedule for the 2023-2024 season. Chorus members are coming together after the summer vacation to begin preparations for Christmas Concerts, as well as additional programs and appearances to be announced shortly. ZANGÉR Chorale was founded in February 2023 by Armenian Culture Connection, under the direction of Doctor of Music, Maestro Artur Veranian, internationally acclaimed choral conductorand instructor.

Around Town

Developers of Building That Housed Trampoline Park Hosting Community Meeting

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A rendering of the building at 10-30 Manley Way proposed to be redeveloped into lab/R&D/non-nuisance manufacturing space. (The Seyon Group)

The developers of 10-30 Manley Way, off Pleasant Street, announced a community meeting about plans to redevelop the former trampoline park into space for lab/R&D/non-nuisance manufacturing. The following announcement came from The Seyon Group:

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Petitioner will be holding a Public Information Meeting related to the 10-30 Manley Way Redevelopment Project on September 5, 2023. PROJECT DESCRIPTION and LOCATION:

The project proposal entails the redevelopment and adaptive reuse of an existing vacant, 95,000 SF light industrial building. The existing building was previously part of the Raytheon campus, then converted to a warehouse for multiple retailers and most recently housed a trampoline park and gymnastics school, along with a Saks 5th Avenue warehouse.