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Our History: Famed Watertown Sculptor Anne Whitney

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The following story is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Historical Society President Marilynne Roach for the April 2006 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

MOUNT AUBURN NOTABLES

In celebration of the 375th anniversary of the founding of Watertown, the Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery and the Historical Society of Watertown joined together on October 9, 2005 to give a guided tour of the gravesites of several notable people who once resided in Watertown. The lives of our Watertown notables were recalled by members of the Historical Society Council and Historical Society volunteers. The following information was presented by author and illustrator Marilynne Roach, a member of the Historical Society and a Watertown Historical Commission Board Member. Anne Whitney 1821-1915

Born in Watertown on Galen Street (in the Hunt house of Revolutionary fame) in a family active in abolition, education and women’s rights (Lucy Stone was a cousin), Anne Whitney received an excellent education – especially for a woman of her time.

Around Town

Find Out What Tree Fits Your Yard Best at Upcoming Event

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The following information was provided by Trees for Watertown:

THE RIGHT TREE FOR ME:  Trees for Watertown to Offer Free Seminar

Experts Show How to Choose the Perfect Tree for Your Yard

On Saturday, March 11th from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at the Watertown Public Library, Trees for Watertown will present a free seminar titled “The Right Tree for Me”. It will be available both in person and via Zoom. According to TFW President Libby Shaw, the idea for the seminar began with the knowledge that 80 percent of Watertown’s trees are on private land. 

“Our goal is to improve the quality of life for city residents by increasing our city’s population of shade trees and these trees’ longevity,” Shaw said. “It’s trees with big, healthy canopies that provide the strongest infrastructural and ecological services. Watertown is doing great work with street trees, but street trees provide at most about 20 percemt of our city’s protective tree canopy. To succeed we need to help homeowners find ways to add and maintain healthy, long-lived trees in their yards.”

In planning the seminar, the Trees for Watertown team explored what kinds of information homeowners seek when they’re thinking about planting a tree. TFW members found that for some, affordability is a primary concern.  Others want tips on how best to plant a tree and maintain its health. 

One common question Watertown residents have is whether their yard is big enough to support a tree. Some just aren’t sure how to fit a tree into their landscaping.

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Council Approves Replacing Victory Field Turf with New Artificial Turf in Divided Vote

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Charlie BreitroseThe City Council voted to replace the artificial turf at Victory Field with a new artificial surface. A new artificial turf surface will replace the current one at Victory Field’s stadium and baseball area. Victory Field’s turf is used by seven Watertown High School teams — football, field hockey, boys and girls soccer, baseball and boys and girls lacrosse — along with Recreation Department programs, youth sports teams, and informal use by residents. City Councilors approved the decision to put a turf surface with organic material between the plastic blades of grass in a split vote on Tuesday night. Before their decision the Council heard an hour and 20 minutes of comments from the public, with opinions on both sides but more supporting replacing the surface with new artificial turf.

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Youth Sports Program Comes Together to Remember a Hockey Mom & Raise Money

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Charlie BreitroseMothers from the Watertown Youth Hockey skated a lap of honor in memory of their friend Jami Curley at John A. Ryan Arena. Recently, the Watertown Youth Hockey community came together for their annual fundraiser, and also paid tribute to a hockey mom who recently lost her battle with cancer. The Skate-a-thon took place on Feb. 14 at John A. Ryan Arena. During the event, young hockey players did 50 turns around the ice.

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Watertown Group Sends Relief Supplies Earthquake Victims in Syria

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Sue-Ellen Hershman-TcherepninSupplies collected to send to the survivors of the earthquake in Syria. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Citizens Refugee Support Group:

Throughout the past month, members of Watertown Citizens Refugee Support Group (a working group of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment) have been gathering a variety of emergency supplies to send to Syria via Turkey. Spearheaded by RSG member Diane Crowley, the most recent effort culminated in a bursting carload of supplies delivered by member Youla Hana this past Saturday to the Burlington drop-off point for Nu Day Syria. Youla delivered numerous boxes and bags, including donated diapers, women’s hygiene products, first-aid items, OTC medications, pediasure nutritional drinks, non-perishable food, and new-only clothing and shoes. (Unfortunately Turkey is no longer accepting any used clothing, regardless of the condition.)

Operating out of New Hampshire, Nu Day Syria has been collecting, packing and sending shipping containers of supplies to crisis and war-torn areas for over 10 years.

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Heart Disease Awareness & Prevention from Mount Auburn Hospital

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Learn the symptoms of heart disease and what you can do to prevent it

Whether it’s from everyday deadlines, financial struggles, or the COVID-19 pandemic, stress shows up in life. Your body reacts to it and your health suffers – especially your heart. 650,000 Americans die from heart disease every year. “Stress plays a critical role in heart disease. Stress can contribute to high blood pressure, diabetes, atherosclerosis, all of which can hurt your heart,” said Kyle Pond, MD, Chief of Cardiology at Mount Auburn Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. One in nine Americans have been diagnosed with heart disease.

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City Council Will Discuss Replacing Victory Field Turf Tuesday

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s Victory Field. The City Council will consider funding the replacement of the turf at Victory Field at its meeting on Tuesday. The field currently has an artificial turf surface with plastic grass and black rubber fill in between. The proposed new field would have plastic grass, but the fill would be an organic material made from pine trees. The artificial turf was installed in 2011, replacing a natural grass field.