Around Town

Armenian Museum Will Preserve Rare Manuscripts With BofA Grant

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Rare manuscripts at teh Armenian Museum of America in Watertown will be preserved with funds provided by a Bank of America grant. Pictured here: Kerry Miles, Art and Heritage Project Manager at Bank of America; Maryann Ekberg, Managing Director, Baernk of America Private Bank; Jason Sohigian, Executive Director, The Armenian Museum of America; and Michele M. Kolligian, President, The Armenian Museum of America. (Photo courtesy of Bank of America). The following announcement was provided by Bank of America:

As part of its Art Conservation Project, Bank of America provided a grant to the Armenian Museum of America of Watertown, Mass., to restore 21 illuminated manuscripts from its collection, one of which dates back to the 13th century, the museum announced this week. Bank of America selected the Armenian Museum of America as one of the 23 cultural institutions that have been named recipients of the 2023 Bank of America Art Conservation Project, a program that provides grants to nonprofit cultural institutions to conserve important works of art. 

This year’s recipients represent a diverse range of artistic styles, media, and cultural traditions across China, Colombia, France, Lebanon, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S.

The Armenian Museum of America has the largest collection of Armenian artifacts in the United States.

Around Town

Our History: Charles Davenport, Owned Company that Built Railroad Cars

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Charles Davenport’s Fountain Hill Estate (Photo courtesy of the Watertown Free Public Library)

The following article 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 2012 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

In 2005 the Friends of Mount Auburn and the Historical Society of Watertown cosponsored a guided walking tour of Mount Auburn Cemetery in celebration of 375th anniversary of Watertown’s founding. During the walk members of the Historical Society Council and volunteers spoke about the lives of some of Watertown’s notable figures now buried at the Cemetery. The following article was written by Marilynne Roach and read at Davenport’s gravesite. Charles Davenport (1813–1903) began as a woodworker in the carriage building trade.

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Challenger Baseball Program Has Allowed All Watertown Children to Play Ball for 10 Years

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The players and buddies in the Watertown Challenger Baseball program, which is for players with physical and mental challenges. (Photo courtesy of Watertown Challenger Baseball). Ten years ago, Watertown Youth Baseball added a program that allowed children with a physical or intellectual challenge to get on the field and play ball. And each year, participants in the Challenger Baseball program get to play in an special event sponsored by NESN where they play similar programs from other communities around Massachusetts. The program got rolling in 2013, but had to take a few years off during the Pandemic, said Greg Salvucci, a past president of Watertown Youth Baseball and Softball.

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Victory Field Closing for Most of Summer to Replace Artificial Turf

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown hosts Belmont in the annual Thanksgiving Football Game at 10:45 a.m. Thursday. The football and baseball fields at Watertown’s largest athletic complex will be closed this summer. The artificial turf surface that was installed in 2011 will be replaced. Most of the rest of the complex will remain open. Recreation Department Director Peter Centola sent out the following letter about Victory Field:

Good Morning,

Our Victory Complex Artificial Turf Field will be closed Monday June 12 to Wednesday, August 16, 2023, for the purpose of replacing our artificial turf field.

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Lt. Gov. Hears from Local Businesses at Chamber Event, Pushes for Housing, Job Training & Free PreK

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Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, right, spoke at the Charles River Regional Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast where Joe Prestejohn (left), owner of Cabot’s Ice Cream, was honored. (Photo courtesy of Charles River Chamber

NEEDHAM — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll stressed the importance of small businesses to make communities places where people want to live when she spoke at the Charles River Regional Chamber, but she added that Massachusetts faces challenges that could hurt business big and small such as the cost of housing, lack of qualified and even the cost of childcare. Driscoll also heard directly from business owners about some of the things that make it more difficult for them to thrive. She gave the keynote address at the Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast on June 2. During the event, held at the Sheraton Boston Needham Hotel, the Chamber also honored Joe Prestejohn, the retiring owner of a Newton institution — Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant.

Around Town

Raiders Baseball Team Looks Back on Successful Season After Exiting Tournament

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Photo by Brianna WilliamsThe Raiders season ended in the MIAA Div. 3 Round of 32, but the Raiders had one of their best seasons in years. FOXBOROUGH — Watertown senior captain Casey Williams pitched a complete game with five strikeouts, but the Raiders fell by a run to Foxborough in the MIAA Div. 3 Tournament on Tuesday. For the Round of 32, 38th seed Watertown High School traveled to face the sixth seeded Warriors. Along with strong pitching, Watertown had strong field work from senior captains Johnny Cacace, Robbie Iannetta and Daniel Tattrie. 

However, Foxborough took the lead early in the first inning by scoring a run.