Around Town

Civil War Nurses of Mount Auburn Cemetery: Mary Sullivan Felton

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The grave of Mary Sullivan Felton at Mount Auburn Cemetery. By Bill McEvoy

In honor of National Nurses Week, local historian Bill McEvoy has compiled histories of some of the Civil War nurses who are buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery. This is part three of seven. Mary Sullivan Felton was born on April 30th, 1839, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She died April 29th, 1896, in Boston, from pneumonia and pericarditis. Her father, Cornelius Conway Felton, died in 1862 at age 57.

Around Town

Civil War Nurses of Mount Auburn Cemetery: Emily Elizabeth Parsons

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Emily Elizabeth Parsons

By Bill McEvoy

In honor of National Nurses Week, local historian Bill McEvoy has compiled histories of some of the Civil War nurses who are buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery. This is part two of seven. Emily was the daughter of Professor Theophilus Parsons of the Harvard Law School. She was described as indomitable, heroic, and warm-hearted. 

At the beginning of the Civil War, she trained to be a Nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her intent was to go to the War and care for sick and wounded Union Soldiers.

Around Town

Civil War Nurses of Mount Auburn Cemetery: Dorothea Lynde Dix

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Dorothea Lynde Dix

By Bill McEvoy

In honor of National Nurses Week, local historian Bill McEvoy has compiled histories of some of the Civil War nurses who are buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery. This is part one of seven. Dorothea Dix was born on April 4, 1802, in Hampton Maine. She died on July 17th, 1887, at the State Asylum in Trenton NJ. 

Dorothea had founded that asylum. In 1848 she opened the first state hospital for the mentally ill there.

Around Town

Our History: Watertown Was Home to Two Dairies

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Woodland Dairy wagon (photo courtesy of the Watertown Free Public Library)

The following story was written by Sigrid Reddy Watson Terman for the April 2010 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.” Sigrid is a former Board member and former President of the Historical Society, as well at a former Director of the Watertown Free Public Library. For several years starting in 1997, she wrote a Watertown history column for the Watertown TAB/Press called “Echoes.”

WATERTOWN’S DAIRIES SUPPLIED SURROUNDING TOWNS

I’m sure many of you Watertown history fans remember the “Echoes” column that Sigrid Reddy Watson wrote for several years for the Watertown TAB/Press beginning in 1997. Ms. Watson was the Director of the Watertown Free Public Library from 1971-1989 and President of the Historical Society of Watertown from 2001-2003. Ms. Watson’s weekly column was about Watertown history. She covered subjects includingWatertown during the Revolution, the Arsenal, women’s suffrage, the Fowles, renowned localpeople and buildings and houses, our many ethnic groups, the industries that made Watertown aplace to settle in during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and many other subjects.

Around Town

Citizen Petition Calling for Buffers Between Developments and Residential Zones Submitted to Council

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A photo of the petition sent to the City Council on April 27. Another citizens’ petition has been submitted to the City Council seeking to change zoning rules. This one seeks to reduce the impact of developments on abutting residential districts. The petition calls for “discretionary” transitions for new developments next to residential zones, which could include considerations for height, setbacks, and screening, among other things. It was signed by 439 people and submitted to the City Clerk on April 27.

Around Town

Gore Place Hosting Annual Heirloom Plant Sale on Mother’s Day Weekend

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Gore Place provided the following information:

Farmer Scott’s Heirloom Tomato Plant SaleFriday through Sunday, May 12-14

Come to Gore Place on Mother’s Day Weekend, and fill your garden with herbs and vegetable transplants, all locally grown on the Farm! Choose from many varieties of hard-to-find heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, as well as peppers, eggplants, and customer-favorite marigolds! PLEASE NOTE: Plants are available exclusively on-site this year. There will be no online sales or pre-ordering. See the plants available for 2023 by clicking here.