Around Town

Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Revolution With Historical Tour of Watertown

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Edmund Fowle House, home of the Historical Society of Watertown. The Historical Society of Watertown will host a walking tour focused on Watertown During the Revolution on May 24 and June 7. See more details in the announcement from the Historical Society, below. The Historical Society of Watertown invites you to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the fight forAmerican Independence by taking a walking tour of “Watertown During the Revolution.”

Join Historical Society of Watertown walking tour leaders Lynne O’Connell and Beth Houston for a 90-minute walking tour to learn about the important role that the town played during the American Revolution. After the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the Provincial Congress assembled in the town’s Meeting House, making Watertown the seat of the Massachusetts government for 18 months.

Around Town

Historical Society Hosting Tours of 2nd Oldest Home in Watertown

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The Edmund Fowle House & Museum. (Photo courtesy of Joyce Kelly)

Take a look inside a home in Watertown with loads of history on May 17. The Historical Society of Watertown will conduct tours of the Edmund Fowle House & Museum on Sunday May 17th from 1-4 p.m. The house is located at 28 Marshall St. The last tour begins at 3:15 p.m.

The description of the Fowle House on the Historical Society’s website says:

“Built in 1772, the Edmund Fowle House is the second oldest surviving house in Watertown. At the beginning of the American Revolution it served as headquarters for the executive branch of the Massachusetts government from July, 1775, to September, 1776. The Treaty of Watertown was signed on July 19, 1776, in the Council Chamber on the second floor.

Entertainment

Community Day at Historic House in Watertown: Tours, Music, Games, Family Activities

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The following announcement was provided by Historic New England and the Historical Society of Watertown:

Join Historic New England and local cultural organizations for an afternoon of history, culture, and connection. Explore the Browne House, enjoy family-friendly activities and lawn games, browse books at the mobile library, and meet your neighbors as we celebrate Watertown’s rich heritage. Participating organizations include:

Watertown Free Public LibraryHistorical Society of WatertownWatertown Public Arts & CultureThe Pigsgusset InitiativeCharles River Museum of Industry and InnovationGore PlaceFriends of Mount Auburn

WHEN: Saturday, May 2, 10:00 a.m.– 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Browne House, 562 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

● Parking in the Police Station lot next door or on Main Street is encouraged. There is no parking on site for this event.● There are steps to enter the house, and the site is not equipped with ramps, elevators, or lifts. And there is no public restroom.

Around Town

Watertown Historical Society Event Focuses on True Crime Story from Colonial Times

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The Historical Society of Watertown will host a talk about a historical true crime, and host its annual meeting on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 2 p.m. at the Watertown Library. See more information provided by the Historical Society, below. Annual Members Meeting with Election of Board Members Immediately following slide show and talk by historian Marie Daly: “Incident at Rock Meadow — True Crime Story of Ruth Sawtell & Thomas Loveran.”

Location: Watertown Free Public LibraryWatertown Savings Bank Meeting Room123 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472

In 17th century Watertown, Zachariah Smith fled charges of unlawful relations with neighbor Ruth Sawtell. The ensuing repercussions of his subsequent murder contributed to the outbreak of King Philip’s War. Three years later, an assignation with another neighbor made Ruth Sawtell a repeat offender, and the scene of their crime was the “Great Rock” in Rock Meadow.

Around Town

Lafayette Celebrated (Again) in Watertown for Contributions to American Revolution

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Watertown officials celebrated the new historical marker in honor of General Lafayette. From left, Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli, Council President Mark Sideris, Marilynne Roach of the Historical Society, City Manager George Proakis, Julien Icher of the Lafayette Trail, Joyce Kelly from the Historical Society, and City Councilor Caroline Bays. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

On a drizzly, cool morning, a small crowd of Watertown history buffs came out to celebrate a Frenchman who played an important role in winning the American Revolution. During the ceremony, Watertown’s newest historical marker was unveiled, honoring the Marquis de Lafayette, who served as a general in the American Army. On Sunday, April 19, the red sign with a blue border and white lettering was presented by Julien Icher, Founder & President of The Lafayette Trail Inc.

The marker celebrates a visit by Lafayette, said Marilynne Roach from the Historical Society of Watertown.

Around Town

Historical Tours Focuses on Watertown During the Revolution

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The following announcement was provided by the Historical Society of Watertown:

The Historical Society of Watertown invites you to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the fight for American Independence by taking a walking tour of “Watertown During the Revolution.”

Dates: Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 10:00amSunday, May 24, 2026 at 10:00amSunday, June 7, 2026 at 10:00am(3 chances to take this walking tour)

Meeting Place: Zussman Memorial Park beside 66 Galen St. (The tour will be cancelled for rain.)

Join Historical Society of Watertown walking tour leaders Lynne O’Connell and Beth Houston for a 90-minute walking tour to learn about the important role that the town played during the American Revolution. After the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the Provincial Congress assembled in the town’s Meeting House, making Watertown the seat of the Massachusetts government for 18 months. As a result, many prominent Revolutionary War figures boarded in town, including Paul Revere and Joseph Warren. On the tour, we’ll visit the sites of important dwellings (many of which are no longer standing), public spaces, monuments and plaques as we make our way to the 1772 Edmund Fowle House, where the Executive Council of the Provincial Congress met.

Around Town

New Historic Marker to be Unveiled, Celebrates Day That Watertown Welcomed a Key Figure in the Revolution

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A new historic marker celebrating the visit to Watertown by the Marquis de Lafayette in 1784 will will be unveiled on Sunday, April 19. The public is invited to the unveiling of the Lafayette Trail Revolutionary War Marker. The Lafayette Trail is partnering with the Historical Society of Watertown to host the event which will take place on the green-space triangle by the walking path next to the Halfway Café at 394 Main St., Watertown, on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 10 a.m.

The new marker was donated to the City of Watertown by The Lafayette Trail, Inc., with funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. It is one of 170 markers on the Lafayette Trail, which stretches from West Point to Yorktown and from sites up and down the Mississippi River and Eastern seaboard commemorating Lafayette’s farewell visit 200 years ago, according to the Lafayette250.org website. During the Revolutionary War, the Frenchman served as a general in the Continental Army under George Washington.

Around Town

UPDATED: Watertown Representatives Help Mark 250th Anniversary of Important Event in American Revolution

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A replica of one of the cannons hauled from Ft. Ticonderoga, New York, to Boston, through Watertown, in 1776. (Photo by Marilynne Roach)

Marilynne Roach, president of the Historical Society of Watertown, and State Rep. Steve Owens recently joined the reenactment and commemoration of an event that helped turn the tide of the American Revolution. In February the anniversary of Henry Knox and his “Noble Train of Artillery,” when cannons were hauled from Lake Champlain in New York to Boston, was celebrated and Roach took part in parts of the nearby celebration. The commemoration started in Upstate New York in December.