Around Town

Historical Society Celebrates Treaty Day, First Reading of Declaration of Independence

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The Historical Society of Watertown will celebrate two major historical events that took place in town in 1776. 

The following information was provided by the Historical Society of Watertown:
Treaty Day 2018
July 14, 2018, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Edmund Fowle House, 28 Marshall St., Watertown, MA

Please join the Historical Society of Watertown in celebrating the commemoration of two important Watertown historical events in 1776. Come to this annual event marking the first time the Declaration of Independence was read to the citizens of Watertown on July 18, 1776. We will also celebrate the July 19, 1776 signing of the first treaty negotiated by our new nation with a foreign power, namely the St. John’s (a.k.a. Maliseet) and Mi’kmaq Tribes of Nova Scotia. Special presentations by invited guests will enlighten us on how the Treaty of Watertown relates to our current period.

Around Town

Historical Society Event Features a Virtual Tour of Mount Auburn Cemetery

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The Historical Society of Watertown will present a visual tour through Mount Auburn Cemetery. The Historical Society sent out the following information:

“Watertown Notables: A Virtual Walk Through Mount Auburn Cemetery” Presented by Rosemarie Smurzynski

Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 7 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street, Watertown, in the Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room. Maude deLeigh Hodges wrote, “Watertown, Massachusetts, was founded in the
year 1630 and was the first inland settlement in Massachusetts. It began as a Puritan settlement and became a hub for trade and commerce  . .

Around Town

Historical Society Hosting Celebration of Treaty Day, Reading of Declaration of Independence

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The Historical Society of Watertown announced it will celebrate two significant historical events for the town, the state and the nation during the Treaty Day celebration. The Historical Society announced that everyone is welcome at the free event on Saturday July 15, 2017, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Edmund Fowle House, 28 Marshall St., Watertown. The Treaty Day 2017 event marks two important occasions in history that occurred at the Edmund Fowle House in Watertown: the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence to the citizens of Watertown on July 18, 1776; the signing of the first treaty negotiated by the new nation with a foreign power, namely the St. John’s (a.k.a. Maliseet) and Mi’kmaq Tribes of Nova Scotia on July 19, 1776.

Around Town

Residents Reunited with Family Photos from Long Ago, Others Unclaimed

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A few years ago, the Historical Society of Watertown was contacted by Rosalie Hausserman who informed us that she had about 60 cartons full of packets of photo proofs of families (mostly children) taken by Oxford Studios in the 1940s and 1950s, the Historical Society said. There were three cartons of photos of families from Watertown, and she and her cousin, David Boyajian of Belmont, wanted to donate them to the Historical Society. They were donating the photo proofs of families from Waltham to the Waltham Historical Society, from Cambridge to the Cambridge Historical Society, etc., and want us to have the Watertown photos. Her uncle Harry, David Boyajian’s father, had been the salesman of the business and these photo proofs were left to David but stored at Rosalie’s house. David provided a short history along with the photos:
“These photos (actually photo “proofs”) were taken by my late father’s brother, Drtad “Dite” Boyajian of Somerville.

Entertainment

Historical Society Hosts Event About Famous Watertown Sculptor

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The Historical Society of Watertown presents an evening about a famous Watertown sculptor led by former Sacred Heart Pastor Joseph Curran. The event is free. The Historical Society sent out the following announcement:

Please join us for a lecture co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Watertown and the Watertown Free Public Library entitled Harriet Hosmer – Watertown Sculptor

Presented by Father Joseph Curran Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016 at 7 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472,  in the Local History Room – 2nd floor. Father Joseph Curran, former pastor of the Sacred Heart Church in Watertown’s East End, will give a lecture on Watertown sculptor Harriet Hosmer in the beautifully restored Local History Room of the public library. Father Curran, our foremost authority on sculptor Harriet Hosmer, will present a lecture on Harriet’s colorful life and her many works of art.

Around Town

America’s First Treaty, Signed in Watertown, Still Has Impact Today

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Descendants of the original signers of the Treaty of Watertown came to celebrate the 240th anniversary of the signing of the first treaty made with a foreign power by the United States. Members of the Mi’kmaq and the Maliseet (then known as the St. John’s) Indians signed a treaty with the U.S. on July 19, 1776, agreeing to support the new nation in its fight against the British. The signing occurred at the Edmund Fowle House. The house now sits on Marshal Street, just a short distance from where it sat at the time, on Mt.

Around Town

Celebrate Two Major Events in the History of Watertown & the U.S.

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Watertown history goes well past to the beginnings of the United States, and it hosted two major events in 1776 – the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Massachusetts and the signing of the FIRST EVER treaty made by the United States. The Historical Society of Watertown will host a reenactment and celebration of both of these events on Treaty Day 2016, on Saturday, July 16, 2016 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

The event will be held at the Edmund Fowle House and Museum, at 28 Marshall St. in Watertown. The home is home to the Historical Society and dates back to 1772. The Historical Society sent out the following information:

 

Come to this annual event marking the first time the Declaration of Independence was read to the citizens of our new nation in Watertown on July 18, 1776.

Around Town

Find Out About What the Community Preservation Act Would Mean for Watertown

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The Historical Society of Watertown and Invest In Watertown will host an informational event about the proposed Community Preservation Act, which residents may vote on this fall. The event will be held Wednesday, June 1 at 7 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St. in Watertown. The groups sent out the following information:

The Community Preservation Act is a law that was passed in 2000 that allows the residents of a city or town to adopt a small surcharge on their real estate tax bills to create a fund that can only be used for special community investment purposes. Funds generated by the Community Preservation Act can only be used for:

Open Space and Outdoor Recreation – (Restoration of Walker Pond, creation of a new soccer field, improvements to the Charles River Path, dog parks, playgrounds)
Affordable Housing – (Rehabilitation and new construction of homes that help senior citizens and young families stay in Watertown)
Historic Preservation – (Renovation of a branch library, archiving of historic photos and documents, preservation of historic gravestones, monuments and buildings)

In Watertown the CPA would raise approximately $1.7 million each year and would be eligible for partially matching State funds.