Around Town

Former CIA Officer to Talk About His Book on Intelligence During the Revolutionary War

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The Historical Society of Watertown welcomes the author of  “Spies, Patriots, and Traitors: American Intelligence in the Revolutionary War” at its annual meeting. The event is free and open to the public. On Wednesday, May 4, 2016 the Historical Society will hold its Annual Members Meeting with Election of Board Members at 7 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library. At 7:15 author Kenneth A. Daigler will discuss his book. Students and enthusiasts of American history are familiar with the Revolutionary War spies Nathan Hale and Benedict Arnold, but few studies have closely examined the wider intelligence efforts that enabled the colonies to gain their independence.

Around Town

Local Business Donates Storm Windows on Historical Society House

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The Historical Society of Watertown recently received a dozen storm windows donated by a local business. The Historical Society sent out the following announcement:

Thanks to a generous donation from Stormtite on Belmont Street in Watertown, the 1772 Edmund Fowle House, headquarters of the Historical Society of Watertown, now has 12 storm windows installed on the newer, 1870s section of the house. Having them should not only save on heating bills in the winter, but this summer, the screen section (an improvement over the collapsible screens we have been using) will help eliminate the flying visitors we have become accustomed to in the past. And as you know, insects are a threat to our historic collections. The Society’s goal is to install storm windows on the entire house.

Around Town

History Lovers Wanted to Volunteer for Watertown Historical Society

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The Historical Society’s mission is to help preserve the rich history of Watertown. The Society was founded in 1888 and throughout the years has preserved artifacts from Watertown’s past and published papers researched by members of its Board, as well as books about Watertown and all of the early Town Records. The Edmund Fowle House at 28 Marshall Street serves as the home of the Historical Society of Watertown. Built in 1772, the 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.

Around Town

Watertown’s Colonial Guard Welcomed Into National Historical Military Group

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The Watertown Provincial Guard recently joined a national group of which seeks to keep alive the tradition and history of American military outfits that have been around since Colonial times. The local group was welcomed to the Centennial Legion of Historical Military Commands during a ceremony at Watertown’s Edmund Fowle House on Saturday. The Watertown group formed about 10 years ago, and can be seen in their colonial military uniforms at town parades and other events, but the Centennial Legion just learned of the Watertown unit a few years ago. “They heard about the unit when they marched in a parade we were in,” said Jack Piantedosi, founder of the Watertown Provincial Guard. “They said maybe we should have the Provincial Guard be recognized by the Centennial Legion.”

Around Town

Watertown Provincial Guard Being Inducted into Historical Military Commands

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The Watertown Provincial Guard will be inducted into the Centennial Legion of Historic Military Commands during a ceremony hosted by the Historic Society of Watertown. 

On Saturday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m., the Centennial Legion of Historical Military Commands (CLHMC) accept the Watertown Provincial Guard 1st Middlesex Regiment “1775” in to the Centennial Legion of Historic Military Commands. The Watertown Provincial Guard participates in events around town, such as the Memorial Day Parade and the Treaty Day Celebration in July. This CLHMC is comprised of close to 100 member units, all derived from the 13 original colonies from the years 1776-1876. The Legion was originally formed on July 4, 1876 at the Centennial in Philadelphia to “perpetuate the military organizations who served and protected our country in the in the early days of its history prior to , during and subsequent to the Revolutionary War, and to unite together such military commands as shall exist, or their successors, in one body, pledged to keep alive their ancient traditions,” according to the CLHMC.

Around Town

Historical Society Celebrates Declaration of Independence, Treaty Signing

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Two of Watertown’s historical claims is that it was the first place in Massachusetts that the Declaration of Independence was read, and it was the site of the signing of the first treat made by the new United States of America. These events will be reenacted by the Historical Society of Watertown. On Saturday, July 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Declaration of Independence and Treaty of Watertown Commemoration will take place at the Edmund Fowle House, 28 Marshall St., Watertown. This annual event marks the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence to the citizens of our new nation in Watertown on July 18, 1776. Also, the signing of the first treaty negotiated by our new nation with a foreign power, namely the St.

Entertainment

Historical Society Opens New Exhibits at Edmund Fowle House

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A new exhibit presented by the Historical Society of Watertown will debut this weekend at the Edmund Fowle House. Last spring the Historical Society received a grant from the Watertown Community Foundation. The grant allowed us to purchase a free-standing, re-useable display screen and exhibit materials so that we may create rotating exhibits at the Edmund Fowle House. The inaugural exhibits will be unveiled on March 7 and are free and open to the public. On display in the North Parlor will be “Watertown and the Civil War” featuring a newly acquired collection, donated by one of our long-time members, Florence Jones, of transcriptions and reproductions of Civil War letters written by her great-uncle Thomas Folsom Norris, who joined the Union Army as a 15-year-old drummer boy in 1862.

Around Town

Check Out the Winner in the Historical Society Essay Contest

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A panel of Historical Society members judges the best history essays each year, and here is the winning essay. 

Students had their choice of four themes: an individual, ethnic group, landmark or historical event in Watertown and its significance to the town and region. The first place winner received $300; the second and third place winners received $100 each. The winners of the Historical Society Awards were chosen by a panel of Historical Society Council members. The awards were presented in June in the high school lecture hall. See the second place essay, “Perkins School for the Blind” by clicking here, and the third place essay can be seen here: “Watertown and WW2.” Here is the first place essay:
AMERICA’S ARSENAL
Arshdeep Singh Grade 10
The centerpiece of the American Revolution is the struggle for personal independence.