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.

Around Town

Read the Second Place Essay in the Historical Society’s Contest

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Today, the Watertown News features the second place essay in the Historical Society of Watertown’s essay contest. The Historical Society looks for the best history essays each year, and 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 1st place winner received $300; the 2nd and 3rd 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 third place essay, “Watertown and WW2” by clicking here.

Around Town

Celebrate the First Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Watertown

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Two weeks after the United Stated declared its independence from the British, the document proclaiming the new nation was read for the first time in Massachusetts in Watertown. The next day the first treaty entered into by the U.S. was signed in town, too. On Saturday, July 19, 2014, the Historical Society of Watertown will mark the anniversaries of these events with a reading of the Declaration of Independence and a celebration of the Treaty of Watertown. The free event will be Saturday from noon-4 p.m. at the Edmund Fowle House and Museum, 28 Marshall St. The Declaration was first read on July 18, 1776, and on July 19, 1776, a treaty was signed with the St.