Historical Society Blog & Forum

November Program

2010-11-06T15:02:00.000-04:00

November Public Meeting – a Slideshow Lecture entitled

“Watertown: Then and Now”

7:00 PM
Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Watertown Free Public Library
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
123 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472

If you enjoy the "Then & Now" photo series in the Watertown TAB, or just want to know more about it, test your skill at the third "Watertown Then & Now" slide show and quiz at the November meeting of the Historical Society of Watertown.

See familiar scenes as they used to be. How well do you know your town?
The presentation will be given by David Russo, Recording Secretary of the Historical Society of Watertown/Chairperson of the Watertown Historical Commission and Marilynne K. Roach, President of the Historical Society of Watertown/Board Member of the Historical Commission

We will also be pulling the winning ticket for the raffle of the Fowle House dollhouse.

This program is free and open to the public.
For more information call Joyce at 781-899-7239.

Part 2

2010-10-15T12:04:00.000-04:00

I've vented and now time to move on................
Here's some upcoming programs sponsored by the HSW-

Join us Tuesday October 26, 2010 for an Evening of Fine Food and Informative Fun

6 PM Talktails 7 PM Dinner
$30 PrixFixe includes hot appetizers, your choice between 3 entrees and also served with homemade dessert and coffee
7:30 PM Historic Program during Dinner Followed by a Trivia Contest

RSVP @ The Talk Restaurant

116 Main St. Watertown 617-600-3417 - 15% of all proceeds will be donated to the
Historical Society of Watertown
http://www.thetalkrestaurant.com
and the next program is................

Halloween Lantern Lit Graveyard Tour
Common Street Cemetery
Dare you join your guides to explore by lantern light the graves of many prominent Watertown’s ancestors buried at the
Common Street Cemetery

Join us at the Edmund Fowle House
28 Marshall Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Saturday, October 30, 2010
6:30 PM—9:00 PM
7:00 PM Tour Begins
Gather back at the House for light refreshments and socializing
$5.00 per person (payable at the door)
COSTUMES OPTIONAL BUT ENCOURAGED

Tel. 617-923-6067

and lastly........

Monthly Council Meeting

at the Edmund Fowle House

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 @ 6:30 PM-----

Public is welcomed.... for more info call 617-923-6067

That is all for now.........

So... What's New???

2010-10-07T16:07:00.001-04:00

I keep asking that same question to certain members of the Historical Society's Board of Directors, and guess what?I still don't receive the information I ask for. I would like to know what programs are coming up, where they will be and when they'll be. I've asked for pdf or word doc flyers so I can put that info on my website- http://www.historicwatertown.org/ but I have so far rec'd... nothing. What gives?I hear you are building your own website... why? is it because you don't want to pay for the domains I bought five years ago? or the website itself? Five months ago I wrote to you and requested a reasonable offer to take over the website and the two other domains that linked to the HSW ( http://www.historicalsocietyofwatertown.org/ & http://www.edmundfowlehouse.org/ ).But No...... you hemmed and hawed for months, never even made an offer and then ignored my requests for information.Is $300.00 too much for all the work, extra storage, applications, and software upgrades that the website has to offer? The site has been visited by over 13,000 people since April 6, 2007, hundreds have submitted requests for answers to their historical questions and many have gone on to become members of "OUR" organization. Oh yeah, I'm a little upset, because as president (2004/09) of the then HSW, I tried to change the way the community thought of the society, which was a sleepy organization with a bunch of old fuddy duddies running it like a private club.You don't even know how to conduct an election of officers....... video courtesy of WCAC, our local cable station.
http://www.wcatv.org/component/hwdvideoshare/viewvideo/306/special-coverage/historical-society-of-watertown-annual-meeting
you can also see this video on the HSW program page http://mysite.verizon.net/vzepj3c6/id85.html
I'm not finished yet, just wait for Part 2

Watertown's Arsenal Mall prepares for historic exhibit

2010-08-31T13:02:00.001-04:00

Watertown's Arsenal Mall prepares for historic exhibit
Zoom
Photos

Photo courtesy of Bob Erickson
This undated postcard shows the way the Watertown Arsenal used to look.

By Jeremy C. Fox
Wicked Local Watertown
Posted Aug 29, 2010 @ 03:41 PM
Last update Aug 29, 2010 @ 11:30 PM
WATERTOWN —
The Arsenal Mall will soon be offering a dose of history along with its shopping experience, as it opens its “Watertown Arsenal Through the Years” exhibit.

The project, a collaboration between the mall, the Historical Society of Watertown and the Arsenal Center for the Arts, will incorporate historic photographs and artifacts from the arsenal, displayed in a series of glass cases throughout the mall.

The objects and photos have been compiled from the Historical Society, the Watertown Public Library, the National Archives, the Library of Congress and other sources.

Lauren Higginson, marketing director for the Arsenal Mall, said the exhibit will trace the changes that the arsenal area has seen over its long history.

“It’s going to be a then-and-now type of exhibit where you’ll be able to see images and information from the Civil War era, when it was originally built, through today,” Higginson said.

The exhibit will officially open with a walking tour at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. The tour will begin at the mall, continue through the Harvard Vanguard and Arsenal on the Charles areas and conclude at the Arsenal Center for the Arts.

Annual Meeting & Election

2010-08-20T10:01:00.002-04:00

HSW Annual Meeting & Election of Officers
and Slideshow - "Now & Then"
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 7:00 PM

Watertown Community Access Television

HSW Website Survey

2010-08-16T06:15:00.006-04:00

Go to www.HistoricWatertown.org and
please click the "Take Our Survey" button
on left side, top of column.

The Reading of the Declaration of Independence

2010-07-12T17:18:00.002-04:00

July 18, 2010 - Sunday 1 - 4 PM
@ the Edmund Fowle House
28 Marshall Street

The Reading of the Declaration of Independence & Treaty Day Celebration

Historical & Genealogical Research

2010-06-21T10:22:00.002-04:00

LOOKING FOR YOUR WATERTOWN ANCESTORS?

The Historical Society of Watertown offers a research service for those looking for Watertown ancestors. You do not have to be a resident of Watertown to enjoy this service. The only requirement is that your ancestor be a former Watertown resident (1630-present).

We have access to all of the old town records and ship passenger lists. You will be given a printed document, containing the information in a clear chronological order.

We ask for a small donation for this service, to help support our efforts. For further information, please call or email:

Clare Murphy

Email: payson@oldbooks.com

Telephone- (617) 924-8484

Geneological & historical research may be pursued, by contacting Clare Murphy at payson@oldbooks.com
or you can

To visit her Website at the link below.... go to www.historicwatertown.org and then the Historical & Genealogical Research page to access the links listed below...

Payson Hall Books

Arlington St. Burying Ground

Bond's Watertown History

Colonial Massachusetts and Maine Genealogies link

Dr Henry Bond's Map of Watertown

Historical Maps of Watertown

Historic Postcards

Jewish Genealogical Society of Boston

Local History Materials

Mass Society of Genealogists

City Directory Collections (1869 - 1939)

Photograph Collection

the AMERICAN HISTORY PAGE (click here)

HSW Annual Meeting 5/12/2010

2010-05-11T10:21:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, May 12th @ 7:00 PM-----
Annual Members Meeting with Election of Officers

and

Slideshow Lecture entitled:
"Watertown: Then & Now"

At the Watertown Public Library, 123 Main Street

for more info call Joyce @ 781-899-7239

COMMANDER’S MANSION, 5th ANNUAL WEDDING FAIRE

2010-02-25T10:09:00.001-05:00

COMMANDER’S MANSION ... 5TH ANNUAL WEDDING FAIRE

Plan the details of your event in one weekend!
Meet with Boston’s top industry professionals; caterers, florists,
photographers, bakeries, entertainment, transportation and more.
Sample delicious treats, check out the strolling fashion show and enter
to win some amazing prizes!

PLEASE JOIN US
date: Saturday, March 6th & Sunday, March 7th
different vendors are showcased each day
time: 1pm to 4pm
place: Commander’s Mansion
440 Talcott Ave Watertown, MA
www.CommandersMansion.com
rsvp
$5.00 per person – ticket is good all weekend
617.926.7755 / info@commandersmansion.com

Halloween Party

2009-10-06T17:28:00.002-04:00

Meet us on Halloween
If on a Broomstick you can’t fly
Some other way of traveling try.
But come you must ....... To the Edmund Fowle House
28 Marshall Street, Watertown, MA 02472

October 31, 2009 7:00 PM—10:00 PM

Admission: $5 per person
BYOB and an appetizer or snack to share

Tour to the Old Cemetery To meet Edmund Fowle

Costumes optional but if you wear one
Win a prize for the best costume
Bring a carved or decorated pumpkin to win a prize for the best pumpkin
(No flame candles, flameless candles are OK)
Games, fortune telling, share a ghost story, fun for all!
For more information call 617-926-2577

Boston Post Cane

2009-09-23T18:09:00.002-04:00

The Boston Post Cane
A Century ago the concept of honoring The Oldest Citizen in New England Towns with a beautifully engraved walking cane was created by the Boston Post Newspaper. The Cane that was given in Watertown disappeared soon after the first honoree was so honored. The whereabouts of the Watertown Cane was a mystery until this past year. Due to the charity and dogged determination to recover it by Charlie Morash and friends the Cane has returned to Watertown.

The Historical Society of Watertown,

Caretakers of the Cane, will once again honor the Oldest Citizen in Watertown. To preserve the original Watertown Boston Post Cane on display at the Edmund Fowle House Museum, replicas have been crafted.

A replica cane will be presented to:
Adeline DiIorio
The Oldest Female Citizen of Watertown
On Sunday September 27, 2009
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Wingate at Needham Rehab & Skilled Nursing
589 Highland Ave, Needham

Please come and celebrate with one of Watertown’s Oldest Citizens and take this opportunity to meet her and learn her secret to longevity.

Historical Society September Program Sept 20th

2009-09-04T06:00:00.002-04:00

September 20th (Sunday) 2 to 4 PM
John Root, Musician and Educator will provide a program on... Popular Music of the Gaslight Era (1890-1920)
features a diverse repertoire of instrumental and vocal musical styles from the turn of the previous century. Everyone is invited to sing along and to experience the range of feelings evoked by this music.

The songs' lyrics offer insights into the customs and values of these bygone days. Audiences also learn how our country’s multicultural diversity at the turn of the previous century created unique musical styles that continue to delight and inspire audiences around the world.

more info at... http://www.johnroot.net/index.html

In the Watertown Free Public Library
Sunday, Sept 20, 2009…..…………starting at 2pm

Funded in part by the Watertown Cultural Council

BOSTON CHARTER DAY 2009

2009-08-18T18:33:00.002-04:00

Each year The Partnership of the Historic Bostons and participating organizations celebrate the 1630 naming of Boston by John Winthrop and his band of Puritans with four days of lectures, discussions, presentations and tours designed around a relevant theme.

This year the theme is Breaking Away: Evolution of Governance in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The programs are being presented in conjunction with the Dorchester Historical Society and the Historical Society of Watertown. The inclusion of these organizations is particularly appropriate since Boston, Dorchester and Watertown were all named on September 7, 1630 as the first Massachusetts Bay towns to be named.

click title to get weblink to printable brochure

Programming will take place in Boston and Dorchester on Thursday, September 10, Friday, September 11, and Sunday, September 13. Download the brochure for a listing of the programs for all four days. Programming will take place in Watertown on Saturday, September 12.

Saturday, September 12: Early Watertown. The Historical Society of Watertown.
10:00 a.m. – Walking Tour from the Old Burial Ground and neighborhood led by Clare Murphy, Watertown Historian/ Genealogist. Starting from the Old Burial Ground, corner of Mt. Auburn (Route 16) and Arlington Streets, Watertown.

1:00 p.m. Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street (Route 20), Watertown.
Early Town Governance: Boston, Dorchester, Watertown.
Boston: Professor Robert J. Alison, Suffolk University,
Dorchester: Mr. Earl Taylor, President, Dorchester Historical Society
Watertown: The Reverend Mark Harris, First Parish, Watertown.
A panel discussion regarding the early governance of these three towns.

3:00 p.m. – Walking Tour of various historic sites near Watertown Square led by Pam Pinsky, Former Vice President, Historical Society of Watertown. Starting at Watertown Free Public Library.

The programs offered these four days are free and open to the public.
For further information call Joyce at 781-899-7239.

Edmund Fowle House can be rented for functions

2009-07-16T19:58:00.002-04:00

Edmund Fowle House & Museum, 28 Marshall Street, Watertown, MA 02472
www.HistoricWatertown.org, 617-923-6067; MBTA: #71 Bus to Watertown.
Open for Tours on the 3rd Sunday of the month or by appointment. Tours $3.00
Children & Seniors, $5.00 Adults. The Edmund Fowle House was built in 1772 and is the
second oldest house in Watertown. Beginning in April 1775 this house was the meeting
place for numerous committees and in July of 1775 became the meeting place for the
Executive Council of the 2nd and 3rd Provincial Congresses being held in Watertown at
the outbreak of our War for Independence. Later in July 1776 when the 3rd Provincial
Congress adjourned the Governors Council of the Massachusetts Bay Colony continued
to meet until November 1776 after which they returned to the Town of Boston. The Edmund
Fowle House is available for small group rentals of up to 40 guests. Weather permitting the back
garden makes an ideal backdrop for your festivities. Rental rate is $125 an hour with a two hour
minimum . The rental allows for the use of the first floor as well as the grounds. An event manager
will be on site for the duration of your rental to greet your guests and assist with vendor coordination
of setup and breakdown. Please call the rental office at 617-926-7755 for details and a complete list of
guidelines. Historical reenactors, who are members of the Historical Society, are available to provide
various services such as greeters and tour guides if desired. Details are available from the rental office.
We look forward to making your next function a success.

Declaration of Independence

2009-07-05T17:48:00.001-04:00

The Historical Society of Watertown
Invites you to
The Reading of the Declaration of Independence
And
Celebration of the Treaty of Watertown
Saturday July 18, 2009 at 10:00 A.M.
At the Edmund Fowle House and Museum
28 Marshall Street, Watertown, MA 02472
It was July 18, 1776 and a copy of the Declaration of Independence had just arrived from the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia. It was sent by John Hancock to the Provincial Congress, Governors’ Council headquartered in Watertown at the Edmund Fowle House. That day it was read to the gathered population and Council members by the Secretary of the Council from the second floor window of the Council Chamber. Following the reading there were rousing cheers and many toasts to the New Republic. In the gathered crowd were members of the delegations from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia here to negotiate a treaty of friendship and alliance with the new United States of America. Ambrose Var, delegate of the Maliseet Tribe, was quoted as saying “We like it well.” The very next day he and other members of the St. John, aka Maliseet, and Mi’kmaq Tribes signed the Treaty of Watertown in the very same Council Chamber making it the first treaty signed by the United States with a foreign power.
Fast forward 233 years and we are going to read the Declaration of Independence from the newly restored Council Chamber window again. You are invited to be part of this historic event and celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Watertown as well. Following the reading we will have light refreshments and you will be able to walk through the famous Council Chambers, where the Founding Fathers began the planning of our new nation. Members of various Colonial reenactment units and Native American guests will be in attendance to mark this annual event and we hope you can come and bear witness to this historic moment.
For further information and directions see www.HistoricWatertown.org or call Robert Childs at 617-331-2072.

Founders Monument Rededication, Saturday June 6th

2009-06-05T16:28:00.003-04:00

Come early and pick out a picnic blanket!
Ceremony starts around 12:30 PM near Sir Richard's Statue on Charles River Road.
Lots to do and see!!! and don't forget to visit the Historical Society table for free tour booklets!!! Self-guided Bicycle and Family Strolling Tours.
and much more!

Memorial Day Parade...more photos

2009-05-31T15:25:00.014-04:00

Some photographs taken by Karen Conti at Perfection Towing...
the making & assembling of a parade float.
Thanks to Tommy Martin, Joyce Kelly, Ted Wayne, Gurdon Buck, Robert A. Childs, Karen Conti, Audrey Jones Childs, Peggy Anderson, Mary C. Spiers and Karl...

Memorial Day Parade

2009-05-26T16:01:00.005-04:00

Gurdon Buck as G. Fred Robinson, Ted Wayne, David Smith, Mary C. Spiers and Audrey Jones Childs

Robert A. Childs as Sir Richard Saltonstall

Some photographs of the Historical Society of Watertown's float in the parade.

Many thanks to Perfection Towing & Tommy Martin for driving, assembling/disassembling the float and to Russo & Sons for loaning the flowers that were on the float!!! All photos by Joyce Kelly.

Mrs. Mattson's 3rd Grade Class Project

2009-05-18T16:18:00.009-04:00

You are invited to view an online VoiceThread Presentation:

The History of Watertown

Presented by students in Mrs. Mattson's third grade class, in collaboration with Instructional Technology Specialist Ms. Beaudoin.

Click the play button above, under the word "comment"

Reading of the Declaration of Independence

2009-05-17T14:41:00.003-04:00

The reading of the Declaration of Independence is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2009, starting at 10 am in front of the Edmund Fowle House, 28 Marshall Street, Watertown.

Founder's Day Celebration

2009-05-06T19:10:00.005-04:00

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Conservation & Recreation
Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr.
and
The Friends of Watertown’s Founders Monument
Watertown Founders Day:
A Celebration of History and Family

Saturday, June 6, 2009, 1p.m.-4:30p.m.

Charles River Road, Watertown Square, Watertown, Massachusetts
Experience what makes Watertown Great!
Its history and its people!
Rededication of the restored Founders Monument, 1630 reenactment, nature walks, learn about things to do around the River, bring a picnic, children’s games, and more.
Directions from Boston: Take 93 South to the Mass Turnpike West(I-90W). Take Exit 17 toward Newton/Watertown. Turn right on Centre Street. Cross over the bridge in Watertown Square and take right on Beacon St. Turn right at Irving Rd. and go to Charles River Rd. Rangers will direct you to parking.

Watertown's "Boston Post Cane" Donors

2009-05-06T16:19:00.008-04:00

A beautiful day! Helen took this photograph after the presentation of the cane in the upstairs Council Chamber of the Edmund Fowle House. Here is a link to the Watertown Tab & Press article by Christine Laubenstein.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/watertown/news/x303489194/Watertown-families-present-Boston-Post-cane-to-the-Watertown-Historical-Society

Watertown's Boston Cane is back!

2009-04-23T16:18:00.009-04:00

above photo by Robert A. Childs

Watertown's Boston Post cane. Photo provided by Joe Piane.

Thanks to Charles Morash and Ronald Ohanian, along with several generous donors, the cane, a display case and two replica canes will be presented to the Historical Society next Wednesday, April 29th at 3 PM at the Edmund Fowle House & Museum, 28 Marshall Street. For more information, read Christine Laubenstein's news article at this following link..............

http://www.wickedlocal.com/watertown/archive/x50627392/Who-are-Watertowns-oldest-man-and-woman

Mercy Otis Warren

2009-04-09T22:25:00.005-04:00

Mercy Otis Warren
AKA Mercy Otis
Born: 25-Sep-1728 [1]
Birthplace: Barnstable, MA
Died: 19-Oct-1814
Location of death: Plymouth, MA
Cause of death: unspecified
Gender: Female
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Historian, Poet
Nationality: United States

Executive summary: History of the American Revolution American writer,

sister of James Otis,

born at Barnstable, Massachusetts,

and in 1754 married James Warren of Plymouth Massachusetts,

a college friend of her brother.

Her literary inclinations were fostered by both these men, and she began early to write poems and prose essays. As member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1766-74) and its speaker (1776-77 and 1787-88), member (1774 and 1775) and president (1775) of the Provincial Congress, and paymaster-general in 1775, James Warren took a leading part in the events of the American revolutionary period, and his wife followed its progress with keen interest. Her gifts of satire were utilized in her political dramas, The Adulator (1773) and The Group (1775); and John Adams, whose wife Abigail was Mercy Warren's close friend, encouraged her to further efforts. Her tragedies, "The Sack of Rome" and "The Ladies of Castile" were included in her Poems, Dramatic and Miscellaneous (1790), dedicated to General Washington. Apart from their historical interest among the beginnings of American literature, Mercy Warren's poems have no permanent value. In 1805 she published a History of the American Revolution, which was colored by somewhat outspoken personal criticism and was bitterly resented by John Adams (see his correspondence, published by the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1878).

James Warren died in 1808,

and his wife followed him on the 19th of October 1814. [1]

Reliable sources give both 14-Sep-1728 and 25-Sep-1728.
Father: James Otis (b. 1702, d. 1778)
Brother: James Otis (American patriot, pamphleteer)
Husband: James Warren (b. 1726, m. 1754, d. 1808, five sons)

Author of books:
Observations on the New Constitution (1788)
Poems, Dramatic and Miscellaneous (1790, poetry)
History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution (1805, history, 3 vols.)

Wrote plays:
The Adulateur (1772)
The Defeat (1772)
The Group (1775)

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Senior Center Presentation & Tour

2009-04-08T13:09:00.004-04:00

Wednesday, April 8th at 10'oclock this morning, Robert A. Childs (wearing the tricorn in the photo) went to the Watertown Senior Center, 31 Marshall Street and presented a slideshow history of the Edmund Fowle House & Museum. Afterwards, Robert invited the Seniors along with Caryl Leslie Fox, Director of Senior Services and Kathleen Wolf, Program Coordinator to a personalized tour of the historic house which sits across the parking lot at 28 Marshall Street.

(Photo of the second floor "Council Chambers")

Watertown Schools "Educators Retreat" Part 2

2009-04-03T12:26:00.013-04:00

Lunching in the Colonial Kitchen

and in the Front Parlor

I'm back.... and it's after Lunch, a variety of sandwiches, rollups, two types of salads, pickles and of course dessert! Brought to us fresh from Sensational Foods and set-up by Geoff Skillman, the Executive Chef/Owner. They are located in Watertown at 91 Bigelow Avenue and their website is http://www.sensationalfoods.com/ .

We just had a photo taken by Bob Childs in front of one of the fireplaces in the upstairs Council Chamber.

(left to right) Marilynne K. Roach, HSW Councilor; David Sheehan, Social Studies Coordinator; Julia Donahue, HSW Education Committe Chair; Paul Michael Noftsker,WHS Head Master; Dr. Barbara Gortych, System Psychologist; Elisabeth Schaefer, Director of Special Education and Karl H. Neugebauer, HSW President.

Watertown Schools "Educators Retreat"

2009-04-03T10:39:00.038-04:00

Elisabeth Schaefer, Director of Special Education

April 3, 2009 - 8am
Watertown School Administrators and Department Heads held a meeting today at the Edmund Fowle House & Museum to discuss educational program planning for the school systems future. First on their agenda was a slideshow presentation by Elizabeth Schaefer in the 2nd floor "Council Chambers." After the group
presentation, the group, consisting of almost thirty educators, enjoyed coffee and tea along with pastries, muffins & fruits catered by Sensational Foods. Then they broke into groups of 5 or 6, utilizing the first floors' four rooms for privacy.

It's 10:45 am and Sensational Foods will be setting up a lunch buffet for when the smaller groups have finished brainstorming their specialized areas of expertise. More information will be forthcoming after the day's event has concluded......

Historical Society at the "Wedding Faire"

2009-03-29T15:41:00.006-04:00

"The Town Crier"

Karl H. Neugebauer

In case some of you missed the 4th Annual "Wedding Faire" at the Commander's Mansion this past month, Sat/Sun, March 7 & 8th to be exact, it was a wonderful time! Bob Childs (far left in photo) was the "Father of the Bride" (although he prefers to be the Groom!) and both he and I volunteered both days to help out in any way we could.

The Commanders's Mansion is the perfect setting for a wedding. The front & rear parlor can accommodate 85 seated guests. First floor total seating capacity is 125 guests. Capacity seating using the entire mansion dining ares is 225 guests. The outdoor brick patio can be tented to accommodate parties up to 250 guests.

The Commander's Mansion, also known as Quarters III, was construted in 1865 by Major Thomas J. Rodman, the commanding officer of the Watertown Arsenal. The Mansion is still a highlight of the Watertown Arsenal site and remains virtually unaltered after more than 100 years of occupancy by a long line of commanding officers. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 30, 1976. Located on a secluded seven acres at the rear of the former Watertown Arsenal, the mansion is an impressive example of Italianate-Victorian architecture and exhibits intricate details inside and out.

By the way, the Edmund Fowle House & Museum is also available as a function facility. Although smaller than the commander's mansion it can accomodate dozens of guests for meetings, bridal showers, parties and business seminars. Weather permitting the back lawn & gardens make an ideal backdrop for your festivities. Please call the rental office at 617-926-7755 for details and a complete list of guidelines.

Written by J.L. Bell (over a year ago!)

2009-03-27T16:25:00.003-04:00

Remembering and Restoring the Edmund Fowle House,
Last month The Boston Globe ran a story on the restoration and opening of the Edmund Fowle House, funded by the Historical Society of Watertown. In 1775 the Massachusetts Provincial Congress used this building as the headquarters of the Council it had set up to serve as the executive wing of its government, Gov. Thomas Gage having lost the loyalty of the people and being otherwise engaged.
Why Watertown? It was far enough away from Boston to be safe, near enough to the lines for news to travel quickly, and about equidistant between the northern and southern ends of the siege lines. Henry Knox and the printer Peter Edes also set themselves up in Watertown after escaping from Boston.
Why the Fowle house? Apparently it had an unusually large room for a private dwelling. According to the Globe:
The second floor was still unfinished—mostly because Fowle’s wife had died in childbirth before it was completed—when the Provincial Congress took over the house in 1775; at the time, it sat barely 3 miles from the Continental Army’s encampment on Cambridge Common. The New England army actually occupied many camps ringing Boston, but Cambridge housed the headquarters of its commanding generals, Ward and Washington. The Fowle house was moved off Mount Auburn Street in 1871, but it’s still near the old center of Watertown.
The memory of the Fowle house’s use in 1775-76 didn’t last long.
“Within a decade after the Revolution,” said preservation architect Wendall C. Kalsow, “nobody would have known where the council’s meeting room was. By the 1780s, this was no longer a house of national historical significance.”
By then, he explained during an interview at the house, bedrooms had been constructed on the second floor, cutting up the space used for the meeting room. Which helps to remind us that historic preservation is a relatively newfangled value. Our Revolutionary ancestors cared more about the usefulness of land and buildings than about what had happened in them many years before.
above written by: J. L. BELL, a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston.

Historical Society Of Watertown
28 Marshall Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472
• (617) 923-6067
www.HistoricWatertown.org

Hours:
Tours on the 3rd Sunday of the Month - 1 to 4 PM or by appt

Thanks Mary!

2009-03-25T17:54:00.003-04:00

Mary is on the left,

I rec'd this e-mail from Mary C. Spiers and thought I would share it...
And if you have questions, give me a call 617-458-1439 Karl
ps. Everyone is invited to attend any event or committee mtg,
so don't be shy ;-}

Dear Everybody:
Here are some up-coming committee meetings:

Volunteer Night: Wed., April 1st 6-8 p.m. at EFH
Grants Cmte: Thurs., April 2 at 6 p.m. at EFH
Yard Clean Up: Sat., April 4 at 10 a.m. or rain date: Sun., April 5
Finance Cmte: Wed., April 8 at 6:30 p.m. at EFH
Looking Ahead: Yard Sale: Sat., May 16

See you real soon, Mary

Give us our daily blog

2009-03-17T07:55:00.005-04:00

Here it is!

......Again! and Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!

This will be our up-to-date or up-to-the-minute society news, hopefully faster than e-mail. It will only work if you visit every day. So what's the word out there? One thought that Joyce Kelly had and I must agree that it is a excellent idea is to... Set aside one day a month, for example: the first Wednesday of the month, where we call it: Volunteer Night or something along those lines... This night we would have a to do list and people (members, councilors, friends, neighbors, etc.) could pick an item off the list and work on it. There are many things in and around the Edmund Fowle House that need to be done. There is touch up painting, data entry, research, exhibit ideas & execution, gardening, yard work, etc.... So how about some feedback? just post a comment and see where this goes.

Karl

17th Annual Food & Wine Festival at CRMII.

2009-03-17T07:50:00.002-04:00

Host:
Elln Hagney
Location:
Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation154 Moody StreetWaltham, MA 02453 US View Map
When:
Tuesday, April 7, 6:00PM Add to my Outlook Calendar
Phone:
781 893 5410
Cost:
$40 per person

Pay Now
WALTHAM'S ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL IS EXPECTED TO BE AN EPICUREAN DELIGHTThe 17th Annual Waltham International Food and Wine Festival sponsored by the 128 Business Council, Gordon's Liquors and The Nelson Companies will take place at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 from 6:00-9:00 p.m.Every year, attendees of the event can taste various dishes from a diverse selection of international cuisine served by some of Waltham's best restaurants, along with the chance to sample some of the world's finest wines provided by Gordon's Liquors. A silent auction and raffle will also be held on the evening of the festival, which will give guests the chance to win valuable gifts such as weekend getaways, fine dining, spa experiences, gym memberships, children's events, birthday celebrations, and more. This year's auction highlights include a two night Cape Cod Getaway, a night on the town in Boston including access to a 1931 Packard limousine, cruise on the Charles River and dinner for two. The 2009 Food and Wine Festival will feature the culinary talents of Waltham chefs from the Grille at Hobbs Brook, Seventy@3rd, Wings Express, Lizzy's Ice Cream, Margaritas, Watch City Brewery, Solea, Bombay Mahal, Tuscan Grill, The Upper Crust, Domenics, Jake's Dixie Roadhouse, The Mad Raven, Guanachapi's, The New Landing, Ristorante Marcellino and others.Tickets cost $40 in advance and $45 at the door. All proceeds from this event will benefit the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation and donations are welcome. To purchase tickets by mail, please send your check to CRMII, 154 Moody Street, Waltham, MA 02453. To purchase tickets by phone or for more information, call the museum's office at (781) 893-5410 or email info@crmi.org

American Revolution Commander's Roundtable

2009-03-16T18:16:00.004-04:00

Commanders of various Revolutionary War reenactment units in New England gather at the Edmund Fowle House in Watertown Feb. 28, 2009. Photo by Christine Laubenstein.

WATERTOWN - Dressed as a Watertown militiaman, Watertown Historical Society officer Bob Childs asked the room of 30 other Revolutionary War reenactors Feb. 28 if they might be able to help him out.
He was planning for a reenactment of the May 1630 landing of Roger Clap in Watertown.
“I am looking for somebody that would have a bateau (boat) that I might use that day to reenact that landing,” Childs said. “If anybody has a contact or such I’d appreciate it.”
The men and women — all commanders of various Revolutionary War reenactment units in New England — were planning their upcoming reenactment events, both involving the Revolutionary War and other moments in New England’s history.
Each year, around this time of year, they gather at a different historic location to exchange ideas and seek help. "Click Red for Video"
Revolutionary War reenactors gather in Watertown from Christine Laubenstein on Vimeo.

This is the first time the reenactors have done their planning at the Edmund Fowle House, Childs said.
He volunteered the idea as a way to show off the newly restored building, which was built in the early 1770s, and evoke memories of the events leading up to the Revolutionary War.
“This room here is the site of the Provincial Congress Executive Council meeting in 1775,” Childs said of the meeting space on the building’s second floor.
During the British occupation of Boston in the American Revolution, Watertown was the seat of Massachusetts government.
From 1775 to 1776 the Council held meetings in the Fowle House meeting room. The Council’s members included John Adams, Sam Adams and John Hancock.
On Feb. 28, Revolutionary War reenactors took an interest in the old house.

The above is part of an article written by Christine Laubenstein of the Watertown Tab & Press

Watertown Savings Bank - Customer Choice Awards

2009-03-16T17:50:00.006-04:00

On behalf of the Historical Society of Watertown (HSW), I would like to thank the Watertown Savings Bank (WSB)for their Customer Choice Awards which distributed $50,000 among the 36 non-profit organizations who are the recipients of this year's Customer Choice Awards. A reception was held on Wednesday March 11, where we received our award, and were invited to speak about the work we do for the community. I also added a little history on how the Watertown Savings Bank was the first bank in Watertown opening for business on Thursday, November 10, 1870 at 2 PM. During the next three hours, the bank opened 10 accounts with assets totaling $924.00. Their first president was Charles J. Barry, and he held that position until his death thirteen years later. Again, I would like to thank Ron Dean, Carole Katz and their team for the award of $840 dollars and the reception at the Post 440 on California Street. Many photographs were taken and they can be viewed at http://watertownsavings.com/community/photo.html .We are looking forward to next year's 14th Annual Customer Choice Awards and hopefully we can count on the Watertown Tab & Press readers (who are also customers of WSB) to vote for us! Sincerely, Karl H. Neugebauer

Students visit Edmund Fowle House!!!

2009-03-16T17:05:00.003-04:00

n March 5, 2009 Mrs. Kelland, a teacher from the Watertown Middle School, brought 9 members of her 6th grade Enrichment Class to the Edmund Fowle House for an educational tour. This was a follow up visit arranged when Julia Donahue had given a presentation at their school in February as Abigail Adams. They walked over from the school and spent about 45 minutes learning about the Edmund Fowle House and Museum and the very important historical happenings that took place here in 1775. As you can see from the picture they tried out the water bucket yoke in the old kitchen and asked many questions about what happened in the house and what life was like in those times. Mrs Kelland said she would like to bring more of her students at another time and we look forward to the opportunity to spread the word about the History of Watertown.Yrs' truly,RAC

Bob, What is the name of the Group that...

2009-03-16T16:59:00.003-04:00

met today at the Edmund Fowle House? Who attended and could you tell us a little about the group and what you hope to accomplish. Would June 6, 2009 be an important date for us to mark our calendars?
Well, I should check my e-mail before asking questions through this forum.... Here's what I found out and Thank you Bob!
Councilors, The Charles River Group, which is a consortium of historical societies along the Charles River is holding its monthly meeting tomorrow March 16 at noon at the Edmund Fowle House. Any council member who is available is invited to come and find out what they are all about. In short they are a group of museums and societies that meet once a month to discuss operational issues that we all have. I have been attending for the last 6 months since I have the time during the day of the meetings. It usually last for about an hour so people can get back to work if they want. Everyone brings a bag lunch and the host site provides liquid refreshment and cookies. I hope some of you can come and support the HSW as we host the meeting this month.Thanks,RAC

HSW Council Board Meeting

2009-03-15T16:28:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

at the Edmund Fowle House & Museum

Starting at 6:30 PM ...... promptly

All are welcome to attend............

Give us our daily blog

2009-03-10T15:11:00.000-04:00

Here it is! This will be our up-to-date or up-to-the-minute society news, hopefully faster than e-mail. It will only work if you visit every day. So what's the word out there? One thought that Joyce Kelly had and I must agree that it is a excellent idea is to... Set aside one day a month, for example: the first Wednesday of the month, where we call it: Volunteer Night or something along those lines... This night we would have a to do list and people (members, councilors, friends, neighbors, etc.) could pick an item off the list and work on it. There are many things in and around the Edmund Fowle House that need to be done. There is touch up painting, data entry, research, exhibit ideas & execution, gardening, yard work, etc.... So how about some feedback? just post a comment and see where this goes. Karl