Around Town

Our History: Historic Orchard House Preserved

By |

The Orchard House. Decorative quoining and fluted Doric columns add to the significance of the architecture of the farmhouse (Photo courtesy of Joyce Kelly)

The following story is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Historical Society President Marilynne Roach for the April 2013 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.” Marilynne is also on the board of the Watertown Historical Commission. The Historical Society of Watertown is pleased to report that the principal structure of the circa 1832 Greek Revival farmhouse at 917 Belmont Street will not be demolished 917 Belmont Street, also known as “Orchard House” is currently owned by the Walker Home and School and houses the Beacon High School, a co-educational, therapeutic high school. In July 2012, Beacon High School submitted an application for demolition of the historic house at 917 Belmont Street to make room for, sometime in the future, green space or trailers to house classrooms or some other unspecified structure.

Around Town

Our History: The Vote for Women’s Suffrage in Watertown

By |

Headline from Sept 10, 1920 Watertown Free Press (Photo courtesy of Joyce Kelly)

The following story is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by David J. Russo, for the October 2012 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.” At the time, David was a volunteer for the Historical Society of Watertown and Chair of the Watertown Historical Commission. How often do we take the right to vote for granted? How many elections have we not bothered to vote in because we’re busy or don’t feel we have the time? There was a time, not long ago, when a whole segment of the population was denied the vote simply on the basis of gender.

Around Town

Our History: Ship Named for Watertown Met a Tragic End

By |

Samuel Emrys Evans painting of the S. S. Watertown (Photo courtesy of Watertown Savings Bank)

The following story is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by David J. Russo, for the April 2012 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.” At the time, David was the Historical Society Recording Secretary and Chair of the Watertown Historical Commission. Did you know we had a ship? Watertown was a dynamic place in the 19th century and one of the manifestations of our ingenuity was the construction and launching of the S.S. Watertown here on July 30, 1890. The ship wasn’t owned or used by the Town of Watertown itself, but it was lovingly named after the town by its owner John Cassidy, who lived at 227 North Beacon Street where the house still stands today.

Around Town

Our History: Charles Davenport, Owned Company that Built Railroad Cars

By |

Charles Davenport’s Fountain Hill Estate (Photo courtesy of the Watertown Free Public Library)

The following article is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Historical Society President Marilynne Roach for the April 2012 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

In 2005 the Friends of Mount Auburn and the Historical Society of Watertown cosponsored a guided walking tour of Mount Auburn Cemetery in celebration of 375th anniversary of Watertown’s founding. During the walk members of the Historical Society Council and volunteers spoke about the lives of some of Watertown’s notable figures now buried at the Cemetery. The following article was written by Marilynne Roach and read at Davenport’s gravesite. Charles Davenport (1813–1903) began as a woodworker in the carriage building trade.

Around Town

Our History: “The Old Folks’ Rest” and Other Watertown Cemeteries

By |

Historic marker on the Mt. Auburn Street fence of the Arlington Street Cemetery (Photo courtesy of Joyce Kelly)

This article is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. The introduction to this article was written by Joyce Kelly, Board member of the Historical Society of Watertown. The articles were written by Historical Society President Rev. Edward Rand in 1902 and published in the local newspaper at that time. This was published in our January 2011 newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

Introduction

The following articles were written in 1902 by Rev. Edward A. Rand.

Around Town

Our History: Rededication of Gravesite of Lt. George Eaton Priest

By |

Lt. George Eaton Priest

This article is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Joyce Kelly, Board member of the Historical Society of Watertown. Joyce writes articles for the newsletter and is the newsletter editor. This was published in our October 2010 newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

The Historical Society of Watertown, the Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston and the Mass. Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission commemorated the life and Civil War service of Watertown’s Lieutenant George Eaton Priest at a gravesite rededication on September 19, 2010 in Ridgelawn Cemetery.

Around Town

Our History: Society Works on Veterans’ Grave Registration Project

By |

Helen Learned’s gravestone in Common St. Cemetery (Photo courtesy of Joyce Kelly)

This article is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Joyce Kelly, Board member of the Historical Society of Watertown. Joyce writes articles for the newsletter and is the newsletter editor. This was published in our April 2011 newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

In the early 1930s, the American Legion veteran’s organization launched an effort to identify the gravesite of every deceased veteran buried in the United States and create a permanent record.

Around Town

Our History: Watertown Was Home to Two Dairies

By |

Woodland Dairy wagon (photo courtesy of the Watertown Free Public Library)

The following story was written by Sigrid Reddy Watson Terman for the April 2010 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.” Sigrid is a former Board member and former President of the Historical Society, as well at a former Director of the Watertown Free Public Library. For several years starting in 1997, she wrote a Watertown history column for the Watertown TAB/Press called “Echoes.”

WATERTOWN’S DAIRIES SUPPLIED SURROUNDING TOWNS

I’m sure many of you Watertown history fans remember the “Echoes” column that Sigrid Reddy Watson wrote for several years for the Watertown TAB/Press beginning in 1997. Ms. Watson was the Director of the Watertown Free Public Library from 1971-1989 and President of the Historical Society of Watertown from 2001-2003. Ms. Watson’s weekly column was about Watertown history. She covered subjects includingWatertown during the Revolution, the Arsenal, women’s suffrage, the Fowles, renowned localpeople and buildings and houses, our many ethnic groups, the industries that made Watertown aplace to settle in during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and many other subjects.