Around Town

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Around Town

Historical Society Showing Video on Armenians of Hood Rubber, Holding Annual Meeting

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The Historical Society of Watertown will host its Annual Members Meeting with Election of Board Members on Sunday, May 7, 2023 at 2 p.m. Immediately following: Screening and discussion of the documentary, “Destination Watertown: The Armenians of Hood Rubber” by Roger Hagopian. Come join the Historical Society and the Watertown Free Public Library for this compelling program! Watertown Free Public LibraryWatertown Savings Bank Meeting Room123 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472

The 65-minute documentary “is a timeless and universal story of immigrants escaping genocide and persevering through the hard life of factory work in America in the early decades of the 20th century.” The film contains interviews with stories and reflections of former employees of Armenian descent and East Watertown Residents, interspersed with personal and historic photographs, maps, documents, artifacts, and images of remnants of the old factory, once the largest of its kind in the world. A history lover since his youth, Roger is a graduate of the University of Mass. at Boston, where he received his degree in music.

Around Town

One of Watertown’s Oldest Houses Has Quite a History

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Charlie BreitroseThe Edmund Fowle House has been in Watertown for 251 years, though not always at its current spot on Marshall Street. It played a role in the American Revolution, including the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Massachusetts (re-enacted here in 2016) and was where the first treaty was signed by the United States. It is now home to the Historical Society of Watertown which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Living in a house dating back to the time of the American Revolution can be an adventure, with bouncy floors, water coming through the ceiling, and evidence of superstitions of times past. Former Historical Society President Paul Brennan recalled his years spent living in the Edmund Fowle House on Saturday when he returned for the Society’s 100th anniversary and the celebration of 251 years for the home that played a role in the American Revolution.

Around Town

Our History: Long Lost Cane Given to Oldest Resident Returns to Watertown

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The head of Watertown’s cane has several dents, but you can see it says, “Presented by The Boston Post to the OLDEST CITIZEN of Watertown” (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 July 2009 newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

1909 BOSTON POST CANE RETURNS TO WATERTOWN

In 1909, the Boston Post newspaper began a highly successful marketing scheme. They began presenting canes made of African ebony with 14-karat gold heads to the oldest man in 700 different towns in New England.