Events
Special Public Program
Watertown During the Revolution
A Walking Tour led by Lynne O'Connell and Beth Houston
Sunday, May 24, 2026
10:00 AM
tour departs from Zussman Memorial Park adjacent to the 66 Galen Street building
66 Galen Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Join HSW tour leaders Lynne O'Connell and Beth Houston for a 90-minute walking tour to learn about the important role that Watertown played during the American Revolution. After the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the Provincial Congress assembled in the town's Meeting House, making Watertown the seat of the Massachusetts government for 18 months. As a result, many prominent Revolutionary War figures boarded in town, including Paul Revere and Joseph Warren.
Sites visited will include important dwellings (many of which are no longer standing), public spaces, monuments and plaques as the tour moves toward a final destination of the 1772 Edmund Fowle House, where the Executive Council of the Provincial Congress met. Participants will be invited to enter the Fowle House and view the current exhibit that celebrates the 250th anniversary of both the Fowle House and the fight for American independence.
There will be a $10 fee (cash or check only) for the tour. This program is open to the public, but registration is requested. For more information or to register, please contact Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Note that this tour will be canceled in case of inclement weather, but is also being offered on June 7, 2026.
Annual Members Meeting with Election of Board Members and May Public Program
Incident at Rock Meadow - The True Crime Story of Ruth Sawtell and Thomas Loveran
A slideshow lecture by Marie Daly
Sunday, May 3, 2026
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
In 17th century Watertown, Zacharia Smith fled charges of unlawful relations with neighbor Ruth Sawtell. The ensuing repercussions of his subsequent murder contributed to the outbreak of King Phillip's War. Three years later, an assignation with another neighbor made Ruth Sawtell a repeat offender, and the scene of their crime was the "Great Rock" in Rock Meadow. Rock Meadow was originally part of Watertown and later part of Waltham, then Belmont. Ms. Daly will tell the story of these illicit colonial trysts gleaned from online court records and reveal the location of an important but unrecognized landmark in Rock Meadow.
Marie Daly is a longtime director of the Waltham Historical Society and a founder of the Waltham Land Trust. She is retired from the New England Historic Genealogical Society and is known for uncovering the stories hidden in deeds, maps and town records, tracing how our landscape evolved from colonial farms to modern neighborhoods. Her illustrated talks bring the past to life. In this program, she turns her lens to one of the area's more curious chapters that still echoes today.
This event is free and open to the public. Parking is free in the library lot on Sundays. For more information, please contact Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Special Public Program
Community on the Lawn at Browne House
Saturday, May 2, 2026
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Browne House
562 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Join Historic New England and other local cultural organizations for a day of history, live music and community conversations. Dive into Watertown's past through an exploration of the oldest house in Watertown, spotlight talks and more. Enjoy family-friendly activities and lawn games, browse books at the WFPL's Bookmobile and meet your neighbors as we celebrate Watertown's rich heritage.
Participating organizations will include:
Watertown Free Public Library
Historical Society of Watertown
Watertown Public Arts & Culture
The Pigsgusset Initiative
Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation
Gore Place
Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery
For a full schedule of the day's events, visit Historic New England.
This event is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in the Watertown Police Department's front lot located on the left as you pull into the driveway at 552 Main Street or along Main Street.