Events

Annual Members Meeting with Election of Board Members and May Public Program

Destination Watertown: The Armenians of Hood Rubber
Screening and discussion of a documentary film by Roger Hagopian

Sunday, May 7, 2023
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

This 65-minute documentary recounts the 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.  Interviews with stories and reflections of former employees of Armenian descent and East Watertown residents are 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, Mr. Hagopian is a graduate of the University of Massachuestts Boston, where he received a degree in music.  Roger has presented his films at high schools, universities, libraries, community centers and in private homes.  He has created numerous family history documentaries and filmed lectures and events in the Armenian community.  He writes, "For me, video is a way of telling history that is educational, multidimensional and compelling."

This meeting and program are free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Special Event:  Exhibit Opening Celebration

250 Years of the Edmund Fowle House

Sunday, April 30, 2023
1:00 - 4:00 PM
Edmund Fowle House
28 Marshall Street
Watertown, MA 02472

The Historical Society of Watertown celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Edmund Fowle House, built in 1772, and the 100th anniversary of the Historical Society's purchase of the house from Charles Brigham in 1922 with a new exhibit.

Learn about the historical significance of the Edmund Fowle House when Watertown was the seat of government for the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the first year and a half of the Revolutionary War, the importance of the Fowle family during the American Revolution and beyond, and alterations that were made to the structure over the centuries.  The many accomplishments of the Historical Society of Watertown since it was established in 1888 will also be highlighted.  Artifacts from the collection that have never been viewed by the public or have not been on exhibit for many years will be featured, including silverware owned by Rebecca Fowle Bradlee, a pre-1772 shoe found under the attic floorboards and John Fowle family mourning brooches made from human hair.

Following the opening, this exhibit will be on view during regular Fowle House Museum hours and during additional Exhibit Hours.  See our Visit page for more information.

This exhibit is free and open to the public.

March Public Program

Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse
A slideshow lecture by Eric Jay Dolin

Sunday, March 19, 2023
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

In a work rich in maritime lore and brimming with original historical detail, Eric Jay Dolin presents the most comprehensive history of American lighthouses ever written, telling the story of America through the prism of its beloved coastal sentinels.  Set against the backdrop of an expanding nation, Brilliant Beacons traces the evolution of America's lighthouse system, highlighting the political, military and technological battles fought to illuminate the nation's hardscrabble coastlines.

Mr. Dolin grew up near the coasts of New York and Connecticut.  Since an early age, he has been fascinated by the natural world, especially the ocean.  He earned a bachelor's degree from Brown University, where he majored in biology and environmental studies.  He also holds a master's degree in environmental management from Yale University and a Ph.D. in environmental policy and planning from MIT, where his dissertation focused on the role of the courts in the cleanup of Boston Harbor.  He enjoys telling stories and has authored fifteen books.

This program is funded by a 2022 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.

This program is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

November Public Program

Rendezvous with Rachel Revere
A live portrayal by History At Play™ LLC with Judith Kalaora

Sunday, November 6, 2022
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

It is May 2, 1775, and Rachel Revere has only heard from her beloved husband Paul once since his legendary midnight ride.  Isolated from one another due to the Siege of Boston, Rachel creates a plan to remove from the reach of the British Regular Army her newborn baby and six stepchildren from Paul's first marriage.  Find out if she is successful through this one-woman immersive living history experience.

Founded in 2010 by Judith Kalaora, History at Play™ LLC chronicles the lives of influential and often forgotten figures.  Kalaora is a professional living historian, actor, award-winning playwright and educator.  She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University and is a graduate of the education program at Shakespeare's Globe, London.

This program is funded by a 2022 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.

This program is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Joyce at 781-899-7239 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

September Public Program

Meet John Adams: A Lively and Revolutionary Conversation with the Second President
A live portrayal by George Baker

Sunday, September 25, 2022
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Join the Historical Society of Watertown and the Watertown Free Public Library for a live portrayal of John Adams, the second President of the United States (1791-1801), by George Baker.  Adams will describe his life and times in a humorous and inspiring presentation that will include performances of several historic songs.

George Baker, a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia Law School, practices law in New Canaan, CT.  In 2008, Mr. Baker created a one-man show to highlight the humor and patriotism of President John Adams.  His performances have taken him to venues large and small across the United States, including several Presidential Libraries.

This program is funded by a 2022 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.

This program is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Joyce at 781-899-7239 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

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