Events

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

Tufts Medical Center & Floating Hospital for Children
A slideshow lecture by Daniel Bird

Sunday, May 1, 2022
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Tufts Medical Center and the Floating Hospital for Children comprise the third oldest hospital in the United States.  Founded as the Boston Dispensary in 1796, it provided free medical care to indigent patients.  The hospital has been a leader and innovator in the medical field ever since.  Mr. Bird's program, based on the book from the Images of America series titled Tufts Medical Center that he co-authored with HSW board member Bob Bloomberg, will walk attendees through the history of this institution, highlighting many of its accomplishments and firsts.

Daniel Bird is a graduate of Boston University's School of Communication.  He has served as General Manager at Great Bear Spring Co. and held the roles of Business Development Consultant, Director of Volunteer Services and Historian at Tufts Medical Center.  Mr. Bird has designed several historic photographic exhibits at Tufts Medical Center.

Bob Bloomberg received a B.A. in History from UMass Boston and an M.A. in History from the University of Chicago.  He has served as Director of Grants and a member of the Board of Governors at Tufts Medical Center.  He is also a former member of the Board of Directors of the Quincy Historical Society.  Mr. Bloom has authored several book reviews, as well as journal and newspaper articles on local history.

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

 

March Public Program

The Swingin' Sixties Fashion
A virtual slideshow lecture by Karen Antonowicz

Sunday, March 6, 2022
2:00 PM
access via Zoom

Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Mary Quant, Biba and the list goes on!  Discover the fashions of the Swingin' Sixties, beginning with the mod styles of London, traveling through the hippy era and culminating in the bohemian styles and hot pants of the early '70s.  The driving force behind these changing styles and the impact they had on people of all ages during this turbulent time will be explored.

Karen (Ren) Antonowicz received her Master's Degree in Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design with a concentration in Historic Costume and Textiles from the University of Rhode Island.  She taught History of Fashion and other courses full time at the college level for 13 years, then taught part time in the Continuing Education Program at the Rhode Island School of Design.  Ren continues to follow her passion for historic costume by conducting fashion era presentations at libraries, senior centers, schools, historical societies and historic homes.

All HSW meetings and events are free and open to the public.  If you are interested in attending this virtual lecture, please RSVP with subject line fashion lecture by using the HSW Contact form or emailing Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  A Zoom link will be distributed approximately 24 hours prior to the event.

November Public Program

The Gilbert Payson House: A Watertown Reinvention Story
A slideshow lecture by David J. Russo

Sunday, November 21, 2021
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Built in 1882 and designed by the noted architectural firm of Van Brunt & Howe, the Payson House has a significant and surprising history that includes housing, schools and even a library.  Learn the compelling survival story of how this building evolved to meet the demands of the changing environment around it.

David J. Russo, J.D., is passionate about Watertown history and architecture.  He became interested in one of Watertown's most famous native sons, Charles Brigham, researched all aspects of the architect and developed a web site to make the information available to researchers the world over.  David served as a member of the Watertown Historical Commission from 1999-2020.  He has made numerous presentations on the designs of Charles Brigham and other aspects of Watertown history and has won several awards, including the Hero for History award in 2009 and the Bay State Legacy Award in 2021.

All HSW events are free and open to the public.  No registration is required for this in-person lecture.
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..

Special Event

Open House
Unveiling of Edmund Fowle House & Museum sign and artifact wall labels

Sunday, October 17, 2021
1:00 - 4:00 PM
Edmund Fowle House
28 Marshall Street
Watertown, MA 02472

A new exterior sign identifying the Edmund Fowle House & Museum as the headquarters of the Historical Society of Watertown, founded in 1888, has been installed.  The painted, wooden sign, which will be unveiled at 1:00 PM, incorporates green, cream and yellow hues similar to the paint colors used on the exterior of the house itself.

After the unveiling of the sign, guests will be welcomed into the Fowle House for a self-guided tour of the artifacts on display, complete with new wall labels created using funds from a generous, late-2019 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.  The new labels are intended to communicate the significance of each object to museum visitors through historical facts and stories.

MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THOSE ENTERING THE EDMUND FOWLE HOUSE.

All HSW meetings and events are 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

Stories of the Boston Harbor Islands
A virtual slideshow lecture by Marguerite Krup

Thursday, September 23, 2021
7:00 PM
access via Zoom

Storyteller Marguerite Krup will tell tales of the Boston Harbor Islands and guide attendees on a visual and historical tour of some of the 34 islands and peninsulas that make up the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park, a treasure at our doorstep.

Ms. Krupp has been a Boston Harbor Islands volunteer for the past 30 years.  As such, she helps visitors explore the islands and discover the many things they have to offer.  She is also a writer, editor and photographer, as well as a retired Northeastern University instructor.  She is an active member of the Norwood Historical Society whose father worked at the Watertown Arsenal for many years.

All HSW meetings and events are free and open to the public, but registration is required for this lecture.  RSVP using the HSW Contact form and enter Krup lecture as the subject line to receive a Zoom link approximately 24 hours before the event.

 

Special Event

Exploring Catholic Mount Auburn Cemetery
An in-person tour led by William A. McEvoy, Jr.

Saturday, September 18, 2021
10:00 AM
Catholic Mount Auburn Cemetery
64 Cottage Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Walk among the graves of the people who shaped Watertown's local history in many ways and hear about them through the eyes of local cemetery expert William A. McEvoy, Jr.  This walking tour will leave from 64 Cottage Street.  The cemetery gates, located at the end of Cottage Street, will be open to receive tour guests at 10:00 AM.

Mr. McEvoy, a veteran and a resident of Newton, is a graduate of Bentley College, has an MBA from Suffolk College and an MA in Political Science from Boston College.

All HSW meetings and events are free and open to the public, but registration is required for this in-person tour.  RSVP using the HSW Contact form and enter CMAC tour as the subject line to receive a registration link.  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..

 

Special Public Program

Our Heritage in Catholic Mount Auburn
A slideshow lecture by William A. McEvoy, Jr.

Sponsored by:
The Historical Society of Watertown
Watertown Free Public Library

Wednesday September 15, 2021
7:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Local cemetery historian and Mount Auburn Cemetery volunteer researcher William A. McEvoy, Jr., will discuss Catholic Mount Auburn Cemetery, which is located at the end of Cottage Street.  Learn about Bill's four-year study of the approximately 23,000 mostly Irish immigrants who were buried in the cemetery sometimes referred to as Sand Banks from 1854 to 1920.

Mr. McEvoy, a veteran and a resident of Newton, is a graduate of Bentley College, has an MBA from Suffolk College and an MA in Political Science from Boston College.

All HSW events are free and open to the public.  No registration is required for this in-person lecture.
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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