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Watertown is a city in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts Middlesex County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,632,002, making it the most populous county in both Massachusetts and New England and the 22nd most populou ...
, United States, part of
Greater Boston Greater Boston is the metropolitan region of New England encompassing the municipality of Boston, the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England, and its surrounding areas, home to 4,941,632. The most s ...
. The population was 35,329 in the 2020 census. Its neighborhoods include Bemis, Coolidge Square, East Watertown, Watertown Square, and the West End. Watertown was one of the first
Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1628–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around Massachusetts Bay, one of the several colonies later reorganized as the Province of M ...
settlements organized by Puritan settlers in 1630. The city is home to the Perkins School for the Blind, the
Armenian Library and Museum of America Armenian Museum of America (AMA), located in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States, is an institution that has the largest collection of Armenian culture, Armenian artifacts in North America. History In 1971, alarmed by the growing loss and de ...
, and the historic
Watertown Arsenal The Watertown Arsenal was a major American arsenal located on the northern shore of the Charles River in Watertown, Massachusetts. The site is now registered on the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE's List of Historic Civil Engineeri ...
, which produced military armaments from 1816 through
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


History

Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before
colonization 475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence. Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...
. In the 1600s, two groups of
Massachusett The Massachusett are a Native American tribe from the region in and around present-day Greater Boston in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name comes from the Massachusett language term for "At the Great Hill," referring to the Blue Hills ...
, the Pequossette and the Nonantum, had settlements on the banks of the river later called the Charles, and a contemporary source lists "Pigsgusset" as the native name of "Water towne." The Pequossette built a
fishing weir A fishing weir, fish weir, fishgarth or kiddle is an obstruction placed in tidal waters, or wholly or partially across a river, to direct the passage of, or trap fish. A weir may be used to trap marine fish in the intertidal zone as the tide rec ...
to trap herring at the site of the current
Watertown Dam The Watertown Dam spans the Charles River upstream from the Watertown Bridge near Watertown Square in Watertown, Massachusetts. The dam is located where the Charles River tidal estuary historically ended (the tides no longer reach this point ...
. The annual fish migration, as both alewife and
blueback herring The blueback herring, blueback shad, or summer shad (''Alosa aestivalis'') is an anadromous species of herring from the east coast of North America, with a range from Nova Scotia to Florida. Blueback herring form schools and are believed to mi ...
swim upstream from their adult home in the sea to spawn in the fresh water where they were hatched, still occurs every spring. Watertown, first known to settlers as Saltonstall Plantation, was one of the earliest of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1628–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around Massachusetts Bay, one of the several colonies later reorganized as the Province of M ...
settlements. Founded in early 1630 by a group of settlers led by
Richard Saltonstall Sir Richard Saltonstall (baptised, 4 April 1586 – October 1661) led a group of English settlers up the Charles River to settle in what is now Watertown, Massachusetts in 1630. He was a nephew of the Lord Mayor of London Richard Saltonst ...
and George Phillips, it was officially incorporated that same year. The alternate spelling "Waterton" is seen in some early documents. The first buildings were upon land now included within the limits of
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
known as Gerry's Landing. For its first quarter century Watertown ranked next to
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
in population and area. Since then its limits have been greatly reduced. Thrice portions have been added to Cambridge, and it has contributed territory to form the new towns of
Weston Weston may refer to: Places Australia * Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Weston, New South Wales * Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra * Weston Park, Canberra, a park Canada * Weston, Nova Scotia * W ...
(1712), Waltham (1738), Lincoln (1754) and Belmont (1859). In 1632 the residents of Watertown protested against being compelled to pay a tax for the erection of a
stockade A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls, made of logs placed side by side vertically, with the tops sharpened as a defensive wall. Etymology ''Stockade'' is derived from the French word ''estocade''. The French word was derived f ...
fort at Cambridge; this was the first protest in America against taxation without representation and led to the establishment of
representative democracy Representative democracy, also known as indirect democracy or electoral democracy, is a type of democracy where elected delegates represent a group of people, in contrast to direct democracy. Nearly all modern Western-style democracies func ...
in the colony. As early as the close of the 17th century, Watertown was the chief horse and cattle market in
New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
and was known for its fertile gardens and fine estates. Here about 1632 was erected the first
gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...
in the colony, and in 1662 one of the first woolen mills in America was built here. The first burying ground, on Arlington Street, was established in the 1660s. It contains a monument to Joseph Coolidge, the only Watertown resident killed during the British retreat from Concord in April 1775.


Revolutionary War era

Much excitement was generated in Watertown towards the start of the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
period. In 1773, many of its citizens were engaged with the
Sons of Liberty The Sons of Liberty was a loosely organized, clandestine, sometimes violent, political organization active in the Thirteen American Colonies founded to advance the rights of the colonists and to fight taxation by the British government. It p ...
in another tax protest, this time against the British Tea Tax which resulted in the famous
Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was a seminal American protest, political and Mercantilism, mercantile protest on December 16, 1773, during the American Revolution. Initiated by Sons of Liberty activists in Boston in Province of Massachusetts Bay, colo ...
protest. Then later (April 1775), some 134 Watertown
minutemen Minutemen were members of the organized New England colonial militia companies trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name. Min ...
responded to the alarm from Lexington to rout the British soldiers from their march to Concord. Thereafter many of these citizen soldiers were part of the first battle line formed at the
Siege of Boston The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In the siege, Patriot (American Revolution), American patriot militia led by newly-installed Continental Army commander George Wash ...
. Another Watertown citizen, Israel Bissel, was the first rider to take the news of the British attack and rode all the way to Connecticut, New York and Philadelphia. The
Massachusetts Provincial Congress The Massachusetts Provincial Congress (1774–1780) was a provisional government created in the Province of Massachusetts Bay early in the American Revolution. Based on the terms of the colonial charter, it exercised ''de facto'' control over th ...
, after adjournment from Concord, met from April to July 1775 in the First Parish Church, the site of which is marked by a monument. On July 3,
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
was greeted in Watertown; the following day he took command of the Army in Cambridge. The
Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court, formally the General Court of Massachusetts, is the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston. Th ...
held its sessions here from 1775 to 1778. Committees met in the nearby Edmund Fowle House. Boston
town meeting Town meeting, also known as an "open town meeting", is a form of local government in which eligible town residents can directly participate in an assembly which determines the governance of their town. Unlike representative town meeting where ...
s were held here during the
siege of Boston The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In the siege, Patriot (American Revolution), American patriot militia led by newly-installed Continental Army commander George Wash ...
, when many Boston families made their homes in the neighborhood. For several months early in the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
the committees of safety and committee of correspondence made Watertown their headquarters and it was from here that General Joseph Warren set out for Bunker Hill. The Treaty of Watertown, the first treaty signed between the newly formed United States of America and a foreign power, the St. John's and
Mi'kmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Mi'kmaw'' or ''Mi'gmaw''; ; , and formerly Micmac) are an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces, primarily Nova Scotia, New Bru ...
First Nations of
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
, was signed in this house. The Coolidge Tavern, built in 1742, was frequented by minutemen during the war. Here, Washington was entertained on his New England tour in 1789. The tavern was demolished in 1918 to make way for a trolley terminal.


Industrial era

From 1832 to 1834, Theodore Parker conducted a private school and his name is still preserved in the Parker School, though the building no longer operates as a public school. Mount Auburn Cemetery was founded in 1831, creating the first garden cemetery in the United States. The landscape of Mount Auburn provided inspiration for the nation's first public parks and picturesque suburbs designed by the early generations of American landscape architects. Mount Auburn has been recognized as one of the most significant designed landscapes in the country. Although perceived as a Cambridge institution, almost all of the cemetery is actually in Watertown. The
Watertown Arsenal The Watertown Arsenal was a major American arsenal located on the northern shore of the Charles River in Watertown, Massachusetts. The site is now registered on the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE's List of Historic Civil Engineeri ...
operated continuously as a military munitions and research facility from 1816 until 1995, when the Army sold the property, by then known as the Army Materials Technology Laboratory, to the town of Watertown. The Arsenal is notable for being the site of a 1911
strike Strike may refer to: People *Strike (surname) * Hobart Huson, author of several drug related books Physical confrontation or removal *Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm * Airstrike, ...
prompted by the management methods of operations research pioneer
Frederick Winslow Taylor Frederick Winslow Taylor (March 20, 1856 – March 21, 1915) was an American mechanical engineer. He was widely known for his methods to improve industrial efficiency. He was one of the first management consulting, management consultants. In 190 ...
(Taylor and 1911 Watertown Arsenal Strike). Taylor's method, which he dubbed "Scientific Management," broke tasks down into smaller components. Workers no longer completed whole items; instead, they were timed using stopwatches as they did small tasks repetitively, as Taylor attempted to find the balance of tasks that resulted in the maximum output from workers. The strike and its causes were controversial enough that they resulted in Congressional hearings in 1911; Congress passed a law in 1915 banning the method in government owned arsenals. Taylor's methods spread widely, influencing such industrialists as Henry Ford, and the idea is one of the underlying inspirations of the factory (assembly) line industrial method. The Watertown Arsenal was the site of a major superfund clean-up in the 1990s, and has now become a center for shopping, dining and the arts, with the opening of several restaurants and a new theatre. The site includes the Arsenal Center for the Arts, a regional arts center that opened in 2005. The Arsenal was owned by the electronic health record system maker athenahealth, until it was sold to Alexandria Real Estate Equities in 2019, adding to the life science focused development along Arsenal Street. Arsenal Street features two shopping malls across the street from one another, with the Watertown Mall on one side and Arsenal Yards on the other. The Stanley Brothers built the first of their steam-powered cars, which came to be known as Stanley Steamers, in Watertown in 1897. The Locomobile Company of America, founded in 1899, also produced steam-powered cars in Watertown until the company moved to
Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the List of cities in New England by population, fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Loc ...
.


21st century

Shortly after midnight of April 18–19, 2013, the two suspects in the
Boston Marathon bombing The Boston Marathon bombing, sometimes referred to as simply the Boston bombing, was an Islamist domestic terrorist attack that took place during the 117th annual Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarna ...
engaged in a protracted battle with police, in Watertown involving the use of firearms and explosives.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev Tamerlan Anzorovich Tsarnaev (; October 21, 1986 – April 19, 2013) ; ; ; was a Russian-born terrorist of Chechens, Chechen and Avars (Caucasus), Avar descent who, with his younger brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, planted pressure cooker bombs at ...
was critically wounded and later pronounced dead and the town was completely locked down for hours as police,
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
, and
Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two differen ...
personnel patrolled it, looking for the remaining suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was captured wounded but alive in a boat shortly after the lockdown ended on the following evening. In the November 2021 election, the citizens voted to amend the official name of the city to "The City of Watertown" (from "The City Known as the Town of Watertown")


Geography

Watertown is located at (42.37139, −71.18194). To the north, it is bordered by the town of Belmont, along Belmont Street; to the south, it is bordered by the city of Newton. The city of Boston's
Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
neighborhood also lies to the south and east—the border being largely formed by the
Charles River The Charles River (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ), sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles, is an river in eastern Massachusetts. It flows northeast from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Hopkinton to Boston along a highly me ...
. Though the majority of the town lies north of the Charles, from Watertown Square, the nexus of the town, the town's border extends south of the Charles to encompass the neighborhood surrounding Casey Playground. To the east lies the City of Cambridge, the border to which is almost entirely the well-known
Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery, located in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, is the first rural or garden cemetery in the United States. It is the burial site of many prominent Boston Brahmins, and is a National Historic Landmark. Dedicated in ...
, most of which is actually in Watertown. To the west lies the more expansive city of Waltham, but there is no distinct geographic feature or major road dividing the two municipalities. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km or 1.20%) is water.


Adjacent cities and towns


Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 32,986 people, 14,629 households, and 7,329 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 15,008 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.42%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 1.73%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.16% Native American, 3.87% Asian, 0.02%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.85% from other races, and 1.95% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.68% of the population. There were 14,629 households, out of which 17.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.9% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.86. In the city, the population was spread out, with 14.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 39.8% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $59,764, and the median income for a family was $67,441. Males had a median income of $46,642 versus $39,840 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,262. About 4.5% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.


Armenian population

Watertown is a major center of the
Armenian diaspora The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...
in the United States, with the third-largest Armenian community in the United States, estimated as numbering 7,000 to over 8,000 as of 2007. Watertown ranks only behind the California cities of Glendale and
Fresno Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...
. Watertown is also the venue for the publication of long-running Armenian newspapers in English and
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
, including: * Baikar Association Inc.'s ** ''
Armenian Mirror-Spectator ''The Armenian Mirror-Spectator'' is a weekly newspaper published by the Baikar Association in Watertown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1931 as ''The Armenian Mirror'', later merging with another Armenian-American newspaper, ''The Spectator'' ...
'' ** ''
Baikar ''Baikar'' (Պայքար meaning 'Struggle' in Armenian) is an Armenian language weekly published by the Baikar Association Inc., in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1922 and published in Armenian as a daily and w ...
'' * Hairenik Association Inc.'s ** '' Armenian Weekly'' ** Հայրենիք ''( Hairenik Weekly)'' ** '' Armenian Review'' ** Hairenik Association also runs a
web radio Internet radio, also known as online radio, web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio and IP radio, is a digital audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not ...
and a web TV station. Several Armenian grocery stores are found in East Watertown that sell produce and imported Armenian and Mediterranean products.


Economy

Major employers based in Watertown include the Tufts Health Plan,
New England Sports Network New England Sports Network, popularly known as NESN , is an American regional sports cable and satellite television network owned by a joint venture of Fenway Sports Group (which owns a controlling 80% interest, and is the owner of the Boston ...
, the Perkins School for the Blind, Exergen Corporation, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., and athenahealth.


Transportation

Watertown borders Soldiers Field Road and the Massachusetts Turnpike, major arteries into downtown Boston. Watertown is served by several
MBTA The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network in ...
bus and formerly trackless trolley routes. Most of them pass through or terminate in Watertown Square or Watertown Yard. The former A-Watertown branch of the MBTA's Green Line ran to Watertown until 1969.


Education

Public schooling is provided for approximately 2,600 students by Watertown Public Schools, which operates three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school ( Watertown High School). Private day schools: *
Perkins School Perkins School may refer to: * Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, Massachusetts *Perkins School of Theology Perkins School of Theology is one of Southern Methodist University's three original schools and is located in Dallas, Texas. The th ...
* St. Stephen's Armenian Elementary School * Atrium School There is also a supplementary Armenian language school, St. James Erebuni Armenian School (), affiliated with the , which teaches both
Western Armenian Western Armenian ( ) is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Eastern Armenian. It is based mainly on the Istanbul Armenian dialect, as opposed to Eastern Armenian, which is mainly based on the Yerevan Arme ...
and
Eastern Armenian Eastern Armenian () is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Western Armenian. The two standards form a pluricentric language. Eastern Armenian is spoken in Armenia, Russia, as well as Georgia, and by the Armeni ...
to children. It originated as a solely Eastern Armenian supplementary school established in 1988 by the Armenian Society of Boston (Iranahye Miutyun); it was Greater Boston's first Eastern Armenian supplementary school. It became church-affiliated in 2015, and it merged with a Western Armenian school, St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Armenian School, in September of that year.


Notable people

* George Bachrach, state senator representing Greater Boston Area; Democratic candidate for governor in 1994 and 1998 *
Richard Bakalyan Richard Bakalyan (January 29, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor who started his career playing juvenile delinquents in his first several films. Early life Richard Bakalyan was born on January 29, 1931, in Watertown, Massachuset ...
(1931–2015), actor *
Outram Bangs Outram Bangs (January 12, 1863 – September 22, 1932) was an American zoologist. Biography Bangs was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, as the second son of Edward and Annie Outram (Hodgkinson) Bangs. He studied at Harvard from 1880 to 1884, a ...
(1863–1932), zoologist *
Seth Bemis Seth Bemis (January 23, 1775 - April 4, 1851) was an American entrepreneur, active along the Charles River in the early Industrial Revolution. It is claimed that he was the first to manufacture cotton duck cloth. He was also father to attorney Ge ...
(1775–1851), industrialist and entrepreneur *
Hampartzoum Berberian Hampartzoum Berberian (; Adana, May 25, 1905 – Watertown, Massachusetts, March 13, 1999) was an Armenian composer, conductor and political activist. Background Born in the Adana province of the Ottoman Empire, Hampartzoum was the youngest of ...
(1905–1999), Armenian composer * Anna Bingham (1745–1829), businesswoman and innkeeper *
Charles Brigham Charles Brigham (June 21, 1841 – July 1925) was an American architect based in Boston, Massachusetts. Life Brigham was born, raised, and educated in Watertown, Massachusetts schools and graduated at age 15 in 1856 in the first class of Wa ...
(1841–1925), nationally known architect and designer of the Watertown town seal *
Benjamin Robbins Curtis Benjamin Robbins Curtis (November 4, 1809 – September 15, 1874) was an American lawyer and judge who served as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1851 to 1857. Curtis was the only Whig justice of the Supreme C ...
(1809–1874), American jurist. Dissented in the
Dred Scott Dred Scott ( – September 17, 1858) was an enslaved African American man who, along with his wife, Harriet, unsuccessfully sued for the freedom of themselves and their two daughters, Eliza and Lizzie, in the '' Dred Scott v. Sandford'' case ...
case and defended
Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. The 16th vice president, he assumed the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a South ...
during the president's impeachment trial * Frederick C. Crawford (1891–1994), American industrialist, founder of TRW and
Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum is a transportation museum in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Western Reserve Historical Society's Cleveland History Center in University Circle, and its collection includes about 170 cars. It ...
* Jeff DaRosa (born 1982), musician, member of
Dropkick Murphys Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The current lineup consists of co-lead vocalist and bassist Ken Casey, drummer Matt Kelly, co-lead vocalist Al Barr (on hiatus from the band since 202 ...
and former member of the Exit * James DeMarco (born 1968), artist and cartoonist *
Eliza Dushku Eliza Patricia Dushku (; born December 30, 1980) is an American former actress. Dushku starred as Faith (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Faith in the supernatural Drama (film and television), drama series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1998–2003) an ...
(born 1980), film and TV actress, grew up in Watertown and graduated from Watertown High School * Convers Francis (1795–1863), minister ordained at the Watertown Unitarian Church, who, along with
Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, minister, abolitionism, abolitionist, and poet who led the Transcendentalism, Transcendentalist movement of th ...
,
Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau; July 12, 1817May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading Transcendentalism, transcendentalist, he is best known for his book ''Walden'', a reflection upon sim ...
and others, had an important role in
transcendentalism Transcendentalism is a philosophical, spiritual, and literary movement that developed in the late 1820s and 1830s in the New England region of the United States. "Transcendentalism is an American literary, political, and philosophical movement of ...
* Eugene Goodheart (1931–2020), literary critic at
Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...
* Arshile Gorky (born Vostanik Manoug Adoian, 1904–1948), Armenian-American painter who had a seminal influence on Abstract Expressionism, lived in Watertown in the 1920s. * Hrach Gregorian (born 1949) Political consultant, educator, and writer in the field of post-conflict peacebuilding * Thomas Hastings (colonist) (–1685), English immigrant ancestor of Rev. Theodore Parker, among others * Charles Foster Hathaway, founder of C.F. Hathaway Company shirt company * Harriet Hosmer (painter and sculptor), (1830–1908) known as the first female professional sculptor *
Noah Kahan Noah Kahan ( ; born January 1, 1997) is an American singer-songwriter who signed with Republic Records in 2017. His breakthrough single, " Hurt Somebody", achieved gold status in the United States and charted in multiple international markets. T ...
(artist and songwriter), (1997–present) known for his breakout 2022 album Stick Season. A Vermont native, Kahan moved to Watertown in July 2022. * Drastamat Kanayan, better known as Dro (Դրօ), was an Armenian military commander and politician, a member of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (, abbr. ARF (ՀՅԴ) or ARF-D), also known as Dashnaktsutyun (Armenians, Armenian: Դաշնակցություն, Literal translation, lit. "Federation"), is an Armenian nationalism, Armenian nationalist a ...
. He served as Defense Minister of Armenia in 1920, during the country's brief independence. Dro died in Watertown on March 8, 1956, and was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery * Rachel Kaprielian, former head of Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, and former state representative * Hakob Karapents (1925–1994), Iranian-Armenian writer *
Helen Keller Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, she lost her sight and her hearing after a bout of illness when ...
(1880–1968), attended the Perkins Institute for the Blind * Tim Kurkjian,
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
analyst on
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
* Nancy Masterton, Maine state representative *
Thomas Mayhew Governor Thomas Mayhew, the Elder (April 1, 1593 – March 25, 1682) established the first European settlement on Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and adjacent islands in 1642. He is one of the editors of the Bay Psalm Book, the first book published i ...
, early settler and Governor of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and adjacent islands * Ross Miner (born 1991), skating coach and retired competitive figure skater * Stephen P. Mugar (1901–1982), founder of Star Market, philanthropist * John Oldham (1592–1636), early Puritan settler *
Charles Pratt Charles Pratt (October 2, 1830 – May 4, 1891) was an American businessman. Pratt was a pioneer of the U.S. petroleum industry, and he established his kerosene refinery Astral Oil Works in Brooklyn, New York. He then lived with his growing fam ...
(1830–1891), wealthy oil industry pioneer and philanthropist * Thomas Reilly, Massachusetts attorney general (1999–2007) *
Robert Seeley Robert Seeley, also Seely, Seelye, or Ciely, (1602–1668) was an early Puritan settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony who helped establish Watertown, Wethersfield, and New Haven. He also served as second-in-command to John Mason in the Pequ ...
(1602–1668), co-founder of Watertown, landowner * Joe Seiders, musician, drummer for the rock band The New Pornographers *
Charles Sumner Tainter Charles Sumner Tainter (April 25, 1854 – April 20, 1940) was an American scientific instrument maker, engineer and inventor, best known for his collaborations with Alexander Graham Bell, Chichester Bell, Alexander's father-in-law Gardiner Hubba ...
(1854–1940), inventor, associate, and nephew of
Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (; born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born Canadian Americans, Canadian-American inventor, scientist, and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He als ...
* Warren Tolman, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 1998, governor in 2002, and attorney general in 2014 * Tui T. Sutherland, author of Wings of Fire *
Steven Van Zandt Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared i ...
(born 1950), guitarist of Springsteen's E-Street Band, actor from ''The Sopranos'', lived at 16 Edgecliff Road until the age of seven


Culture

*
Armenian Library and Museum of America Armenian Museum of America (AMA), located in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States, is an institution that has the largest collection of Armenian culture, Armenian artifacts in North America. History In 1971, alarmed by the growing loss and de ...
at 65 Main Street in the former Coolidge Bank building * Hairenik Association at 80 Bigelow Avenue * Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library, on the campus of the Perkins School for the Blind * Watertown Free Public Library at 123 Main Street, in a newly renovated and expanded building *The Mosesian Center for the Arts is a regional arts center located in the former US Army Arsenal along the Charles River. Offerings include visual and performing arts productions, classes, and workshops for all ages, literary/art discussions, and world-class theatrical and musical performances. * New Repertory Theatre is the resident professional theatre company at the Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street * The Watertown Children's Theatre at the Mosesian Center for the Arts has been offering classes and productions for children in the area for 35 years. * The Plumbing Museum, located at 80 Rosedale Road in a former ice house next to the J.C. Cannistraro corporate offices. ''(Temporarily closed while searching for a new location.)'' * The Edmund Fowle House (1772) and Museum, at 28 Marshall St., the second oldest surviving house in Watertown (after the Browne House), later moved to its present location and remodeled by
Charles Brigham Charles Brigham (June 21, 1841 – July 1925) was an American architect based in Boston, Massachusetts. Life Brigham was born, raised, and educated in Watertown, Massachusetts schools and graduated at age 15 in 1856 in the first class of Wa ...
. * The Abraham Browne House (built ) is a colonial house located at 562 Main Street. It is now a nonprofit museum operated by Historic New England and open to the public two afternoons a year. *
Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery, located in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, is the first rural or garden cemetery in the United States. It is the burial site of many prominent Boston Brahmins, and is a National Historic Landmark. Dedicated in ...
, founded in 1831, consists of 151.1 acres of well manicured grounds with numerous species of both indigenous and exotic tree and shrub species. It is Watertown's largest contiguous open space and extends into Cambridge to the east. It also features the George Washington Tower. Parking is available for visitors. * Gore Place is an early 19th-century historic house museum and National Historic Landmark in Waltham, Massachusetts, with 31.6 acres of the 45-acre estate located in Watertown. * The
Watertown Arsenal The Watertown Arsenal was a major American arsenal located on the northern shore of the Charles River in Watertown, Massachusetts. The site is now registered on the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE's List of Historic Civil Engineeri ...
was a major American arsenal located on the northern shore of the Charles River in Watertown. Its site is now registered on the ASCE's List of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks and on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.


See also

*
Greater Boston Greater Boston is the metropolitan region of New England encompassing the municipality of Boston, the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England, and its surrounding areas, home to 4,941,632. The most s ...
*
Town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland In 2002, 49 urban district councils and 26 town commissi ...
*
Robert Seeley Robert Seeley, also Seely, Seelye, or Ciely, (1602–1668) was an early Puritan settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony who helped establish Watertown, Wethersfield, and New Haven. He also served as second-in-command to John Mason in the Pequ ...
* Watertown Branch Railroad * Armenian Americans in Massachusetts


References


Further reading


''1871 Atlas of Massachusetts''.
by Wall & Gray
Map of Massachusetts.Map of Middlesex County.
* ''History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts''
Volume 1 (A-H)Volume 2 (L-W)
compiled by Samuel Adams Drake, published 1879–1880. *
Watertown article
by Francis S. Drake in volume 2, pages 433–460.
An Historical Sketch of Watertown, in Massachusetts
by Convers Francis, published in 1830. * Bond, Dr. Henry, ''Genealogies of Watertown, Massachusetts, Boston'': Higginson Book Company (undated modern reprint of 1860 edition). * Thompson, Roger, ''Divided We Stand, Watertown, Massachusetts 1630–1680'', Amherst:
University of Massachusetts Press The University of Massachusetts Press is a university press that is part of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The press was founded in 1963, publishing scholarly books and non-fiction. The press imprint is overseen by an interdisciplinar ...
, 2001. * Tourtellot, Arthur B., ''The Charles (Rivers of America series),'' New York: Farrar & Rinehart, Inc., 1941. * Fischer, David Hackett, '' Albion's Seed, Four British Folkways in America'', New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.


External links


Watertown official website

Watertown History

Zoomable view of Watertown circa 1879
{{Authority control Cities in Massachusetts New England Puritanism Populated places established in 1630 Armenian-American culture in Massachusetts Armenian diaspora communities in the United States Charles River 1630 establishments in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Cities in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Boston Marathon bombing