Watertown

Established in 1630, Watertown was the first inland settlement of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. With its central location and proximity to the Charles River, Watertown has always been a convenient meeting place and a starting point for travelers and traders headed to the West. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the town consisted of many country estates and farmlands. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw industrial growth and an influx of immigrants. Today, Watertown has become a thriving business community, retaining its small-town character, beautiful historic houses, and tree-lined streets. In Watertown, the long and colorful story of the town is told through vintage images as never before. Within these pages, see the Perkins School for the Blind, the Stanley steamer, the Arsenal, and an array of historic houses, churches, and public buildings. Learn how Paul Revere and his comrades held meetings in Watertown during the eighteenth century and how the first streetcar routes originated in Watertown in 1894.

The Friends of the Watertown Free Public Library and the Historical Society of Watertown joined forces to write this book. The Friends of the Watertown Free Public Library support the services of the library, which houses historical map and photograph collections. The Historical Society of Watertown has promoted the study of historical events and subjects since 1888.