From Dave Brigham:
I feel like a right heel for largely ignoring Watertown, Mass., over the last decade here at the blog. Oh sure, I've written a handful of posts about my neighboring city, but considering how rich in history and architecture and quirkiness Watertown is, and that it's, you know, right next door, I really should have paid more attention to it.
My excuses: I've spent a LOT of time exploring my adopted hometown of Newton, and a LOT of time riding the train with my son and trekking through various neighborhoods of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville. Also, too, I have journeyed to interesting places like Sudbury, Clinton, Littleton, Hudson, Sterling and Lancaster over the years. But all the while, there sat Watertown, all parts of it within relatively short drives.
And so I have begun to right this wrong (see January 6, 2021, "Jack's Smoke Shop Has Been Extinguished" and January 15, 2021, "A Revolutionary Cemetery in Watertown"). And today I present the first in a two-part miniseries on Watertown Square, and pledge I will venture into the city's other neighborhoods.
So, let's start at the place memorializing Watertown's founding as an English colony.
The Founders Monument was erected in 1931, and depicts Sir Richard Saltonstall, who, along with Rev. George Phillips, is credited with founding what was originally called the Saltonstall Plantation at present day Watertown (historical note: my great-grandfather several times removed, Thomas Brigham, emigrated to Cambridge from England in 1635; one of his neighbors was a Saltonstall).
Saltonstall "became involved with the Massachusetts Bay Company in 1629, signing the original charter of Massachusetts, and was named to the emigrant committee and appointed first assistant to Governor John Winthrop," per Wikipedia. "After the death of his first wife, he sold his land in England and set sail for New England with his family. They boarded the Arbella...at Yarmouth...with the Winthrop company and arrived in Salem, Massachusetts on 12 June 1630."
In 1630, Saltonstall and Phillips sailed up the Charles River from Boston on the Arbella, along with several servants and cattle to establish their new community. Saltonstall was granted more than 580 acres, but after less than a year he returned to his native land because he, like many before and since, couldn't hack the harsh winters here.
Located in the triangle formed by Charles River Road and Riverside Street, the monument was sculpted by Henry Hudson Kitson and showcases two bas reliefs on either side of Saltonstall's statue, as well as the names of dozens of members of the early settlement.
(One of the bas reliefs. Sorry for the photo; lighting was tough.)
One relief memorializes the landing not far from Watertown Square by a party led by Roger Clap. After engaging with members of the Pequossette Indians, Clap left and settled in Dorchester, at the governor's orders. The other relief shows a 1632 protest by Watertown reisdents against paying a tax for the erection of a stockade fort at Cambridge. This is considered the first protest in America against taxation without representation.
(Sir Richard Saltonstall)
Alright, let's check out some more monuments.
Across Charles River Road and slightly to the northwest from the founders' memorial there are two other markers, just steps from the river. Below is one dedicated to Watertown's soldiers who died in the two world wars.
A short walk away is a monument pointing out that Thomas Mayhew, who built what is considered to be the first grist mill in America right in Watertown Square, kept his "homestall" in this location "by the ancient ford the landing and the weir."
Mayhew went on to bigger and, well, more complicated things after leaving Watertown. In 1642, he established the first English settlement on Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and adjacent islands, having acquired those lands from Sir Ferdinando Gorges and the Earl of Sterling, per Wikipedia. Mayhew established farming and whaling operations on the islands.
There were a few thousand Native Americans on the islands when Mayhew and his cohort arrived. Per Wikipedia: "One of the first of Mayhew's orders was that no land was to be taken from the native islanders, the Wampanoags, without their consent or without fair payment. From this time forward, the colonial settlers and Indians lived without the bloodshed that marked the history of European colonies elsewhere in the New World."
Sounds about as good as it can get in those times. Eventually, though, Mayhew got a little full of himself. Again, from Wikipedia: "Through a maze of conflicting land grants, changing political allegiances, and settler unrest, Mayhew, who styled himself 'Governour Mayhew,' began to rule his island with an iron hand. The most serious threat to his control came in 1665 when Martha's Vineyard was included in the lands placed under the king's brother, the Duke of York. After much delay, a settlement, worked out in 1671, confirmed the Mayhew patent and named Mayhew 'Governour and Chiefe Magistrate' for life. At the same time, a patent was issued erecting the Manor of Tisbury in the southwestern part of the island. The Governor and his grandson Matthew were made 'joint Lords of the Manor of Tisbury,' and the inhabitants became manorial tenants subject to the feudal jurisdiction of the Mayhews. This full-fledged feudal manor appears to have been the only such institution actually established in New England."
Now we move on to an even bigger player than Thomas Mayhew in the colonization of the future US of A.
Located in the heart of the square, along Main Street, is a triangular park where the city hangs a fantastic holiday light display on several tall trees each year. The monument, erected in 1940 by the local Knights of Columbus council, refers to this spot as Columbus Delta, and features a quote about good ol' Cristobal Colon attributed to poet Joaquin Miller: "He gained a world / He gave that world its grandest lesson / On! Sail on!"
Columbus opened the door for colonization and all the horrors and triumphs that followed, leading inevitably to the formation of a new nation in the late 18th century. And the next monument recognizes one of the founding fathers of this great nation, who you may have heard of: George Washington.
"This tablet marks the George Washington Memorial Highway at Watertown," reads the plaque, which is located on the Main Street side of Watertown Savings Bank. The highway was created in 1932 to celebrate the bicentennial of Washington's birth, and the route that he took on his way to Boston to assume command of the Continental Army. A few years back, I wrote about another highway marker, this one in Waltham (see April 20, 2016, "Washington Walked Here").
On the opposite side of Main Street, in front of the library, is another plaque commemorating the same event.
Also in front of the library is a plaque that has more relevance to modern-day Watertownians.
"Tree planted in memory of Ellen "Ma" Linehan"
"A role model in Watertown Civic Affairs for Over 4 Decades"
"Slainte"
I haven't found out much about Linehan. I believe she worked for the Watertown Housing Authority.
OK, let's move on to some civic pride artwork.
Located on the side of CVS in the heart of the square, this faded mural has been here since 1983, based on the artist signature on the bottom left. All it says is "CARTER." I have no more information about the artist, or who the subjects of the artwork are.
The main body of the mural shows cars, trucks, vans and an MBTA bus driving over the Galen Street bridge that spans the Charles River, as well as nearby streets. Additionally, there are trees and buildings in the background. At the bottom are what appear to be local historic figures.
I don't whether the people depicted are specific figures from Watertown's history, or just representations from that past.
Around the corner, along Baptist Walk (I love that!) between Mt. Auburn and Spring streets, is a fantastic mural painted by Gregg Bernstein and a team of high school students. Below is a detail from the mural, "Tapestry of Cultures," which depicts the cultural diversity of Watertown.
The mural spans two buildings. In the alley between the two structures, I spied the graffiti below.
I always spy interesting graffiti around Watertown; below is something painted on the side of the Firestone Tire Shop on Taylor Street.
(I can't decide if the thing above the letter "U" is a pie or a UFO.)
Over on North Beacon Street, on the front of Boston Volkswagen, is the nicely executed hand-painted body shop sign below.
Below is a window along the side of the dealership as one heads to the body shop.
Over on Mt. Auburn Street is a mural with a commercial purpoe and an appeal to patriotism.
The New Yorker Diner has been open for many decades, but I haven't found any specific opening date. I've never been here, which seems just so, so wrong.
Alright, I guess we're getting into restaurants now. Below is something from another era.
China Rainbow on North Beacon Street has been around since the '70s, I think. Reviews on Yelp are mostly positive. When I posted the photo below on Facebook, one of my friends noted, "That place is a trip. Tiny, shabby tiki bar inside." That's exactly what I was hoping for.
Further east on North Beacon Street is the Watertown Diner, below.
Known previously as Victor's Diner, this eatery closed in 2018. I'm not sure whether it is now open. It appears to be in good shape, and someone had the presence of mind, and sufficient holiday spirit, to put a plastic snowman on the roof.
Along Mt. Auburn Street sits a Watertown Square institution: Demos Greek Restaurant.
Recently revamped (building renovations and some additions to the classic Greek menu) by new owners George and Manny Maherkis, Demos has been around for quite a long time, although I can't tell you exactly how long.
Two doors down from Demos is Tabrizi Bakery.
Founded in 1991, Tabrizi "is the first Iranian bakery in the Northeast of the U.S.," per its web site.
So, we've covered Chinese, Greek, American and Iranian. How about Mexican and, well, more Iranian (OK, Persian)?
Opened in 2015, Ixtapa Mexican Grill & Cantina is part of a small, family-owned and operated chain that includes eateries in Lexington and Woburn. I haven't eaten there, but I've heard good things about it. I love the outdoor decor.
Right next door is Molana, a Halal Persian restaurant, where I also have not eaten.
I really dig the building. Built in 1898 in what MACRIS variously calls Queen Anne, Victorian Eclectic and Victorian Gothic Vernacular styles, the structure is known historically as Mark's Spring Street Pub. That's all I've found out.
While unfortunately some of the restaurants above may not survive the ongoing pandemic, or may already have fallen victim to it, I'm betting that Dyer Discount Liquors along Mt. Auburn Street will do just fine.
I'm not sure how long Dyer has been in this location. A historic photo on MACRIS shows a Gordon's Liquors outlet here. As for the building, it dates to 1914 and is known as the E.B. Giuffre Building, after the original owner. The building "occupies a portion of the site on which was located the Baptist Church from 1830 until a new church was built in 1900 further east on Mount Auburn," per MACRIS. "The small side street connecting Mt. Auburn and Spring Streets is still called Baptist Walk as it was from the 1830s."
Aha!!!
I love the old-timey details outside the liquor store.
Located next door to the packie, the Pequossette Aerie 1928 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) dates to the Middle Ages.
No, I have no idea how long it's been in operation. The national organization was founded in 1898. As regular readers of the blog know, I have a certain fondness for social clubs/fraternal organizations. This fascination was sparked during my college days in the '80s in Keene, NH, when I stumbled across that small city's chapter of FOE (see October 6, 2019, "Remembering a Foundational Moment").
OK, that wraps up the first installment of Watertown Square. In the second part, I will discuss churches, museums, historic plaques, historic homes and apartment buildings, old mill complexes, a community pool, upcoming developments and much more.
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